A Social Activist:
The measure of her popularity and acceptance as a social activist, a crusader for unity and harmony among the Hindus and Muslims can be had from the fact that she was a guest speaker at the Muslim League session in Lucknow in March, 1912. Her health broke down due to excessive hard work and she sailed for England to receive medical treatment in May, 1912.
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| Sarojini Naidu—A Social and Political Activist |
She often met Gopal Krishna Gokhale in London, the man she respected and admired. While she was in England, the First World War (1914–1918) broke out in August, 1914. When Gandhiji reached England to organize an ambulance unit as his contribution to the English War effort, Sarojini Naidu met him in London, on 8th August, 1914—the very next day after his arrival there. It was a momentous occasion which changed the course of Sarojini Naidu's life. Sarojini Naidu gave a very interesting, graphic and playful account of their very first meeting:
"I had not been able to meet him on his arrival, but the next afternoon I went wandering round in search of his lodging in an obscure part of Kensington and climbed the steep stairs of an old, unfashionable house to find an open door framing a living picture of a little man with a shaven head, seated on the floor on a black prison blanket and eating a meal of squashed tomatoes and olive oil out of a wooden prison bowl. I burst instinctively into happy laughter at this amusing and unexpected vision of a famous leader whose name had already become a household name in our country. He lifted his eyes and laughed back at me, saying, ‘Ah, you must be Mrs. Naidu'. Who else dare be so irreverent? ‘Come in', said he, 'and share my meal'. 'No. thanks,' I replied, sniffing: What an abominable mess it is'. In this way and at this instant commenced our friendship."
Sarojini Naidu returned to India in October 1914. The same year she became a fellow of the Royal Society for Literature. Next year, i.e. in February, 1915 both her father, Prof Aghorenath Chattopadhyaya, and Gopal Krishna Gokhale died. She was, naturally, in great sorrow. She left Hyderabad and set up at the Taj Mahal Hotel, Bombay. She received yet another blow when her mother, Smt. Varada Sundari died in 1916. The same year she met Jawaharlal Nehru at the Lucknow session of the Indian National Congress. It was yet another significant occasion and association. The meeting of Sarojini Naidu with Gandhiji, in London on August 8, 1914 has been described as momentous and historic because from that moment the poet in Sarojini Naidu receded and the patriot in her came to the fore. She busied herself with the Home Rule Movement conducted by Annie Besant.
A Political Activist:
In the year 1912 Sarojini Naidu campaigned for the abolition of indentured labour, In December, 1917 she led a delegation of women to Lord Chelmsford and E.S. Montagu constituting the Joint Select Committee of Parliament to make the British Government aware of the situation in India and to plead for the franchise for women, for educational, Social and political rights for women in India. She continued her crusade for women's franchise through various forums during 1918 and 1919.
During her year-long residence in England (London) she worked for the Indian community there and helped the Indian students who faced many difficulties. She expected the Indian community there to create a favourable image of their motherland. She also helped sympathetic Englishmen to have correct information about the Khilafat Movement and about the magnitude, severity and implications of the tragedy of Jallianwalla Bagh in Amritsar. She carried on her work through public lectures and private conversations. In a scathing attack on "The Agony and Shame of the Punjab" at Kingsway Hall in London she exposed the hypocrisy of British Justice and speaking about the atrocities committed by General Dyer on the defenceless innocent men, women and children of Amritsar she said, "You deserve no empire. You have today lost your soul."
As Gandhiji's follower, she campaigned against the Rowlett Act and sailed to England as a member of the India Home Rule League. The same year, 1919, she returned the Kaiser-e-Hind Medal in protest against the Jallianwalla Bagh Massacre.
She returned to India after travelling through Sweden, Switzerland and France. In India she campaigned for Gandhiji's Non-Cooperation Movement. She was a very dedicated disciple of Gandhiji. She was committed to the ideals of Truth and Non-Violence. She actively participated in Gandhiji's Civil Disobedience Movement and wrote and talked extensively about it during Gandhiji's trial. When Gandhiji was imprisoned she toured all over the country spreading her master's gospel of Khadi. She visited Malabar after the Moplah Rebellion in 1922. While holidaying in Sri Lanka she lectured throughout the island.
