Gandhi Buri

Mantangini Hazra was a woman freedom fighter who attained martyrdom during India's freedom struggle. She was affectionately known as Gandhi Buri, Bengali for old lady Gandhi.

 She participated in the Quit India Movement and Non-Cooperation Movement. During one procession, she continued to lead with the Indian flag even after being shot thrice. She kept shouting "Vande Mataram”. The first statue of a woman was put up in Kolkata, in Independent India and that was Hazra’s in 1977. The statue stands at the spot where she was killed in Tamluk. Even Hazra Road in Kolkata is also named after her.

Little is known about her early life. She was born in the small village of Hogla, near Tamluk on 19th October 1870. She was the daughter of a poor peasant and did not receive any formal education. She was married early(at the age of 12) to Trilochan Hazra, a 60-year-old widower. However, she became widowed at the age of eighteen without bearing any offspring.

She became actively interested in the independence movement of the country and followed Gandhi ji's principles. A notable feature of the freedom struggle in Midnapore was the participation of women. In 1930, she took part in the Civil Disobedience movement and was arrested for breaking the Salt Act and was promptly released, but protested for the abolition of the tax. Arrested again, she was incarcerated for six months at Baharampur. 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 the 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. Mantangini Hazra was 72 years at the time and led a procession of six thousand supporters, mostly women volunteers, with the purpose of taking over the Tamluk police station. The day was 29th September 1942.

 When the procession reached the outskirts of the town, they were ordered to disband under Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code by the Crown police. As she stepped forward, she was shot once. Apparently, she had stepped forward and appealed to the police not to open fire on the crowd.

She 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!

Numerous schools, colonies, and streets were named after this brave freedom fighter after India's Independence. The first statue of a woman put up in Kolkata, in independent India, was Hazra's in 1977. A statue now stands at the spot where she was killed in Tamluk. In 2002, as part of a series of postage stamps commemorating sixty years of the Quit India Movement and the formation of the Tamluk National Government, the Department of Posts of India issued a five rupee postage stamp with Matangini Hazra's picture of.

Due to patriots like Mantangini Hazra, we are able to take our breath today in a FREE INDIA. We have attained freedom due to the sacrifice and undying patriotism of our great freedom fighters, who would keep us inspiring till time immemorial.