BANGARWADI - A TEACHER’S STRUGGLE

By Vijayanta N Chitale

Dhangar in Marathi means one who rears up the sheep or a shepherd. Wadi means a small settlement. In its accent morphing the word became Bangarwadi. Amol Palekar directs this movie of 1995 on story by Venkatesh Madgulkar, famous for rural orientation in his stories. The movie is about a young teacher, Master (Chandrakant Kulkarni) who gets posted at Bangarwadi, a hamlet in Aundh state (a renowned princely state in early 20^th century).

Master arrives at Bangarwadi. He is ushered into school by Karbhari. The school is unkept and virtually in ruins. Master sets it right. Villagers are reluctant to send their wards to school as they feel, their wards have better work to do – looking after sheep. The school still starts off with just two students. There are more of curious parents than wards in school on first day. Faced with low interest for education in villagers, Master takes to winning over the trust of villagers so that sooner or later they would send their wards for studying. He starts helping them by addressing their day-to-day problems like getting mails written and posted, procuring smaller money change from main market and other chores. Soon the number of students coming to school begins to rise.

In the meanwhile a wayward wanderer Aayboo comes to village and starts staying with Master. Ananda, a prankster simpleton of village too joins Master. Baltya doesn’t like presence of Master, makes mockery of him and even threatens him not to interfere too much into village life.

One day Sheku comes to Master seeking help to procure a buffalo for him. The Master express inability to do so. Sheku’s wife herself takes on place of buffalo in ploughing the field. Master feels sorry for unable to do anything in this case, although he had been helping villagers with various errands. Once the coins he has brought n exchange are stolen from his room. Master is terribly shaken and disturbed by incident. While father rebukes him, mother consoles him. The money is actually removed by Ananda, who is on look out for grub to fend hunger.

Baltya around same time spreads rumors about Master having affair with Anju, Karbhari’s daughter. Following which Karbhari, who had been supporting Master all the while, had stopped talking to him. But eventually Karbhari reconciles when comes to know the truth.

Seeing the success of school and cooperation of villagers, Master proposes to set up community gymnasium. As usual is mocked for while, but all the people come to support his idea and actually help in constructing the gymnasium. Master invites the king of Aundh for inaugurating the gymnasium and blesses the villagers.

Karbhari one day tells Master that he had a dream and that his own end is near. Soon Karbhari passes away. Kakoba consoles Master on reality of life. An unexpected turn takes place, which shocks everybody including Master. Sheku, to whom Karbhari had entrusted responsibility of his daughter Anju, falls for her and wants to marry her. He deserts his wife and leaves village along with Anju.

Around same time Bangarwadi s engulfed with draught. For long there is no rain. Master writes to state administration but in vain. No help comes through. Sheep begin to die. People start leaving the village in search of pasture and better prospects elsewhere.

Although the movie is slow pitched, the shots of mass exodus are very touching and bring forth the pain in simplicity. The story, which was set in back drop of late thirty of last century, holds true even today. We talk of educated India, but that’s superficial. At grassroots level problem still remains the same. Master thought of winning confidence of villagers, by doing their errands, before long they would send their wards to school. Even today, government has to provide numerous incentives at various levels so that people send their children to gain education. The job of teacher is certainly one of commitment, empathy, dedication and unstinted devotion. Amol Palekar, whose movies have always focused on social issues, has brought out the qualities in teacher, within limitation that every person has.

The cast also includes Chandrakant Mandhhare, Sunil Ranade, Nandu Madhav, Chinmayee Surve. Vanraj Bhatia composes music. There are no songs in the movie. The screenplay was by Chitra Palekar.

Bangarwadi has drawn various accolades. It won 5 Maharashtra state awards in 1996, Kalnirnaya Award Best Film (1997), Filmfare Award (1997), for Best Film and Direction, National Award 1995 – Best Feature Film in Marathi. The move also has distinction of being screened at Int’l Film Festival of India, London Film Festival 1996, Cairo Film Festival 1996, Karlovy Vary int’l Film Festival.

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UNIQUE HISTORY By Vijayanta N Chitale

Politics of Yesterday is History of Today
Politics of Today will be History of Tomorrow

On 22nd June 1897 three brothers sat out to kill Charles Walter Rand who had unleashed a reign of terror and atrocities while handling the plague outburst in Pune. A meticulous plan was made. But slight misunderstanding in code word, another police officer Lt Charles Ayrest was shot by Balkrishna Chapeker. However the folly was quickly realized and Damodar Chapekar shot Charles Rand. Damodar along with is brothers Balkrishna and Vasudev and their friend Mahadev Ranade were eventually hanged to death. This hanging took place three decades before famous martyrdom of Bhagat Singh. He was not even born when Chapekar brothers were sent to gallows .

On 25th June this year lot was read and hear about LORDS of ’83. Everywhere media – print or electronic – were oozing with CRICKET, with match against Hong Kong being held on same day this year. There was even talks of bollywood actor whose birthday falls on this day.

But hardly a word was heard or read about this fire band batsman, who adorned the crease in two century long match against Imperialist, held in India itself. As the war against autocratic foreign was crumbling, he took the charge and led the massive line up of legendary stalwarts like Rashbihari Bose, Bhagat Singh, Benoy Basu, Dinesh Gupta and many more. They contributed to clinching the trophy of freedom and independence.. Chapekar was to revolutionary freedom fighters what Paji and Mahee are to one-day cricket and its fans. He was the person about whom Lala Lajpat Rai once wrote, “Chapekar brothers were in fact the founders of the revolutionary movement in India. They were the first to invoke Gita in support of political action of kind.” Sister Nivedita, while visiting his house in Chinchwad had said, “A golden statue of Chapekar Brothers be erected at entrance of India, which will inspire the future generations for bravery.”