Life and career of Sarojini Naidu had been very illustrious, eventful and of great consequence to her country. To a student and reader of her poetry the interest ends with the publication of her third and last collection of poems, ‘The Broken Wing' in 1917. She did not publish another collection of her poems during her life-time although she continued in public life and social limelight till the last breath of her life. She lived upto 1949 but to all appearances she remained a social activist and a freedom fighter. Her career after 1917 is only of academic interest to a student of literature and so it will be cursorily reviewed here.
Sarojini Naidu always remained loyal to Gandhiji during her political career. She went on lecture tours to various African countries—South Africa and Kenya—in 1924. She succeeded Gandhiji as the President of the Indian National Congress in 1925. She was the first Indian woman to occupy that office and the second woman after Annie Besant. She became the President of the Indian National Congress ahead of Vallabh Bhai Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru. Her presidential address was made historic and memorable because of the following:
"As long as I have life, as long as blood flows through this am of mine, I shall not leave the cause of freedom. Come, my general, come my soldiers, I am only a woman, only a poet. But as a woman I give to you the weapons of faith and courage and the shield of fortitude. And as a poet, I fling out the banner of song, and sound the bugle-call to battle. Thus shall I kindle the flame which shall waken you, men, from slavery."
It was the shortest and sweetest Presidential address ever in the history of the Indian National Congress. Later, she helped in founding the All India Women's Conference in 1927. She went to Honolulu as a delegate of the All India Women's Conference to the Pan-Pacific Women's Conference in 1928. Thereafter she toured the United States of America and Canada and returned in 1929. She next went to Africa to preside over the East African Congress in November, 1929. In 1930 she became the President of the All India Women's Conference. In March, 1930, she participated in Gandhiji's historic Dandi March. After the arrest of Gandhiji and Abbas Tayyabji she led Gandhiji's Salt Satyagraha at the Dharasana Salt Works in May, 1930. She was arrested and sent to jail on 16th May, 1930.
She was released from jail in January, 1931. She accompanied Gandhiji to the Second Round Table Conference, in London, in September, 1931. The Conference failed and Sarojini Naidu toured the Continent and lectured extensively. She returned to London in January, 1932 and went to Cape Town to join the Indian Delegation to South Africa. When she returned to India all the national leaders of the Congress were in prison and so she became the "acting President" of the Congress. She too was arrested on 22nd April, 1932. The Communal Award was announced on 8th August, 1932 and Gandhiji commenced his fast unto death against the Communal Award on 30th September, 1932. Sarojini Naidu nursed and looked after Gandhiji in the Yeravda prison. She was released from the prison in April, 1933. Gandhiji started his 21-day fast and was released from jail. Sarojini Naidu again nursed him during his fast.
Sarojini Naidu played a significant role in the founding of the Lady Irwin College, New Delhi by the All India Women's Conference in 1933. She continued her social work mostly in the field of women's welfare and empowerment besides her political activism. After the resignation of Subhas Chandra Bose she presided over the special session of the Indian National Congress in April, 1939 to elect Dr. Rajendra Prasad as the President.
In October, 1940 she participated in the individual Satyagraha Movement against the enforced participation of India in the Second World War (1939-1945). She was arrested along with Gandhiji and other national leaders. She was, however, released in December, 1940.
Gandhiji gave the call to the British to quit India on 8th August, 1942 in Bombay. She was arrested with Gandhiji and the other members of the Congress Working Committee on 9th August 1942 and was lodged in the Aga Khan Palace, Pune. On contracting malaria she was released from prison on 21st March, 1943. She returned to Hyderabad, her native place. She helped in the relief efforts in Hyderabad, for the victims of the Bengal famine. Her youngest son, Randheera, died in May, 1945. She presided over the Asian Relations Conference in New Delhi and delivered the Presidential address on 23rd March, 1947. India became independent on 15th August, 1947 and she officiated as the Governor of the United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh) in place of Dr. B.C. Roy resigned the governorship of U.P. in November, 1947 and she was confirmed as the Governor of U.P. Gandhiji was shot dead in Delhi by Nathu Ram Godse on 30th January, 1948. She mourned the assassination and paid a glorious tribute to her departed leader and accompanied his ashes, with other national leaders, to Allahabad. She died in Lucknow at 3.30 a.m. on 2nd March, 1949.