"It is quite natural that the younger generation will never feel the fervour we had, to gain the freedom and the spirit of patriotism. Sometimes we feel that they don't realize the sacrifice we made for the extravagant life they lead. How to define freedom? Freedom cannot be defined, it is an experience understood only by people who have experienced slavery. Ask a caged bird about freedom…," says 83 years young Harohalli Srinivasaiyer Doreswamy.

As a freedom fighter he experienced jail sentences both before and after Independence. His activities during the struggle peaked in the Quit India Movement in 1942 and continued till the Mysore Chalo Agitation much beyond Independence Day. Though India became free on August 15, 1947, Mysore State didn't taste of this freedom until a few months later. Did you know that none of the government buildings in Bangalore or Mysore hoisted the national flag on that day? This was because the Maharaja of Mysore had not yet agreed to accede to the Indian Union.

On 15th August 1947 two labour leaders made a heroic attempt to hoist the national flag on the Attara Kacheri. Before Vidhana Soudha was built Attara Kacheri, which now houses the High Court, was the administrative secretariat. Early that morning, Narayanswamy and Muniswamy, two workers of Binny Mills went to the Kacheri and started distributing sweets to the guards. While the guards were distracted from their work, one of them slipped away and climbed up to the flag post. In one swift action, the Gandaberunda flag of the princely state was replaced with the national flag. Then these two ran excitedly to the Pauravani newspaper office run by Sri Doreswamy and informed him about their heroic deed. By the time Doreswamy reached the spot, hordes of people had gathered to see the flag gloriously flying atop the building. Finally the bewildered guards brought down the flag after receiving orders from the then Dewan Sir Arcot. This grand sight remains etched on the hearts of numerous freedom fighters like Sri Doreswamy.

Despite his age, Sri Doreswamy leads an active social life and participates in Gandhi Peace Foundation's activities, writing freelance articles in the press and attending seminars.

HER MOMENT OF GLORY

"In fact I should not be talking to you, because even you have lost the meaning of the freedom movement. We are now using the same synthetic cloth that was opposed during the colonial rule." With these angry words veteran freedom fighter, Mahadevi Taayi greeted me. She was quite upset that the people of India have forgotten the meaning of the struggle, but every year people come and ask her reaction about the present situation.

At 95, she still has the same vigour that inspired her to take up the 14 year long padayatra with Acharya Vinoba Bhave for the Bhoodhan Movement. Trekking from village to village, they went throughout the country meeting village leaders and persuading them to redistribute land to the landless. She was the personal secretary of the Acharya assisting him in his work.

Her aristocratic background did not prevent her from entering the freedom struggle very early in her youth. She faced tremendous opposition from the elders in the family. Her determination and dedication to the cause saw her enduring years of jail sentence in Belgaum and Nagpur Central jail. There, along with leaders like Mani Behn Patel and Leela Munshi, she suffered severe punishment like solitary cell confinement.

Inspired by her daring actions, many women joined the movement. Later when accolades came her way for her stellar role during the Quit India Movement, her family members came back to her. In fact, her younger brother Ramakrishna Hegde followed her footsteps and went on to become one of the great sons of the state.

Now decades later, she lives peacefully in an Ashram started by her to shelter destitute women and children. She still nurses the hope that future generations will revere the sacrifice these noble minded souls made for our country. Mahadevi Taayi reminisces of those troubled moments, now embedded in the pages of history, her trembling voice sings, "Yaad aata hai mujko woh guzra hua zamaana, woh mushkil pal…"