On evening of 22nd June 1897, Chapekar shot Walter Charles Rand, in-charge of Plague prevention at Pune during outbreak then. In the confusion Lt. Charles Eagerton Ayerst was also shot. Plague broke out in Bombay Presidency during 1896. Presidency government took to prevention on war footing. Even law, "The Epidemic Diseases Act ", was enacted. The act gave sweeping powers to police to carry out search of any house on pretext of Plague prevention. At Pune, government constituted plague prevention committee with Walter Charles Rand as its President. He started plague hospital and even set up epidemic prevention camp. There was mass exodus from city. As people use to avoid reporting of plague, Rand ordered for implementation of Act’s provision to search houses. While Hindu and Muslim soldiers carrying out search ensured to maintain sanctity of sacred places in house, British soldiers totally disregarded it. Rand supported action of soldiers. People were often pulled out of house, undressed in public for examination. There were instances of theft also. The terror then unleashed even led many to commit suicide.

Chapekar were natives of Valneshwar in Konkan. Chape near Jaigad strait in Konkan region was their ancesteral town, from where title Chapekar was derived. Chapekar family moved to Chinchwad on outskirts of Pune in 1830. Damodar was born on 25th June 1869. Balkrishna was born in 1873 and Vasudev in 1879 to Haribhau and Luxmi.

Haribhau use to perform kirtan to earn livelihood. During Chaturmas (period between monsoon to diwalee) the family would shit to Mumbai.All three brothers had very little formal education. Chapekar had aversion for English language. Yet three brothers were well versed in sacred text and even accompany their father to kirtan. Damodar got married to Durga in 1887. Balkrishna to Yamuna in 1890 and Vasudev tied nuptial knot with Sita in 1895. All brothers lived together along with their parents

Chapekar considered Tilak as his guide. One day he poured out his feelings before Tilak about bashing soldiers who were doing the heinous deeds. Tilak told him there was no use of it. As they were merely following the orders of master. The real culprit is Rand. Subsequently talking to his friend Mahadev Ranade and others, Damodar made his intention clear of eliminating Rand.

Eventually on 18th April 1898 Chapekar was hanged. This was followed by hanging of Vasudev on 8th May 1899, Mahadev Ranade on 10th May 1899 and Balkrishna was hanged on 12th May 1899.


Damodar Chapekar was hanged to death for assassinating Rand whose acts were no less draconian than the incidence of Jalianwala Bagh led by Gen Dyer.

This incident took place 111years ago. On closer look one would find similarity in reckless firing ordered by General Dyer on gathering at Jalianwala Bag and action initiated by Charles Rand under the pretext of Plague prevention. Just as Udham Singh murdered General Dyer subsequently, Damodar Chapekar killed Rand. While Jalianwala Bag episode is vehemently mentioned in history of Independence, outbreak of plague in Bombay Presidency and its political fall out are hardly mentioned in annals of history. Lala Lajpat Rai inspired Bhagat Singh who was sent to gallows along with his friends Sukhdev and Rajguru. Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak inspired Damodar Chapekar. Lal (Lala Lajpat Rai), Bal (Bal Gangadhar Tilak) and Pal (Bipin Chandra Pal) trio constituted the extremist faction of National Movement. In turn Damodar Chapekar inspired Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. However Chapekar brothers find hardly any mention in history of Independence. If Udham Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh and others were fired by spirit of patriotism, were Chapekar brothers merely schizophrenic., all under 30 years of age, to have laid down their life, to free the mother land from bondage of foreign rulers ? Vasudev Chapekar, the youngest of three was barely 20 year old when hanged. At that tender age what must have prompted him to take this path of leaving away his love or may be could have been a career elsewhere. They were certainly not sponsored or funded by anyone, yet they laid down their lives for the country and welfare of generations to come. . Chapekar brothers were even described as first individual martyrs by Lala Lajpat Rai. When it comes to paying tribute and express gratitude, there are places named after Shahid Bhagat Singh (a road in Mumbai and a Bus terminal in Delhi to name a few). But hardly a street or a round about is named outside Pune after the persons who was the earliest individual martyrs. Does it mean that nation does not recognize the contribution of Chapekar in freedom struggle or does it think that they did it so just to while away the time or were they unpractical minded people…

It was openly famous that Lala ji was inspiration to Bhagat Singh. What is not known was, Bal Gangadhar Tilak was non descript political guru of Damodar Chapekar. And Lal (Lala Lajpat Rai), Bal (Bal Gangadhar Tilak), along with Pal (Bipin Chandra Pal ) were the famous trio of extremist faction of Nationalist movement.

The Politics or History of triangle of trio laying down lives for mother land from east was completed by Badal, Benoy and Dinesh, who killed Col N S Simpson who was the Inspector General of Prison then at Kolkatta on 8 th Dec 1930. Yet outside Bengal hardly anyone knows Badal, Benoy and Dinesh and outside Maharashtra nobody has probably heard of Chapekar Brothers.



Isn’t 22 nd June really a historical date about which we know hardly anything.