Freedom Fighter 1

From now onwards I am starting the Freedom Fighter series in which I'll cover Freedom Fighters which are not popular and are lost in the pages of Indian history.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

                            Matangini Hazra

Matangini Hazra was an Indian revolutionary who participated in the Indian Independence movement until she was shot dead by British Indian police in front of Tamluk Police station. She was affectionately known as Gandhi's buri. 

She was born on 17 November 1870 in the small village of Hogla near Tamluk. She was the daughter of a poor peasant. She did not receive a formal education. She was married early and became widowed at the age of eighteen without bearing any offspring. 

In 1905, she became actively interested in the Indian independence movement as a Gandhian.  A notable feature of the freedom struggle in Midnapore was the participation of women. In 1932, she took part in the Civil Disobedience Movement. and was arrested for breaking the Salt Act. She was promptly released but protested for the abolition of the tax.

After being released, she became an active member of the Indian National Congress and took to spinning her own Khadi. In 1933, she attended the subdivisional Congress conference at Serampore and was injured in the ensuing baton charge by the police. As part of the Quit India Movement, members of Congress planned to take over the various police stations of Medinipore district and other government offices. This was to be a step in overthrowing the British government in the district and establishing an independent Indian state .

Matangini led one procession from the north of the criminal court building; even after the firing commenced, she continued to advance with the tri-colour flag, leaving all the volunteers behind. The police shot her three times. She continued marching despite wounds to the forehead and both hands. 

As she was repeatedly shot, she kept chanting Vande Mataram, "hail to the Motherland". She died with the flag of the Indian National Congress held high and still flying.