Memories of 19-year-old freedom fighter Khudiram Bose still inspire Indians

Muzaffarpur is associated with Amar Shaheed Khudiram Bose, who at the age of 19, made the supreme sacrifice, shocking the Britishers. Khudiram Bose was hanged to death on 11 August 1908 at the age of just 19 in the Central Jail of Muzaffarpur. Today, the cell in which this great revolutionary was held captive and the place where he was hanged are still preserved.

Muzaffarpur (Bihar): The soil of Tirhut has played an important role in the fight for Indian Independence. The tales of such immortal freedom fighters continues to inspire the generations of Indians. In the country's freedom struggle, the young men who fearlessly sacrificed their lives changed the course of the freedom struggle. Among such young martyrs, there comes the name of Amar Shaheed Khudiram Bose, who at the age of 19, made the supreme sacrifice, shocking the Britishers.

The British rulers were so intimidated by the fearlessness and valour of this brave revolutionary Khudiram Bose of Muzaffarpur, that they hanged him at the young age of 19. Many memories related to this brave heart of the Indian freedom movement are still remembered by the people of Muzaffarpur.

Khudiram Bose was born on 3rd December 1889 in Midnapore, West Bengal. He aspired for freedom of the country from the clutches of British rule. He was active in India's freedom struggle in Muzaffarpur, where he became immortal by making the supreme sacrifice for the country. Khudiram Bose, who jumped into the independence movement during his schooling days, took an active part in the struggle against the partition of Bengal in 1905. Seeing Khudiram's fearlessness and valour, he was arrested for the first time on 28 February 1906 at the age of just 17, but he escaped from prison by dodging the British officers.

To teach a lesson to the British judge Kingsford, who gave severe punishment to the patriots involved in the freedom movement, Khudiram, along with his partner Prafulla Chaki, threw a bomb on the car of the Sessions Judge in Muzaffarpur on 30 April 1908. But instead of the Sessions Judge, two European women, Kennedy and her daughter were killed in the attack. After this attack, Khudiram Bose became the prime target for the British police, which followed him closely. Khudiram was arrested from Pusa station in Samastipur while Prafulla Chaki, his associates, were killed in a police encounter in Mokama.

Khudiram Bose was hanged to death on 11 August 1908 at the age of just 19 in the Central Jail of Muzaffarpur. Today, the cell in which this great revolutionary was held captive and the place where he was hanged are still preserved. In fact, Muzaffarpur Central Jail is known as the Shaheed Khudiram Bose Central Jail. Every year on his death anniversary, jail officials conduct an official programme where tributes are paid to Khudiram Bose. Unfortunately, entry to the general public is still prohibited.

Apart from this, the place where Khudiram Bose threw a bomb on Judge Kingsford in Muzaffarpur and the final cremation place has been preserved. All the legal and judicial documents related to the hearing of the cases are kept in a museum in Kolkata.

Khudiram Bose became so popular after his martyrdom at a very young age that the weavers of Bengal decided to weave a special type of dhoti to pay their respect by engraving Khudiram's name. The students mourned the death of Khudiram and the schools were closed for several days at that time. Muzaffarpur was also a very important centre of revolutionary activities associated with the Garam Dal in the Indian freedom struggle for a long time.