The Kakori Train Action, an extraordinary and courageous episode in India’s fight for independence, stands out as a symbol of unity, giving Lucknow a unique position on the map of the freedom movement, and it still serves as an inspiration to young people even a century later.
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On August 9, 1925, revolutionaries of the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) looted the Number 8 Down Train near Kakori, a village near Lucknow. This train was targeted because it was carrying treasury funds belonging to the British government. The HRA’s main goal was to acquire funds for their revolutionary activities against British rule, as well as to attract public attention and encourage Indians to join the independence movement.
In response, the British authorities launched a significant crackdown, leading to the arrest of many HRA members. Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqullah Khan, Rajendra Nath Lahiri, and Thakur Roshan Singh were sentenced to death and subsequently hanged between December 17–19, 1927. Other members faced severe penalties, including imprisonment and deportation to the Cellular Jail in Port Blair.
Following these events, Chandrashekhar Azad continued to lead the HRA, which later became the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA). He remained a leader until 1931, when he tragically took his own life with his last bullet during a prolonged shootout with the police, upholding his vow to remain “Azad” (free) and never be captured alive.
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A group of young revolutionaries from the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) conducted the incident on August 9, 1925, which was not only a demonstration against British colonial rule but also a representation of bravery, sacrifice, and unwavering dedication to the motherland, in which brave young men like Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaq Ullah Khan, Rajendra Nath Lahiri, and Thakur Roshan Singh stood up to the British Empire’s might.
The Kakori incident also gave Lucknow a unique and respectable position in the history of the Indian freedom movement. With Kakori, Lucknow gained a firm foothold in revolutionary India. Kakori continues to be a crucial turning point in the independence struggle, from the First War of Independence in 1857 to the last effort for liberation in 1947. Lucknow constantly played a role in fostering nationalist sentiment and revolutionaries.
Children who had previously been mute were now marching in the streets. Kakori proved that the fight was real and that it was taking place right now.
The transformation was acknowledged by the Congress, which had been cautious since 1922. The Civil Disobedience Movement was already underway by 1930. The Salt Satyagraha came next. However, four young boys in Kakori chose the gallows rather than submission to the British might and ignited the fire.
When the youth went against the British rule in India.
In 1919, following the massacre at Jalianwala Bagh in Punjab, India was seething with anger. Following the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922, many people were restless, keen to take action, but disheartened by the sluggish speed of nonviolent demonstrations and constitutional politics.
With the goal of attacking the core of the British economy by seizing funds obtained through oppressive taxation of Indians, a group of ardent patriots, primarily in their twenties, headed by Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqullah Khan, and Chandrashekhar Azad, came into the picture. That loot was used to pay for printing presses, raise awareness, rouse the people, describe the advantages of independence, publish literature, and support the revolution.
A Head-on challenge to the British supremacy
The youth’s response to the British rulers’ atrocities was the Kakori train incident. In terms of identity, it directly challenged British authority at a period when the majority of people were hesitant to contemplate anything outside the realm of nonviolence. There was a conflict between ideologies — nonviolence versus revolutionary activity. The revolutionary course appealed to many young people, and they started opposing the British authority in their own manner, causing challenges for the colonial government in India.
Despite being a supporter of nonviolence, we cannot ignore or refute the revolutionary movement’s valuable role in India’s fight for its freedom.
A very significant and an important link
Perhaps the most significant legacy of Kakori is the enduring friendship between Ram Prasad Bismil and Ashfaqulla Khan, a Hindu and a Muslim, who were united by their love for their motherland, which was a common link between the two, rather than by their religious beliefs.
Their friendship refuted British propaganda that attempted to divide Indians along communal lines. The British made an attempt to control Ashfaqullah by informing him that he had no position in a Hindu group and by suggesting that Bismil be exiled. Both declined. Their allegiance was to India rather than to colonial notions of identity. The Kakori Action sent ripples of unity across the country. It demonstrated that the fight for freedom transcended religion and was centered on the soul of India. “Sarfaroshi ki tammana ab humarey dil mein hai…..” (Our hearts yearn for sacrifice….) These words, written by Bismil, are still a promise that reverberates throughout India’s soul.
