If Mahatma Gandhi was the general of the freedom struggle of India then Jawaharlal Nehru was his ablest lieutenant. Sardar Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru considered Gandhiji as their leader but it is a fact that Nehru and his abode Anand Bhavan of Allahabad was the centre of the freedom struggle activities. What Ba was for Gandhi, for Nehru it was Kamla, his wife. The only difference was that Ba provided background mostly but Kamla fought battle alongside her husband and many times led the movements.
Kamla was born in 1900 to a Kashmiri brahmin family that lived in Sitaram Bazaar of Delhi. They were Kauls. The family had a prospering business in Delhi. Hence, Kamla was richly brought up. A 16 year old Kamla was married to Jawaharlal Nehru, the son of biggest lawyer of that period Motilal Nehru. Now Kamla lived in magnificent house called Anand Bhavan with her husband and in-laws at Allahabad. On November 19, 1917 Kamla gave birth to a daughter who was named Indira. The girl grew up to become Indira Gandhi, the prime minister of India for 18 years during which the country made a remarkable progress,
Motilal Nehru was friendly to the Englishmen. His earnings from legal business were huge. In the beginning he remained uninvolved in freedom politics but Jawahar and Kamla were fanatical about freedom movement. In 1919, Jalianwala Bagh massacre took place in which thousands were killed, maimed or injured. A wave of hatred and angst against the British swept the country. Gandhiji started his Non-Cooperation Movement. Jawahar and Kamla whole heartedly jumped into the fray. They got arrested. Motilal Nehru could no more remain aloof. He too jumped into the freedom movement and got arrested.
Their sacrifice changed the course of events in the country. The young people from prosperous families too joined the freedom struggle. After a few months all the arrested agitators were released. By then Kamla Nehru had got afflicted with T.B. Then, no effective drug or treatment for T.B. was available in India. In 1924 Kamla had to be shifted to Switzerland for treatment. After getting better she returned to India touring through several countries with her husband and daughter. They saw the free and rich life of Europeans and felt sorry for their countrymen who led a miserable life of slavery. In 1930 Gandhiji started Salt Movement and set out on Dandi March. Jawaharlal and Motilal took part in it and got arrested.
At this point of time Kamla showed her true braveheart form. Kamla Nehru was lean and weak ravaged by T.B. as she was, yet she took charge of the movement in the absence of the men folk. At several places she made salt. Thousands of women and youngmen she inspired into the movements. In 1932 Non-Cooperation movement started. As usual Nehrus took part in it in full force. Kamla added a new dimension to it by going to the villages with volunteers to spread the message of freedom and use of the swadeshi goods. Through her efforts the rural folk also began to take part in the movement activities. At hundreds of places the imported material were burnt in her presence, volunteers picketted before shops selling imported material and goods. Her health was not keeping good yet she continued to lead the volunteers relentlessly.
The British knew the T.B. of Kamla Nehru was in terminal stage. She could die anytime. For that reason they were afraid to arrest her. But her activities and growing popularities forced the authorities to arrest her. Her husband and father-in-law were already in jail. At home was teenaged Indira. She was also making her contribution by organising her Vanar Sena (legendary monkey force) and taking out processions.
Then Kamla fell very sick and she was released. Jawaharlal rushed her to Switzerland for treatment but it was too late. On February 28, 1936, Kamla Nehru passed away at the age of 36 years. She was cremated in Switzerland but Jawahar Lal brought back her last remains in an urn. He kept that urn with him all his remaining life. When Jawaharlal Nehru died their ashes were mixed and consigned to waters at Sangam, sea and holy rivers. Nehru had willed that. For about 28 years he had kept Kamla’s ashes with him, that was how he valued her. And so should the countrymen.
