मेरा आजीवन कारावास / माझी जन्मठेप (स्वातंत्र्यवीर सावरकर - काले पानी का ऐतिहासिक संस्मरण)

were almost in India and the fortified wall was its boundary. I startled. The fortress of
India. The embankment, sighing for which I had kept my body and soul together during
all the hard years I had passed, in the Andamans, was right in front of me and I was soon
to be landed on it! This was Mother India whom I was seeing again with my eyes. Her
holy feet I was touching with my head. In this very life, I was seeing and touching them. I
turned round to my brother and ejaculated, "Dear brother, behold our dear Bharat once
again! Behold her feet washed by the blue waters of the sea around."
We both got up from our seats full of adoration and worship. We folded our hands
with reverence and devotion. We felt a thrill passing through us, and we uttered the
following prayer:
"Victory to the Goddess of Freedom,
"Bande Mataram!"
End of Chapter XI