Born in Bhagur village in the Nasik district of present-day Maharashtra, Veer Savarkar was the first Indian student to be expelled from school because of his patriotic activities against British misrule in the country. He was also perhaps the only barrister who, despite passing the examinations in Britain, was denied the degree because of his revolutionary involvement. Savarkar was among the first Indians to remind the nation that the so-called “Mutiny of 1857” was, in fact, the “First War of Indian Independence.” He remains one of those rare authors whose book, The Indian War of Independence of 1857, was confiscated by the British even before its publication.
Yet these achievements alone do not define his multidimensional personality. Savarkar was also a poet, dramatist, and story writer of remarkable talent. Calling him a true son of Bharat Mata, legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar once recalled that Savarkar had written the play Sanyas Khadag for her father’s theatre company. She also revealed that she once wished to give up singing in order to devote herself to social service, but Savarkar persuaded her to continue singing, and she followed his advice.
Because of his revolutionary activities against British rule, Savarkar was sentenced to two life imprisonments and subjected to inhuman conditions in the remote Andaman Islands. After spending nearly thirteen years in prison, he was released by the British in 1924. However, his freedom remained restricted, as he was interned in Ratnagiri, a small town in Maharashtra. During his imprisonment, Savarkar deeply reflected upon the causes of India’s slavery and came to the conclusion that a divided society, fragmented by caste, creed, and sectarian divisions, was at the root of the nation’s weakness.
Consequently, he dedicated the remainder of his life to promoting social harmony. Community singing of bhajans, all-caste community feasts, the establishment of the Patit Pavan Mandir open to all castes, and campaigns for the right of entry into the Vitthal temple of Ratnagiri without discrimination — all these initiatives undertaken under Savarkar’s guidance deeply impressed the deprived sections of society. In him, they saw a leader genuinely concerned about their sufferings and committed to eradicating social discrimination.
As a mark of gratitude, on 13 August 1924, the Harijans of Bhagur invited him to their Raksha Bandhan celebrations. In his honour, the women performed his aarti and tied rakhi on his wrist. People from different castes who participated in the ceremony also tied rakhis on one another’s wrists and collectively pledged to reject caste discrimination in social and religious life.
Similarly, during one Ganeshotsav celebration, Savarkar visited the Valmiki basti of Nasik. His words there reflected the depth of his commitment to social integration:
“I wish to see untouchability completely removed. After my death, may those who carry my coffin include businessmen, Dheds and Domes, along with Brahmins. Only when my body is consigned to flames by them all together will my soul find peace.”
Savarkar believed that strengthening brotherhood among Hindus required the removal of caste barriers in temples and public utilities such as water taps. To ensure that poverty did not prevent children from so-called lower castes from attending school, he collected funds from prosperous sections of society and provided slates, chalks, and financial assistance to such children and their families.
Festivals such as Diwali, Dussehra, and Makar Sankranti became occasions for him to visit localities inhabited by Mahars, Charmkars, and Valmikis. Importantly, these social reform activities were not carried out by Savarkar alone; people from several upper castes also actively participated in his efforts.
Savarkar also extended his support to initiatives promoting inter-caste harmony. On 7 October 1945, when an inter-caste marriage between members of the Navle and Karpe communities was organized in Maharashtra, Savarkar was among the prominent personalities who blessed the couple. Others included Mahatma Gandhi, Jagadguru Shri Shankaracharya, Dr. Kurtkoti, and M. S. Golwalkar.
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar too was fully aware of Savarkar’s concern for social harmony. When Bhagoji Seth Keer constructed a temple at Peth Kila in Ratnagiri, Savarkar invited Ambedkar to inaugurate it. In response, Ambedkar wrote:
“Due to my prior engagements, I am unable to attend the function. However, your work in the social sphere provides an occasion to draw a favourable conclusion. The abolition of untouchability alone will not make the untouchables an inseparable part of Hindu society. The Chaturvarnya system itself must be abolished. I am delighted to know that you are among the few who have realized this necessity.”
(Reference: “Dr. Ambedkar aur Samajik Kranti ki Yatra” by Dattopant Thengadi, translated into Hindi by Shridhar Paradkar.)
