Savarkar’s poems travel from prison walls to patriotic album
As a political prisoner at the Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands during the British Raj, Veer Savarkar did not have access to pen or paper. But this did not deter the freedom fighter from writing poetry of courage and patriotism. He used thorns and nails to scribble the verse on the prison walls.
The poems may no longer be on the walls of the Cellular Jail now but they still inspire people touched by Savarkar’s determination and love for his motherland. One such person is classical singer and music composer Bharat Balvalli, who has conceptualised and executed a music album containing 31 poems written by the freedom fighter on the walls of his prison cell.
“I have seen pictures of the walls of the Cellular Jail on which Savarkarji wrote the poems. And I can’t begin to describe the feeling it evoked,” said Balvalli, claiming to have done a research on the subject over the last three years. “I visited the prison in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the New India House in London where the great freedom fighter spent his days,” he added.
The Marathi poems have been sung by playback singers, including Shankar Mahadevan, Shaan, Hari Haran, Javed Ali, Anuradha Paudval, Sadhana Sargam and Sudesh Bhosale. The music has been arranged by the late music composer Anil Mohile.
“Music should have social relevance since entertainment without a cause is of no use to anyone,” feels Balvalli, who wants to take the patriotic poems to the masses. “We need to make the younger generation aware of the sacrifices that great freedom fighters have made for the country’s freedom,” the 25-year-old singer and composer added.
Balvalli said he has also met Savarkar’s family in Dadar during the course of his research on the freedom fighter’s life and times. “They were touched by the gesture since it is a testimony that not everyone in India has forgotten one of its bravest heroes,” he said.
As a political prisoner at the Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands during the British Raj, Veer Savarkar did not have access to pen or paper. But this did not deter the freedom fighter from writing poetry of courage and patriotism. He used thorns and nails to scribble the verse on the prison walls.
The poems may no longer be on the walls of the Cellular Jail now but they still inspire people touched by Savarkar’s determination and love for his motherland. One such person is classical singer and music composer Bharat Balvalli, who has conceptualised and executed a music album containing 31 poems written by the freedom fighter on the walls of his prison cell.
“I have seen pictures of the walls of the Cellular Jail on which Savarkarji wrote the poems. And I can’t begin to describe the feeling it evoked,” said Balvalli, claiming to have done a research on the subject over the last three years. “I visited the prison in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the New India House in London where the great freedom fighter spent his days,” he added.
The Marathi poems have been sung by playback singers, including Shankar Mahadevan, Shaan, Hari Haran, Javed Ali, Anuradha Paudval, Sadhana Sargam and Sudesh Bhosale. The music has been arranged by the late music composer Anil Mohile.
“Music should have social relevance since entertainment without a cause is of no use to anyone,” feels Balvalli, who wants to take the patriotic poems to the masses. “We need to make the younger generation aware of the sacrifices that great freedom fighters have made for the country’s freedom,” the 25-year-old singer and composer added.
Balvalli said he has also met Savarkar’s family in Dadar during the course of his research on the freedom fighter’s life and times. “They were touched by the gesture since it is a testimony that not everyone in India has forgotten one of its bravest heroes,” he said.
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