It is not unknown that numerous local movements — collective, continuous efforts and sacrifices — strengthened India’s struggle for independence. While the major movements are very much in public memory due to substantial documentation, many regional movements that played a crucial role in shaping the freedom struggle have faded away. As we celebrate 70 years of India’s Independence, here’s a look at a few unique campaigns in Karnataka that led to the common goal of gaining independence from colonialism.
Eachalu Marada Chaluvali
It may take time to locate Turuvanuru village in Chitradurga district on the State’s map, but it’s strong connections with the freedom struggle cannot be overlooked. It was the Eachalu Marada Chaluvali, meaning toddy tree movement in Kannada, that made the village a hub of activities during the freedom struggle.
Recalling the past, Vasudeva Reddy (81), who was a school-going boy then, says that around 70 to 80 villagers including women resorted to cutting toddy trees (from which arrack was being extracted) grown in and around Turuvanuru in response to Mahatma Gandhi’s call for the prohibition of liquor in the country in 1939. Villagers participated in the movement under the leadership of Gandhian S Nijalingappa, who went on to become the chief minister of Karnataka later. The movement lasted for many months. On hearing about this movement, Gandhiji’s personal secretary, Mahadev Desai, visited the village in 1942 and extended support to the agitation.
The Mysore Wadiyar king, who was an ally of the British crown, imposed pundu kandaya (tax imposed on unruly people) on the village as the felling of toddy trees had stopped arrack production and thus caused huge revenue loss. But the villagers refused to pay tax and became part of the ‘no tax campaign’.
Quoting Rashtra Netara, an anthology of articles on the life of S Nijalingappa, Gandhian H Hanumantappa says that an article in the book chronicles the forest satyagraha held at Turuvanuru. According to the article, “S Nijalingappa with his supporters marched towards the toddy trees in and around Turuvanuru carrying axe on their shoulders, and cut the trees. Nijalingappa was imprisoned in Chitradurga for about 18 months.”
Many such regional movements led to the consolidation of people’s voice against the British rule and gave momentum to the independence movement.
There were four small forts in Turuvanuru village during freedom struggle and they were used as watchtowers. At present, only two exist in the village. A bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi was installed on one of these forts in 1948. The fort is known as ‘Gandhi Kote’.
Salt satyagraha
Mahatma Gandhi had resorted to several non-violent movements during the freedom struggle. Civil disobedience was one among them. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s historic Dandi march in 1930, Congress leaders in Karnataka held a meeting in Dharwad to select a place for the salt satyagraha in Karnataka, protesting the tax levied by the British government on salt. A committee comprising R R Diwakar, Hanumanthrao Koujalagi and Karnad Sadashiva Rao was formed to select the place for salt satyagraha or ‘Uppina Satyagraha’. The committee decided to hold the protest in Ankola, located on the coast of Arabian sea, in Uttara Kannada district.
Krishna Nayak, a poet and native of Ankola, explains, “On April 13, 1930, a large gathering of 40,000 people led by M P Nadkarni broke the rule by making salt at Poojigeri near Ankola. Leaders like N S Hardikar, Ramanayak, Jogi Beeranna Nayaka, Govinda Nayaka, Beeranna Bommaiah Nayaka and Devanna Honnappa Nayaka participated in the movement. Though police had arrested these leaders, the satyagraha continued for six weeks. People brought salt from the seashore in earthen containers and auctioned them in the town without paying tax to the British government. Devu Honnappa Naik was the first person to purchase a bag of tax-free salt at Rs 30.” Apart from Ankola, salt was sold in nearly 30 centres across the State.
Dhwaja satyagraha
Shivapura Dhwaja Satyagraha (Flag satyagraha) marked the hoisting of the tricolour on the farm land of Thirumale Gowda on the bank of River Shimsha in Shivapura village near Mandya on April 9, 1938, protesting the taxes levied on farmers by the British government through the Maharaja of Princely Mysore. During those days, hoisting the tricolour was banned. But the freedom fighters resolved to go against the British rule.
They decided to organise the first Mysore Congress convention at Shivapura and hoist the tricolour. Around 10,000 people including women assembled at the farm land of Thirumale Gowda. The then deputy commissioner of Mysore warned the leaders against hoisting the tricolour flag. Instead, he suggested them to hoist the Gandaberunda flag, the royal emblem of the Wadiyar dynasty. Mysore Congress president, T Siddalingaiah, was slated to hoist both the tricolour and Gandaberunda flag to mark the inauguration of the first convention of Mysore Congress. The atmosphere was charged and the flag post was well guarded by 25-30 women members of Sevadal. Everyone knew that unfurling of the tricolour would land them in jail.
When Siddalingaiah was about to hoist the flag, police arrested him. In a flash of a second, M N Jois, another leader who was with Siddalingaiah, pulled the rope and hoisted the flag. Police arrested all those who participated in the agitation. Later, a Satyagraha Soudha was built in Shivapura to commemorate Dhawaja Satyagraha.
Dr H Krishne Gowda in Madduru, who has done research on freedom movements in Bengaluru district, says that this agitation strengthened the spirit of freedom movement in the people of Mysore region.
Irwin Canal Movement
Dr S Shivaramu of Nanjanagud, who has written a book titled Pro-people movements during pre-independence in Mandya district, says that Irwin Canal Movement was undoubtedly one of the significant progressive movements in Mandya district in the pre-independence era. It was an united agitation by the farmers of the district against the agriculture, irrigation and tax policies of the government of Princely Mysore. Explaining the history of the movement, he says, “The government had decided to impose new taxes on the farming community for the recovery of its contribution towards the construction of the dam and Irwin canal, presently known as Visvesvaraya canal. Apart from this, the government intended to implement a new block system (alternative crop every year) for the cultivation of crops, which was practically not feasible.”
Freedom fighters Honagana Hall Puttana, Induvalu Honnaiah and H K Veeranna Gowda decided to take out a delegation of farmers to Bengaluru to protest against the new tax policy. On December 31, 1931, around 4,000 farmers began a jatha from Madduru. They reached the Food Department office in Bengaluru on January 4, 1932. It was a disciplined and peaceful march. The then dewan of Mysore, Mirza Ismail, was impressed by it. He assured the gathering that the government would consider their demands sympathetically. The dewan asked the delegation to pay the contribution in 10 instalments after getting benefits from the canal. Those who failed to pay it in 10 years had to pay with interest. Shivaramu says, though farmers paid interest to the government in later years, the jatha played a vital role in bringing together the farmers of Mysore region to fight against the British rule.
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