Get A Glimpse Of India’s Freedom Struggle At These 5 Spots In Bangalore!

One of the proudest days in Indian history is the day that we got our Independence in 1947! But the struggle to get our Independence is something that cannot be overlooked and something we should never forget. So from a park, school to a railway station here are five spots in Bangalore that are linked to the freedom struggle of India.

Freedom Park, Seshadri Road

Did you know that the iconic Freedom Park in the city was once a Central Jail built by the British in 1866? As the freedom struggle gained momentum, the jail started getting more occupied with more inmates who participated in the Quit India Movement and the Emergency. After Independence, the jail was converted into a public monument and its name was changed to the befitting Freedom Park. Now this space has an amphitheatre, a jail museum with replicas of prisoners, an art gallery, a children's play area and even a cafe on top. How the times have changed, right?

Gandhi Bhavan, Kumara Park East 

Back in 1927 when Mahatma Gandhi visited Bangalore, he stayed at The Kumara Park Guest House. Here he used to lead prayer meetings every evening and a large congregation of people from different parts of the city came together. The spot where Gandhiji sat for public gatherings, has a preserved plaque that has been erected to signify the historical importance of the place. Visitors can also visit the gallery that houses letters written by Gandhiji along with rare photographs, a library and even an auditorium. 

Yeshwanthpur Railway Station

Corresponding to the above location, when Gandhiji first arrived in Bangalore for his longest stay in the city, he took the train that arrived at the now Yesvantpur Junction in April 1927. Since it coincided with his prayer time, he held community prayers on the station platform itself with a huge crowd of supporters. 

National High School, Basavanagundi

As one of the oldest schools in Bangalore, National High School in Basavanagudi was founded by Annie Besant, the forerunner of the Indian Nationalist Movement. It is also the place where 16-year old, Hanumanthappa Narasimhaiah, was one of the key leaders from the state who took part in the freedom struggle and helped translate Gandhiji’s speech into Kannada to make sure the message was broadcasted all over Karnataka. A fun fact is that the school is still run by the National Education Society, which late Narasimhaiah founded and presided over.
P.S. Anil Kumble and Bharata Ratna Prof CNR Rao are notable alumni here.

Bannappa Park, Cubbonpete

This historic park has a long-standing relationship with the Indian Independence Movement with many protests and satyagrahas in their fight against the British. It was commonplace for people to gather and plan long marches. Today, there is a small war memorial housing a spinning wheel or a chakra symbolising Bapu's ideals that honours him and the freedom fighters and those who sacrificed their lives for India’s freedom! Mahatma Gandhi and many other leaders have also given inspiring speeches at this park. 

Information source: The Indian Express