१८५७ का स्वातन्त्र्य समर (वीर विनायक दामोदर सावरकर - अंग्रेजों द्वारा छपने से पूर्व प्रतिबन्धित महाग्रन्थ)

THE STORY OF THIS HISTORY
Rao, Kumar Singh, Mangal Pande, Ahmad Shah, the Queen
of Jhansi, Senapati Tatia Topé and hosts of our warriors. The
names could never have been on the lips of millions today but
for the researches of Veer Savarkar guided by a gifted intuition
and on a par with such excavations as at Mohenjodaro.
It cannot but be a source of satisfaction to Veer Savar-
karji that the expectations he cherished about this History,
when he wrote it in his youth, should have been realised before
his eyes. But we are afraid that his satisfaction in this case
must be only partial. For he never could conceive that the
'Rising of 1857' was an event complete by itself. He looked
upon the war of 1857 as but a campaign in the war of Inde-
pendence in its entirety. He did not, therefore, mean the book
to serve as merely the annals of the past but also as a source
of inspiration and guidance to the Future. Consequently he
must be expecting this History to continue to discharge its
mission yet further till the end in view is accomplished. This
end is clearly marked out by Veer Savarkar himself as the
following passage will show.
The special tribunal, which tried him in 1910 for waging
war against the King (of course of England!) and sentenced
him to transportation for life and forfeiture of his property,
quotes in its judgment as an overwhelming proof of his 'guilt'
the following statement issued by Savarkar in 1908 from
London:
"The war begun on the 10th of May 1857 is not over on
the 10th of May 1908, nor can it ever cease till a 10th of May
to come sees the destiny accomplished and our Motherland
stands free!"
G. M. JOSHI
Bombay : 10th January, 1947
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