India gained independence through non-violent movement guided by Mahatma Gandhi. Entire country took part in it. Every woman who took part in it was in her own right a freedom fighter. There is another aspect of our freedom struggle. In the early stages of the struggle several outfits and individuals tried to drive away British by use of weapons. Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Subhas Bose etc. believed the British only knew the language of force. No other way would work against them. The women too played stellar role in this chapter of our freedom struggle. Madam cama was one of them who served as inspiration and guiding spirit for later day freedom fighters. Maharashtra and Parsi society pride over Madam Cama like Bundelkhand does over Laxmibai.
Madam Cama’s father Sohrabji Framji Patel was a very rich Parsi businessman of Bombay. His wife was a highly educated woman. The family was very modern, liberal, charitable and patriotic. Madam Cama was born in Bombay. She received education in English medium schools and colleges. Her maiden name was Bhikaji Framji Patel. From the very student day she had developed intense dislike for colonial rulers of India, the British. It was the last decade of 19th century. Mahatma Gandhi and Bhagat Singh were yet far away in future. In the name of freedom struggle minor bombings or shootings used to take place like some freak accidents.
Patel family too was against the colonial rule of the British. Patel did not want their daughter involved in some revolutionary group. They got her married to a very rich Parsi businessman called R. Cama. Now Bhikaji Framji Patel became Madam Bhikaji Cama. Her husband too did not want her involvement in revolutionary acts but she did not give much importance to it. Bhikaji continued to take part in revolutionary meetings. In 1902 she fell ill and for treatment she was taken to London. Madam Cama did not return to India or went to jail. She toured European and American countries and espoused the cause of India’s freedom. She created a positive political opinion in favour of India.
Till then outside world knew very little about internal situation of India. They accepted whatever British reported to them. The world was told India was a country of snake charmers and monkey jugglers who lived like apes.
Bhikaji Cama told the world that India was a country of normal human beings and the native people had the right to independence to lead their own destiny. The continued exploitation by the British would one day result in bloody revolution. During her tours she met politicians and other people who were sympathetic to India. The Indians settled abroad were asked to form organisaton to work for the freedom of India. In 1908 Madam Cama went to USA and there she apprised the politicians and academics of the situation in India. As a representative of India Madam Cama spoke at International Social Conference held in Germany. She described the poverty of the people of India and the tyranny of the British. She raised a flag representing India.
Since then it became her routine to take the tricolour along wherever she went. She would speak only after unfurling the flag. Thus, Madam Cama got to the world the real situations in India, the sentiments of the native Indians and the repression of the British. The result was that even those nations who so far thought the presence of British in India as a necessity began to urge England to free India.
After 1908 tour of USA and Europe Madam Cama settled down in London. She brought out a fortnightly called ‘Vandematram’. It printed freedom related articles. Copies of the journal used to be sent to India. It even became a voice of the Irish and French revolutionaries. Madam Cama thought unless Indian industrialists, workers, rural folk and urban people united against the British, freedom could not be won.
In her bulletin she gave space to new ideas on freedom struggle. She said we were Indians first and then Hindu, Sikh, Muslim or Parsi. She urged all Indians to come together against the colonial British rule. If Indians refused to work as government servants the British Raj would collapse, Madam Cama would reiterate. For her revolutionary thoughts Madam Cama was expelled from Britain. Her journal and all her property was confiscated.
Madam Cama went to Paris and started living there. She continued to help revolutionaries. For the cause of freedom of India Bhikaji Cama sacrificed all her wealth and health as well.
In 1936 Madam Cama returned to India. The people welcomed her with great admiration and joy. But she passed away within a few months of her return to the motherland. Although Madam Cama propagated freedom of India staying abroad yet it is a fact that her thoughts guided Gandhiji and Jawaharlal Nehru.
For the same reason Madam Cama is considered as the guiding force of freedom movement and the spiritual guru of all freedom movement leaders.
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