Savitri Devi: The Unsung Heroine of the Quit India Movement

While the name Matangini Hazra is well-known in the annals of India’s Quit India movement, the remarkable story of Savitri Devi remains largely untold. Despite her heroic efforts, she remains an unsung warrior whose life deserves to be etched in history. Born to Pandit Karta Ram and Ralli Devi, Savitri married Dr. Kali Charam Sharma, a descendant of a family of freedom fighters in Malerkotla. Her life, marked by bravery and sacrifice, is nothing short of inspiring.

On the day of the protest, British police unleashed a brutal assault on the demonstrators, leaving many patriots wounded and pleading for water. Amidst the chaos, a villager named Savitri Devi emerged as a beacon of hope. Ignoring the mortal danger, she rushed to the Shankarara Pole near the Tamluk police station to provide water to the injured and bleeding revolutionaries. She attended to them with utmost care, arranging for their safe transport while risking her life for the cause of the motherland.

As she aided the wounded, British policemen threatened her repeatedly, raising their guns in an attempt to intimidate her. Undeterred, Savitri Devi grabbed a broom and a walking stick, boldly advancing towards the armed soldiers. Her fearless defiance, along with the support of other warriors armed with sticks and brooms, forced the British troops to retreat in the face of her indomitable spirit.

Savitri Devi’s actions were even more remarkable considering her societal status. She was a so-called outcast woman from Barangana, yet her courage stunned Bengal and all of India. Her transformation from a neglected, impoverished rural woman into a fierce fighter remains a testament to her extraordinary spirit.

This brave act of defiance was widely reported in newspapers of the time. The heroism of Savitri Devi even inspired Charankabi to pen a poem in her honor, further immortalizing her bravery in the annals of history. Despite her valor, the latter years of Savitri Devi’s life were fraught with hardship. She spent her final days in extreme poverty, living in a dilapidated mud house with a clay stove, a broken aluminum plate, and tattered clothes. She often went without food, a stark contrast to her earlier heroism.