Mera Rang De Basanti Chola

Ram Prashad Bismil gave the immortal words of revolt and freedom that inspired mass movements and revolutionary activities. The song Mera Rang De Basanti Chola, meaning"O Mother! Dye My Robe the colour of spring. This song gave birth to one of the greatest and glorious freedom myths. It became Bhagat Singh’s song of the gallows. He was said to have marched to the hangman’s chamber with this song on his lips. For him death in the cause of freedom was like a celebration.

As voices inside and outside the Congress became more strident, the British appointed a commission in 1927, under Sir John Simon, to recommend further measures in the constitutional devolution of power. The British failure to appoint an Indian member to the commission outraged the Congress and others, and, as a result, they boycotted it throughout India, carrying placards inscribed "Simon, Go Back."

In Lahore, Lala Lajpat Rai and Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya protested to the commission in open about their displeasure. Thousands joined in the silent demonstration. Police troops charged the demonstration, and Lala Lajpatrai was hit with a lathi (bamboo stick) on the head several times by an officer Scott. He succumbed to the injuries.

Bhagat Singh, a young marxist from Punjab

Marxism is the social theory and political practice based on the works of Karl Marx, a 19th century German philosopher, economist, journalist, and revolutionary. Marx, often in collaboration with Friedrich Engels, drew on G.W.F. Hegel's philosophy, the political economy of Adam Smith and David Ricardo, and theorists of 19th century French socialism, to develop a critique of society which he claimed was both scientific and revolutionary. This critique achieved its most systematic (albeit unfinished) expression in his masterpiece, Capital: A Critique of Political Economy, more commonly known as Das Kapital. Since its inception and up to the present day, Marxism has been situated largely outside the political mainstream, although it has played a major role in history. Today, Marxist political parties of widely different sizes exist in most countries around the world.

He vowed to take revenge and with the help of Chandrashekhar Azad, Rajguru and Sukhadev, plotted to kill Scott. Instead of Scott, however, he killed a junior officer named Mr. Sanders. This is widely thought to be a case of mistaken identity, yet the issue is not completely clear as, according to folklore, the story goes that they couldn't find Scott and killed Sanders instead.

The British, under the Defense of India Act, gave more power to the police to arrest persons to stop processions with suspicious movements and actions. The act brought in the council was defeated by one vote. Even then it was to be passed in the form of an ordinance in the "interest of the public." Bhagat Singh volunteered to throw a bomb in the central assembly where the act was to be passed. It was a carefully laid out plot, not to cause death or injury, but to draw the attention of the government. It was agreed that Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt would court arrest after throwing the bomb.

On 8 April 1929, at Delhi Central Assembly, Singh and Dutt threw handouts, exploded a bomb in the corridor, and courted arrest after shouting the slogan "Inquilab Zindabad!" (Long Live, Revolution!). Bhagat Singh thought the court would be an ideal place to get publicity for the cause of freedom, and did not disown the crime. He was found guilty, and was hanged on 23 March 1931.

Mera Rang De Basanti Chola

o mera rang de basanti chola mera rang de hai
o mera rang de basanti chola oye rang besamaan hai
basanti chola maai rang de basanti chola
mera rang de basanti chola

dam nikale is desh ki khaatir bas itna armaan hai
ek baar is raah mein marna sau janmon ke samaan hai
dekh ke veeron ki qurabaani apna dil bhi bola
mera rang de basanti chola
o mera rang de basanti chola mera rang de
o mera rang de basanti chola oy rang de basanti chola
maai rang de basanti chola

jis chole ko pahan shivaaji khele apni jaan pe
jise pehan jhaansi ki raani mit gayi apni aan pe
aaj usi ko pehan ke nikla pehan ke nikala
aaj usi ko pehan ke nikla ham mastano ka tola
mera rang de basanti chola
o mera rang de basanti chola mera rang de
o mera rang de basanti chola oy rang de
basanti chola maai rang de basanti chola 

-Ram Prashad Bismil