Dwipantarer Katha: The Story of Deportation (An Account of the Life of Political Prisoners in Cellular Jail)

Barindra Kumar Ghosh

Translated by Amita Ray

ISBN: 9789392281181
Published: December 2023
Pages: 130
Binding: Hardbound
Published by: Virasat Art Publications

Dwipantarer Katha: The Story of Deportation (An Account of the Life of Political Prisoners in Cellular Jail) by the noted freedom-fighter Barindra Kumar Ghosh is a historical documentation of the transportation and the stay of the prisoners in the Cellular Jail in the Andamans during British rule in India. It documents the hardships endured by the freedom fighters who struggled to make India get independence.

The Bengali original has been translated by Amita Ray bringing it to a wider readership. By making this very important Bengali document available through translation to a non-Bengali readership, Amita Ray has done a commendable job not only as a translator but also as a conscientious citizen of this nation who is aware of the history of India.

About Barindra Kumar Ghosh

Barindra Kumar Ghosh (popularly known as Barin Ghosh) was born at Croydon, situated in the outskirts of London on 5th January, 1880. His father Dr. Krishnadhan Ghosh was a physician and district surgeon. When Barindra was born his mother Swarnalata who belonged to a well-known Brahmo family was under the treatment of Dr, Mathew. So the baby was named Emanuel Mathew Ghosh and this name still ap- pears in the register of his birthplace. Later he was named Barindra Kumar Ghosh in keeping with the fact that he was born close to the sea.

Barindra Kumar spent his childhood at Rohini, near Deoghar and he completed schooling in Deoghar. He passed the entrance examination in 1901 and took admis- sion in Patna College but later he joined Dhaka College. His second elder brother Manmohoan Ghosh, a renowned scholar in English literature had worked as a professor in Dhaka University.

When his elder brother Aurobindo Ghosh was residing in Baroda, Barindra spent quite some time with him. He was greatly influenced by his brother and started taking a keen interest in revolutionary activities. Thereafter returning to Calcutta in 1902 Barindra started organising several revolutionary groups with the help of Jatindranath Banerjee. But eventually this alliance didn’t materialize and they parted ways.

In 1906 Barindra took the initiative to publish JUGANTAR, a Bengali weekly and also started a revolutionary organisation named Jugantar. He also started a factory to manufacture bombs in the famous Muraripukur Baganbari. Coupled with it, he also embarked on the process of collecting arms and ammunitions for revolutionary activities.

The attempt to kill Kingsford by the revolutionaries Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki on 30th April 1908 initiated an investigation which led to the arrest of Barindra on May 1908 along with many others. In the trial which ensued Barindra Ghosh and Ullaskar Dutta were sentenced to death but on appeal, the death sentence was revoked. He was deported to Cellular jail in Andaman along with his comrades. He served life term imprisonment from December 1909 to December 1920.

After being freed from jail, Barindra came back and took charge of NARAYAN newspaper from Deshbandhu Chit- taranjan Das. Then he spent some time in Pondicherry with his elder brother Aurobindo Ghosh. He tried to devote himself to a spiritual life but eventually gave up. During his stay in Pondicherry he gained a lot of experience which stood him in good stead later in life. He had an outstanding command over lyrical prose which left a magical effect on his readers. DWIPANTARER KATHA, ATMAKATHA, ATMAKAHINI are some of his remarkable literary works.

At the behest of Sri Aurobindo Ghosh, Barindra set up a spiritual centre at Bhawanipore, Calcutta in 1922. But it had to be closed down owing to several problems. When he lived in Calcutta Barindra received regular financial help from Sree Ma of Pondicherry. Barindra Kumar Ghosh died on 18th April 1959 at the age of seventy-nine.