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Legends are made not on the basis of mere hearsay but by rising above the ordinary by dint of sheer courage and determination. Everyone has a gift they are born with, some choose to let it lie dormant, and others use it to forward the interests of nations. They are visionaries who live their life according to principles and values rooted in culture and tradition while aspiring for progress.
Indian legends come from times of strife and struggle, the great fight for India’s Independence. Stalwarts like Jawaharlal Nehru and the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi had another name amidst them that shined equally, if not more, bright, Sarojini Naidu. An epitome of grace and grit, she accomplished what few others have. Sarojini Naidu: Her Way with Words is a story of one woman’s journey to achieve India’s Independence through her caustic wit, political acumen and oratorical skill. Edited and introduced by Mushirul Hasan, Director-General, National Archives of India, it provides a glimpse into the world of Sarojini Naidu through the eyes of her contemporaries, friends and her letters. He has collected and collated facts and facets from her rich life and presented the collage of a woman of many talents. A poet, writer, patriot and orator, she arrested the attention of all those around her. Born on February 13, 1879, at Hyderabad, Sarojini Naidu (née Chattopadhyay) was born into a well-known and respected family with literary leanings. The eldest child in a large family, she was taught English from a young age. She took to writing during her teenage years. Having studied at the finest international institutes, her literary expertise was evident from the very first time she wielded the pen. Not one to care much for convention, she scandalised Indian sensibilities by marrying out of her caste. She was a free bird that nothing could rein in and spoke her mind with gay abandon. She was probably the only person around whom Gandhiji relaxed and sportingly took all the teasing that she directed towards him. Although she appeared jovial and relaxed all the time, she had a very determined focus on what she wanted to achieve. She had mastered the art of putting people around her at ease and enchanted them with the magical spell of her oratory skills. Deeply devoted to both, the Nehru family and Mahatma Gandhi alike, she held patriotic and progressive views. An amazing writer and poet, she expressed herself through poems and letters, both of which left the reader spellbound. Her literary pursuit was sidelined by her patriotic agenda that gave new meaning to her skills, inspiring millions with her powerful words. Not one to prepare speeches, she came up with moving extempore discourses that changed many hearts and solicited action. An integral part of India’s nationalist movement, she laid to rest any gender differences and proved her worth in a male-dominated scenario. Her indomitable spirit and friendly demeanour won her many accolades and granted her a unique identity. After all, how many people could call Mahatma Gandhi ‘Mickey Mouse’ and get away with it with a smile! Even when he was assassinated, she kept a level head on her shoulders and forcefully egged on the distraught followers to keeping following their nationalist agenda. The book provides a rare insight into the life of India’s very own nightingale. The beautifully worded book is interspersed with bits and pieces of her letters and poems; jewels from a cavern of treasure. There is also a collection of pictures that show Sarojini Naidu among the most powerful names of that time. A petite woman, she rose through the ranks and towered over everyone else by assuming a greater-than-life stature through her powerful dialogue and wit. The sections at the end carry a few of her poems and letters which let us glimpse into her literary might. The poem To India perfectly expresses the sentiments of people from the pre-Independence era. Every poem and letter evokes a multitude of emotions, a feat not many can accomplish. A true tribute to a liberal and enlightened spirit.
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