On the historic August 16, Malanga Lane of Madhya Kolkata had observed ‘Aitihasic Pratirodh Diwas’ in the pious memory of Gopal Chandra Mukhopadhyay, the saviour of Kolkata & Hindus thereof on the infamous Direct Action Day, August 16, 1946.
The program was organised jointly by Atmonnati – Jatiya Artatran Samiti (once founded by Gopal Mukherjee himself) & Bengal Volunteers.
Gopal Mukherjee’s house & his office are located just behind Trikon Park of Malanga Lane wherein came a number of stalwart revolutionaries of the contemporary period. The small, compact office room of Gopal Patha may be described as a live showcase of history, said Shri Shantanu Mukhopadhyay, the grandson of Gopal Babu. ‘Dadu operated from this room’, he added.
The program had invited local people of eminence & the Writer Sourav Chakraborty who wrote a book titled “Kolkata Kasaikhana” published by Abhishek Aich of ‘the café table’. People from ‘Hindu Samhati’, led by Advocate Shantanu Sinha, came to pay their tribute to Shri Gopal Mukherjee on the historic day. Animitra Chakraborty of ‘Bengal Volunteers’ was one of the organisers, an anchor of the program & a prime speaker there.
The speakers recalled the gory history of Direct Action Day while I had a small talk with Niharika and Neeta Mukherjee, the 2 grand-daughters of Shri Gopal Mukherjee and his grandson Shri Shantanu Mukherjee. I asked to Niharika’Ji how could Shri Gopal Mukherjee achieve something that appeared almost unachievable? Can people of today do what he did? She said, “if people of today can’t do what he did, the single cause behind is the change of people’s psyche. We have seen people who used to come to Dadu, followed his path but change later.’ Niharika’Ji expressed regret.
Shantanu Mukhopadhyay was optimistic. He said, ‘so many people are talking about Gopal Mukherjee these days and can’t we, being his own family, organise a small program in his memory? So, this is the first year we began.’ How can the present generation Bengalis be like Gopal Chandra Mukhopadhyay? Shantanu Babu said ‘by knowing him & following his path.’
Gopal Chandra Mukhopadhyay, the nephew of a famous revolutionary Anukul Chandra Mukhopadhyay, grew up in the atmosphere of revolutionary ideology of freedom struggle and was a versatile genius of multi-skill excellence. ‘He was an excellent sculptor who once made clay idols & sculptures to sell them for running his family.’ Said Shantanu Mukhopadhyay. He made a sculpture of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose which is still there in the office room. ‘He knew carpentry & works of a mason too. Name any work, Dadu could do it.’ Shantanu Mukhopadhyay’s eyes sparkled with glitters of pride for his grandfather. ‘Later he had his business of goat meat for which he had 2 shops, one in College Street near Thanthania Kaalibari & the other in Bhabanipur. The College Street shop is not operational any more, but the Bhabanipur shop is still on business.’ Said Niharika Mukhopadhyay. ‘There’s a Kaali Mandir there. The meat is sold after Puja & sacrifice.’ She added. Her assertion reminded me I read somewhere that the Bengali Film Matinee Idol Uttamkumar, who was also a resident of Bhabanipur, used to purchase goat meat only from the shop of ‘Gopal’Da’ (Mukherjee) & nowhere else.
Some people say that he used to be known as Gopal Patha because of his Jhatka Meat (PATHAR MANGSO) business. However, some others say that he was Gopal Paththa (i.e. pehlwan). Whatever be the reason of such title, the practice & spirit of animal sacrifice at the feet of Mother Goddess definitely helped the great man of valour to protect Calcutta from the enemies of Muslim League. Referring to Gopal Mukhopadhyay as Gopal Paththa is addressing him as a pehlwan which he truly was. However, addressing him as Gopal Patha too is no insult to his being, but a due depiction of a very important aspect of his personality which finally yielded immortality to him.
While we talked about Gopal Chandra Mukhopadhyay on August 16 & the speakers on the stage recalled the background and various perspectives of the Direct Action Day, no one really talked in due detail about the valour of Gopal Chandra Mukhopadhyay & what it took for being so valorous. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose is regarded as a Veer Bengali. However, viewing from the perspective of veerta, Gopal Chandra Mukhopadhyay appeared no less veer than Netaji.
Gopal Mukherjee, however, was an ardent follower of Netaji himself & Netaji was associated with the Durgapuja of Simla Bayam Samiti. ‘The sole responsibility of bringing Netaji to Simla Bayam Samiti, being with him all the time & accompanying him on his way back was given to Gopal Mukhopadhyay, & this fact had been documented in Simla Bayam Samiti Puja Committee’s souvenir.’ Said Gopal Babu’s grandson. ‘Not only Netaji, before the famous ‘Corridor War’ at the Writer’s Building, but Benoy Basu, Badal Gupta & Dinesh Gupta were also asked to follow Gopal Mukherjee, who then was a very young man to reach to the right tailor’s shop for tailoring their European suits as their war-costumes.’ Shantanu Babu added with glee.
Such a pious periphery of Malanga Lane, which was being described as “Biplab Tirtha” by the speakers on the stage of ‘Aitihasic Pratirodh Diwas’, woke up again to its glorious past though people didn’t talk much on how the present generation Bengali youth could be reinstated back to their tradition of strength and valour. While people are rising to the memory of Gopal Chandra Mukhopadhyay, they are perhaps not realising as yet that following his path requires assimilation of the concept of spiritual nationalism of Bengal & Bharat & the manifestations of ‘satya’ & ‘tapasya’ in real life. When Gopal Mukherjee stood up for the cause of saving Calcutta from the unorganised army of the Muslim League, Hindus from the various Bayam Samitis of Calcutta and its adjoining areas, along with the members of Arya Samaj and Hindu Mahasabha joined him in his mission. Marxists, later, packed up all such bayam samitis of Bengal & took the youth away from their culture of nationalism & valour. For doing justice to the memory of Gopal Paththa, Bengal’s youth must get back to their lost tradition of SHAKTI & SHASTRA CHARCHA.
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