"Mera Rang De Basanti Chola"

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May - 2011 (Lahore)


Written by: Shahid Nadeem
Directed by: Madeeha Gauhar

Bhagat Singh is considered to be one of the most influential revolutionaries of the Indian independence movement. Born on 28th September 1907 in a village of Lyallpur district, he was from a Sikh family which had earlier been involved in the Ghaddar movement against the British Raj. As a teenager Bhagat Singh became an atheist and became attracted to Anarchism and Marxist ideologies. In 1922 he joined the National College which had been set-up by Lala Lajpat Rai at the Bradlaugh Hall Lahore for those students who did not want to study in British institutions as part of the non cooperation movement. Bhagat Singh studied in National College till 1926 and during this time became involved in many revolutionary organizations such as Naujawan Bharat Sabha and the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association. After Lala Lajpat Rai’s brutal murder by the baton wielding British Police Chief Scott during a peaceful demonstration against the Simon commission, Bhagat Singh decided to avenge his mentor’s death. He alongwith his comrades Dutt and Sukhdev, waited for Saunders to come out of his office near the District Courts. DSP Saunders came out instead. He was shot dead, sending tremors among the colonial government circles. In April 1929, the HSRA decided to oppose the passage of Defense of India Act, by throwing a bomb during the Legislative Assembly session at the Assembly Hall, Lahore. Although the bomb did not cause serious harm, the incident had a huge impact on the anti-colonial movement in India. Bhagat Singh explained that this action was intended to “make the deaf hear”. He courted arrest and was imprisoned first in Mianwali and later in Lahore Central Jail. He and Dutt were sentenced for life. Then the trial for the Scott murder and “waging war against the King” began which was to become the most famous and influential political trial in colonial India. Incensed by the prolonged and much-publicised trial at the normal courts, the Viceroy set up a special tribunal to speedily try Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru. The three boycotted the sham trial. On 7 October 1930, the tribunal sentenced the trio to death. The sentence could not be appealed against in a higher court and the three refused to submit a mercy petition. On 23 March 1931, Bhagat Singh, Raj Guru and Sukhdev heroically went to the gallows, singing songs of freedom. Bhagat Singh was 23 when he kissed the hangman’s rope. In his last letter, he quoted Terence MacSwiney and said " My death will do more to smash the British Empire than my release" Qauid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah made no secret of his sympathies for Singh. Commenting on his hunger strike he said "the man who goes on hunger strike has a soul. He is moved by that soul, and he believes in the justice of his cause. However much you say they are misguided, it is the system, this damnable system of governance, which is resented by the people". On the other hand, Mahatma Gandhi made some half-hearted statements in favour of Bhagat Singh and his comrades but refused to include them in the list 90,000 political prisoners who were released after the Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed. Bhagat Singh was one of the most influential and charismatic characters of our independence struggle, one of most heroic sons of the Punjab and Lahore. He was an admirer of Allama Iqbal and a lover of Urdu poetry. He lived and died in Lahore for the liberation of the motherland, but like most of our heroes, the Lahoris have yet to honour and recognize him in a befitting manner. “Mera Rang Day Basanti Chola” is Ajoka’s tribute to this great son of the Punjab. Bhagat Singh’s legacy is one which our people can truly celebrate. It is also yet another play attempting to correct historical distortions.The play brings into light some hitherto little known historical facts relating to Bhagat Singh’s ideology and his trial, including the fascinating (Nawab Ahmad Khan) link between Bhagat Singh and Z.A. Bhutto. The musical score makes use of amazing poetic tributes to the great martyr, including songs sung by the revolutionary trio at the time of their hanging and the Lahori tongawala’s “Ghori” which he recited on his tonga on the first anniversary of Bhagat Singh’s martyrdom & which are now part of Punjab’s folk lore and songs.
"The aim of life is not to achieve salvation here after, but to make the best use of it here below; and not to realize truth, beauty and good only in contemplation, but also in the actual experience of daily life…” (from Bhagat Singh's prison diary, p. 124)

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