Pillars of freedom

A temple in Karnataka has placed leaders of the independence struggle alongside divinity

- BHANU PRAKASH CHANDRA

Millions of people in British India woke up to a new dawn on August 15, 1947. After decades of struggle under leaders of differing ideologies, from Subhas Chandra Bose to Mahatma Gandhi, Indians were no longer in the clutches of a colonial power.

As most of the country celebrated independence, the people of Raichur in Hyderabad were still waiting for freedom, along with the 1.6 crore people of the princely state. Hyderabad was yet to make a decision about acceding to either India or Pakistan.

Razakars, the Nizam's notorious paramilitary force, were guarding Raichur, a town on the princely state's southwestern border, with orders to kill anyone who revolted against the Nizam. Raichur Fort, built by the Kakatiyas in the 12th century, had seen the rule of the Rashtrakutas, the Vijayanagara emperors, the Bahmani sultans and the Nizams. Now the fort was ready to witness another change.

During this turbulent time, Tappadi Dodda Narasareddy was famous among his Munnuru Kapu community for riding on horseback through Raichur town, wearing the uniform of Bose's Indian National Army. Other members of his community were followers of Gandhi and they were hoping to liberate Raichur in a Gandhian way. The patriots of Raichur continued their struggle for another 13 months until the newly restructured Indian Army annexed Hyderabad and liberated Raichur, and indeed the whole state, by force.