By Raju Vernekar
Mumbai, March 24:
The wreaths were laid and memories of the pre-Independence Naval Uprising were revived at a Naval Uprising Commemorative Event, organized by the Western Naval Command, located at Cooperage, in South Mumbai on Wednesday.
The event was organized at the Naval Uprising Memorial, as part of the “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav”( 75 years of Independence) in which veterans, school children, and people in large number participated.
On the occasion a Prabhat Pheri (a short awareness morning march) was organized from the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) complex at Nariman Point to Marine Drive, accompanied by the Navy Band playing patriotic tunes. It comprised Sea Cadet Corps cadets, school children, and members of the public.
Maharashtra Minister for Tourism and Environment Aaditya Thackeray, who was the Chief Guest at the main event, laid the wreath, followed by serving personnel, veterans, and invited dignitaries, in a solemn naval ceremony. The contribution of the uprising of Navy ratings to the Independence movement was discussed and reminisced through an event planned at the lawns of the Sailors Home, adjacent to the Memorial, subsequently.
In the evening the Naval Band performed at the Marine Drive, even as a large number of Mumbaikars made a beeline to pay floral tributes and light candles.
It may be recalled that the Naval Uprising started onboard HMIS Talwar in Mumbai on February 18, 1946, against the then British government in India. From that initial flashpoint, it spread rapidly and found support throughout India, from Karachi to Kolkata, and ultimately came to involve over 20,000 sailors in 78 ships and shore establishments.
The movement also received an upsurge of support from civilians across the country. The people of Mumbai took to the streets in thousands to strengthen the uprising which shook the very foundation of the British government in India and has since been viewed as a key event of the freedom movement.
To commemorate the Uprising, the Memorial was erected at Cooperage in Colaba in South Mumbai, by the Western Naval Command on December 04, 2001.