Ghadar Party (India)

(1913-1917)

Last modified: 2007-04-21 by ian macdonald
Keywords: ghadar party | swords crossed |
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image located by Ivan Sache, 18 March 2007

Source: photography by Pawan Sharma, "The Tribune"

• Description of the flag

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Description of the flag

The flag of Ghadar (also spelled Gadar) Party is shown in "The Tribune", Chandighar, Jalandhar issue, 18 November 2005, with the following comment:

"He says the will to fight for one’s country must never die. And 87-year-old Ram Sharan Das, a freedom fighter, is trying to keep that fire alive, in the hearts of the youngsters. Like every year, on the martyrdom day of Kartar Singh Sarabha and other freedom fighters, Ram Sharan Das hoisted the Ghadar Party’s flag in front of his house in Dhilwan village today in the presence of relatives, friends, and villagers."

"The Hindustan Gadar Party, when founded in 1913 to join in the struggle for India's independence, started its operation from 436 Hill Street, San Francisco. Its original home was known as "Yugantar Ashram" and it was from here that the freedom fighters of the Hindustan Gadar Party, also known as "Gadri Babas" were active from 1913 to 1917. It was from this place that they would organize and launch a revolution and publish a powerful weekly paper called "Gadar" to propagate the cause of Indian independence. The Party's Headquarters subsequently moved to "5 Wood Street", the present location. The activities of the Gadar Party were so intense, its popularity instantaneous; the edifice soon came to be called "Gadar Ashram". The three-storied building that preceded the present the present structure served several functions. Imbued with the spirit of revolution, it provided an environment for thinkers, activists and volunteers who came to live, work, organize, and help run a printing press that sent their messages around the world. It remained their venue for all-important public and secret meetings. So powerful was its influence that in August 1914, when the Party called on overseas Indians to return to India to fight for its freedom, most living in North America heeded the call and no fewer than 8,000 of them were said to have returned to India to take part of the revolution. Because of the strong British vigilance, most of them were captured en route or upon return, many of them sent to jail, some killed or hanged. But their determination, courage and sacrifice inspired thousands others to join in and continued to carry out their mission. The Gadar Building is now the living symbol of the glorious sacrifices of martyrs of the freedom and those who struggled for India's freedom."