The Penguin series ‘Songs of Freedom’ explores the lives of children through the length and breadth of India during the struggle for Independence.
As evident from the title, this book being one in the series, deals with the historically significant movement of the Salt Satyagraha, popularly known as the Dandi March. But the word ‘demon’ in the title strikes as a devious intrigue to the reader. Additional pictures of Sherlock Holmes, a cat, a goat, and an evil eye on the cover of a historical event promise pages of suspense and mystery rather than a single interesting chapter from history.
The beginning transports the readers straight into the period and the focal point of the story, introducing the fascinating, mystery-loving, young hero, Dinu, associated with the group of devoted Bapu’s lads, the Arun Tukdi, for setting up camp for marchers from Sabarmati. In the process of social contact, the youngest of salt marchers, Dinu, just sixteen years of age, makes friends with Alif by entering the residence of a local village elite, and shortly, finds himself involved in the murder of the family’s cook. Ardent to solve the puzzle like his guru, Sherlock Holmes, Dinu plays truant neglecting the duties of Arun Tukdi. He sinks further into glitches of theft, goons, arrests and yet another murder, taking him and four members to jail by the English superintendent. Before Gandhi ji’s scheduled arrival, the murder mystery is resolved and matters get sorted.
The gripping storyline retains the principles of satyagraha, which the volunteers of the Salt March—the handful of young boys—stick to in their daily routine of the prabhat pheri, coaching spinning on takli, camp arrangements and talking about the struggle for independence from foreign rule to the village folks. Actions declare their convictions in the non-violent battle, belief in truth-force, economic strength through charkha, and the spirit of Swadeshi for Swaraj. In a very subtle manner, the Gandhian ethos comes across in the narration of events and role of characters. The author proclaims significance of the Salt March to Dandi in the freedom struggle within the scope of fiction.
Here, fictionalizing a historical event draws young readers into the folds of India’s unique victory in overthrowing the British Empire. There is little knowledge about the salt marchers, which is appropriately covered by fictional elements. It does not distort history, rather supports the tight plotting. At places the fiction part takes off perfectly from actual happening. Appearance of the towering activist Sarojini Naidu and her friend, Mithu ben Petit, fits in perfectly with the course of events; as do her amusing style of no-nonsense resolve, her repartee in Queens English with the English police officer, and subsequent flow of the tale connecting the story with actual suppositions. On the same lines, the deductive analysis of fictional Sherlock Holmes is woven convincingly through the plot, which would surely become an attraction to the young readers. The plot ranges from the true aspect of interesting characters, authentic rural setting, ‘stretches of water-logged land and clumps of trees’, chilling sequences, murders, clues, and enigmas wrapped around an outstanding turning point in history.
All the characters, living in Dandi and the Tukdi from outside Dandi, present a delightful mix of genuine people, each bearing realistic mark of distinctiveness, striking, and interesting variety of personalities. A village vaid appears twice and leaves the impressions of his individuality, and at the same time, demonstrates existing values of medical practice for checking on the patients wherever possible, because the fact of lesser population in those days meant that most patients stayed in doctors’ memory. Ghulam, Kirit, Kanti—all portray the true spirit of Gandhi’s training as they stand united with Dinu when the police come to arrest him. Throughout, descriptions draw a detailed image of the scene. Crisp conversations define the speaker visibly—from Mukhi of the village, Wasim Seth, the rich resident or his son Alif, and the inhabitants of a small village. This is the place where, as perky little Gema believes, Bapu is coming to take away the salt belonging to Dandi dwellers.
This exciting book is unputdownable and inspires one to read the others in the series.