The present extract, gives accounting of cellular jail (called Kala Pani) set up by the Britishers in Andaman to isolate, punish and torture the freedom fighters of India during the early decades of the 20th century.
Answer the following questions in 10-15 words each:
Q.1: List a few key members of the Ghadar Party?
Ans: Key members were Lala Hardyal, V.G. Pingley, Sant Baba Wasakha Singh, Sohan Singh Bhakna and Kartar Singh Sarabha.
Q.2: What was the mode of torturing brave fighters by the British government?
Ans: They were forced to work at the oil mill and whipped in public. They were also kept in dirty cells.
Q.3: Write the other two names for ‘cellular jail’. ?
Ans: The other two names for Cellular Jail are ‘Kala Pani’ and ‘The Devil’s Island’.
Q.4: What were the physical conditions of the cellular jail?
Ans: The cellular jail was very dirty and had bad weather. It was full of mosquitoes and leeches.
Q.5: Who were the chief governing officials in the cellular jail?
Ans: Jailor David Barry and Superintendent Murray were the chief governing officials in the cellular jail.
Q.6: How were the ‘convicts’ punished when they failed to work properly?
Ans: They were abused and given thirty whip lashes in public.
Q.7: Who were addressed as ‘demi-gods’ and why?
Ans: The British officials such as the jailor, the superintendent and the chief commissioner were the ‘demi-Gods’. Old criminals and Jamadars were called smaller Gods. They all ill-treated the prisoners.
Q.8: What was the mantra of Ghadarites, right in the beginning of their conviction period?
Ans: Their mantra was not to suffer any insult.
Q.9: Why was Jyotish Chandra Pal removed to a mental hospital?
Ans: On a long hunger strike he refused to relent and after a month went totally mad.
Q.10: Why did jail authorities discontinue some of their practices of bad treatment?
Ans: The long hunger strikes forced them to stop the bad treatment.
Answer the following questions in 50-60 words each:
Q.1: Write, in brief, what you know about the Ghadar Party?
Ans: The Ghadar Party was founded by the Punjabi Indians in U.S.A. And Canada. The important members were Lala Hardyal, Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna, V.G.Pingley and many more. Their aim was to free India from British Rule. Their revolt failed in 1915. Their movement was crushed by the British Government. All the members were kept in a special jail, called the Cellular jail. This jail was also known as Kala Pani jail. They were treated very badly there. They were forced to do hard jobs. They were given bad food. Many were hanged to death. But they all were ready to die for their motherland India.
Q.2: How were the Indians treated in the cellular jail of Andamans by the British officials?
Ans: In the cellular jail, David Barry was the jailor,Murray was the Superintendant of the jail and there was also a Chief Commissioner. They all were heartless and cruel. The jail was situated at Port Blair Island. The weather conditions were not good. The freedom fighters were kept in dirty and lonely cells. They were forced to do hard jobs. They were given bad food. They were beaten, abused and whipped in public.
Q.3: Discuss the various physical problems that the Indian freedom fighters had to face in the cellular jail.
Ans: The weather was very bad. The jail was full of mosquitoes and blood sucking leeches. The food was very bad. As a result they were sick with dysentery, high fever,tuberculosis and asthma. The freedom fighters were kept in dirty and lonely cells. They were forced to do hard jobs like working at the oil mill (Kohlu) to extract a minimum of 30 pounds of coconut oil and make coir threads out of coconut husk. They were treated very badly there. They were beaten, abused and whipped in public.
Q.4: What was David Barry’s address to the new group of political prisoners?
Ans: David Barry was the jailor. He would address every new group of political prisoners. He asked them to follow the rules and orders. He would say,
“If you disobey me, may God help you! Remember that God does not come within three miles of Port Blair. The red turbans you see there are warders. And those in black are petty officers. You must obey them.”