Sarojini Naidu

Sarojini Naidu was a very jolly person by nature. She loved calling names to Gandhiji with affection without forfeiting the reverence. She would call him ‘Micky Mouse’ or ‘Dwarf’ or ‘Little man’. Sometimes she would say that Gandhiji was her Krishna and she was his humble flute.About Jawaharlal she once said, ‘Prime Ministers come and […]

What always troubled Sarojini was the fear of disharmony between Hindu and Muslims. She always urged Muslims to consider themselves sons of the soil and banish fears of injustice by the majority. She wanted Hindus and Muslims to live like brothers.In March, 1942 Cripps Mission arrived in India. Its aim was to explore the possibilities

In 1935 Congress celebrated its golden jubilee at Bombay.Meanwhile the British government had made some moves to appease Indians by holding the carrot of the participation in the provincial governments. The Congress party had taken part in the elections held under the new provisions and won majority in many assemblies. Some Congress leaders thought that

Soon after her return she again had to go abroad with her daughter Padamja to S. Africa to preside over East African Congress in 1929.Meanwhile Congress session was scheduled to be held in the month of December. Jawahar Lal Nehru was nominated to be its president.Sarojini wrote to him—My dear Jawahar,I think tomorrow your father

After 1924 Belgam Congress Session every Congressman felt that Sarojini could no more be denied the presidentship of the Congress. The next session held in Kanpur was presided over by Sarojini Naidu as wished by all. Gandhi proposed her name. The representatives of S. African Congress presented her a picture of her own.Sarojini said—‘Friends! I

In December, 1919 Montague-Chemsford suggested reforms were made into a law through an ordnance. It rocked the country and gave birth to ‘Khilafat’ movement.The colonial rulers made up their minds to crush the movement by giving sweeping powers to the police.A committee was formed under Justice Rawlett which suggested some draconian measures. The British got

Sarojini was a very forceful erudite woman. She never hesitated to call spade a spade. Her judgements were based on strictly secular ideals.The poetess never discriminated between Hindus and Muslims or men and women.In 1916 Muslim League convention was held in Lucknow. Sarojini was invited to speak at the inaugural meeting.She fearlessly spoke, ‘For one

‘When animosity, terror and violent explosions will cease,And the life will be reborn, on the eve of new peace,Your affection will express thanks in memories,Of those comrades who fought in your fearless ranks,And you will honour the valour in immortal sons,At that hour remember the blood of my martyr sons’.Sarojini Naidu’s political innings had in

Sarojini’s return to home was not all joy. She found that her father Dr. Aghornath Chattopadhyaya was seriously ill. She rushed to Calcutta to be by the side of his bed.Dr. Chattopadhyaya passed away in the month of February, 1915.It was such a grave loss that nothing could fill it up for her. The poetess

Sarojini Naidu considered the famous educationist and the social reformer Gopal Krishna Gokhale her political guru and who also was pioneering leader of the Congress party. He was the one who introduced Mahatma Gandhi to Indian freedom politics.Sarojini also considered him her primary guru, inspirer and guide.Sarojini delivered her first public speech in 1902. The

As a kid Sarojini had been a very imaginative, sentimental and day dreaming girl.Her father wanted her to become a doctor or a mathematician or scientist. But events shaped her into a poetess. There was a poetess inside her all the time which made her a day dreamer. But her stint in England was the

‘Still I must go there,where the restless world points at.The anxious sounds of the drums of destiny,are calling me.Beyond the dazzling slumber of your white dome,Far away from the dreams of your wild castles,In the middle of the tumult and struggle of thefierce crowd,Against the injustice and lethargy,In the battle of the sweet love’.Sarojini was

Sarojini returned to India in September, 1898. She had earned no diploma or degree. But that was not her aim anyway. Her mission was to meet her destiny in Edmond Goss. And she did that.She was returning home an improved and focussed song writer. Her poems were no more amateurish. Her creative talents were well

As soon as Sarojini stepped into her teens in 1894 the budding poetess in her showed up.She wrote a poem titled ‘Love’. It revealed her youthful zeal for life. A dreamy teenager was declaring her commitment and paying tributes to true spontaneous natural love.This love and commitment remained ever her guiding principles of life.Her first

‘There is no birth and no death,Only the soul keeps seekingnew levels of truth,High, higher and still higher.Above words were articulated by the famed educationist Shri Aghornath Chattopadhyaya, the father of Sarojini Naidu, a prominent female figure who played a significant role in the freedom movement of India. So significant that if we scan any