New Delhi: India’s road to freedom was full of massive hurdles, and it took the country almost a hundred years of fighting to gain Independence from the yoke of British rule. Many lost their lives in the process, preferring to become a martyr for the sake of their motherland than to live under colonial rule. Here, a question that comes to mind: Who was the youngest martyr in the annals of the freedom struggle?
Who was the youngest martyr of India against the British Raj?
Born on October 5, 1926, Baji Rout was merely a boy when he lost his life during the Indian independence movement. He was a boatman whom the police of the British Indian government shot for refusing to ferry them across the Brahmani River on the night of October 11, 1938, in the Dhenkanal district which is currently located in Odisha.
What happened to Baji Rout?
Baji Rout was born on October 5, 1926, in Dhenkanal. His father died when he was a child, and his mother raised him by grinding and husking paddy. Due to a lack of money, his family including his two elder brothers could not afford to get Baji educated.
At that time, the Prajamandal Movement in Odisha was at its peak. The ruler of the princely state was brutal towards his subjects, so the people took to the streets to protest. On September 12, 1938, thousands of people surrounded the royal palace and while the leaders of the movement advised the people to remain disciplined, the king raised an armed force of 200 men. He was aided by the fact that a contingent of 200 European troops also arrived at Dhenkanal to suppress the movement on September 20.
At that point, the Prajamandal committee formed a group called ‘Banara Sena’ to implement its decisions. The entire village of Baji, including the boy were its members. As a child, Baji witnessed the many atrocities of the police, government officials and above all, the torture of the king.
The British police, on the other hand, had unleashed terror on the villagers across the state and on the night of October 11, they were on their way to Dhenkanal with the arrested villagers. To reach Dhenkanal, they had to cross the Brahmani River in Nilakanthapur village. The Banar Sena, upon receiving the news, planned to detain the village boats and deny the police ferry service.
On October 12, at dawn, the police tried to snatch the boat and clashed with the villagers. Baji, along with others, were guarding the boats, determined not to give them up. In the ensuing scuffle, the police opened fire on the resisting villagers, and Baji and five other people were killed. The young boy’s bravery has been immortalized in the Jnanpith award-winner Sachidanand Routray’s famous poem ‘Boatman’.
Baji Rout was merely a boy when he lost his life during the Indian independence movement. He was a boatman whom the police of the British Indian government shot for refusing to ferry them across the Brahmani River. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
