Manicktolla Secret Society

Barindra was convinced that a purely Political movement would be insufficient and wanted to train the people for a revolution. He formed his own revolutionary group in 1907, comprising of about twenty recruits, most in their late teens or early twenties. The property at Muraripukur in Manicktolla served as a 'Ashram for Revolutionary Sannyasins', where the young inmates underwent a unique program led by Barindra which included meditation, study of Gita and the Upanishads, classes on Indian History & revolutionary movements in other countries, physical training in jiu-jitsu, wrestling and 'lathi-play' and instruction in military strategy and the use of fire-arms. Barindra and his group dreamt of a far-off revolution and wanted to remain prepared for it.

Barindra Kumar Ghose

Barindra Ghose, was initiated with the revolutionary oath by his elder brother, Sri Aurobindo, in 1902 in Baroda. He spent some time in Bengal for recruitment and organization of the Revolutionary movement. In 1907, at Barin’s suggestion Sri Aurobindo agreed to the starting of a Bengali paper, 'Yugantar', which was to preach open revolt and the absolute denial of the British rule and include such items as a series of articles containing instructions for guerrilla warfare.

".. I educated the boys in religious books and politics. We were always thinking of a far-off revolution and wished to be ready for it, so we were collecting weapons in small quantities... Among other young men who came to be admitted to our circle was Ullaskar Dutta...He said that he wanted to come among us and be useful, as he had learnt the preparation of explosives. He had a small laboratory in his house without his father's knowledge and he experimented there...With his help we began preparing explosives in small quantities, in the Bagan-bari at 32, Mooraripookur Road..."

The Police raided the property at 32, Muraripukur Road in the early hours of 2.May.1908. A Bomb-factory was discovered as was a cache of arms, a large quantity of ammunition, bombs, detonators and other tools. They also confiscated Revolutionary literature. Fourteen inmates were taken into custody, to stand for trial in the Alipore Bomb Case.:

• Barindra Kumar Ghose
• Ullaskar Dutt
• Indu Bhusan Roy
• Nolini Kanta Gupta
• Bibhuti Bhuson Sarkar
• Bijoy Kumar Nag
• Sachindra Kumar Sen
• Upendra Nath Bannerjee
• Narendra Nath Bakshi
• Paresh Chandra Moulik
• Kunjolal Saha
• Sishir Kumar Ghose
• Hemendra Ghosh
• Purnachandra Sen

Alipore Bomb Case

The fourteen revolutionaries arrested from 32, Muraripukur Road, also known as the 'Maniktolla Gardens' or 'Muraripukur Bagan-bari', stood for trial in the 'Alipore Bomb Case', where Sri Aurobindo was the prime accused. They were charged with "Conspiracy" or "waging war against the King" - the equivalent of high treason and punishable with death by hanging.

Alipore Bomb Case 

Morality of Battle

...Under certain circumstances a civil struggle becomes in reality a battle and the morality of war is different from the morality of peace. To shrink from bloodshed and violence under such circumstances is a weakness deserving as severe a rebuke as Sri Krishna addressed to Arjuna when he shrank from the colossal civil slaughter on the field of Kurukshetra. Liberty is the life-breath of a nation; and when the life is attacked, when it is sought to suppress all chance of breathing by violent pressure, any and every means of self-preservation becomes right and justifiable, - just as it is lawful for a man who is being strangled to rid himself of the pressure on his throat by any means in his power....

From CWSA > Bande Mataram > The Doctrine of Passive Resistance > Page 278