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

letter were also published in papers like 'Amrit Bazar Patrika', 'The Bengali' and in other
English newspapers in India, as also in the Vernacular press and monthly magazines.
The state of my poor health roused considerable sympathy, and drew the attention of the
people to the political prisoners in the Andamans. My brother carried on ceaseless
agitation on the lines I had laid down for him in my annual letter. And through it public
opinion began to assert itself in favour of all the political prisoners in India and outside.
If I had joined the strike at the instance of a few of my friends in this jail, I would not
have been enabled to do the work I did for my colleagues. I would have been denied
permission to address personally to Mr. Montague. But as I could write that letter, and
convey its contents to my brother as well, this material helped considerably to arm my
brother to carry on a campaign in India on behalf of them all, and to show up their
misery and suffering in this jail. Some leaders, I learnt later on, wept while reading them.
An article in the 'Patrika' headed "Outrageous Treatment of a Political Prisoner", created
a sensation. Through the courtesy of a friend I got to read it here.
In the official letter I could not give any account of our personal grievances
connected with the treatment in jail. But this I could embody in my private letter, as also
in letters addressed to my friends in India through our usual secret agencies. I drafted a
letter and took out many type-written copies of it, and sent them in packets
addressed to Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, Mrs. Annie Besant and other leaders as also
to all the elected members of the Central Legislative Council by every boat. Some
reached them and some were lost. One gentleman, Dr. Damodar, returned from
the Andamans to India and reported all that he had seen and personally noted down. He
had. already written anonymously a series of articles on the subject to the 'New India',
and to two Indian Magazines. Therefore, the authorities in the Andamans were jealously
watching his movements. Dr.Damodar was a man of independent views. He was one of
our secret organisation to carry news from Port Blair to India. He was one of those who
had helped us selflessly for a number of years in the Andamans. Dr. Damodar was one
of the untouchables from Madras, fine in features, educated, full of self-respect, bold and
independent-minded. When I saw him I felt how unjust we had been to a class which
could produce such a man. How we had weakened our nation and its power by this
curse of untouchability upon a community capable of giving us such men. We had
dwarfed them and consequently had dragged ourselves down. If only an opportunity
were given them, they were bound to rise and advance in a manner which would put to
shame many of the best products in Hindu Society. This was what I felt sincerely every
time I saw and met this stalwart from the depressed classes. He was an independent man
and the officers above him were always afraid of him. People complained that he did
not salute every one he met on the way, specially if he happened to be a European. Dr.
Damodar returned to India and fell a victim to the influenza Epidemic of 1918. Now
that he is no more I am free to give this open tribute to his memory. He had finished his
life's work already. Ours was the loss and his was the glory of it.