Recalling ‘Nightingale of India’– Sarojini Naidu who defined shades of strength through mighty words

NewsBharati    13-Feb-2018
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“As long as I have life, as long as blood flows through this arm of mine, I shall not leave the cause of freedom…I am only a woman, only a poet. But as a woman, I give to you the weapons of faith and courage and the shield of fortitude. And as a poet, I fling out the banner of song and sound, the bugle call to battle. How shall I kindle the flame which shall waken you men from slavery?”  

New Delhi, February 13: Nightingale of India – Sarojini Naidu was a soul that defined ‘woman’ in the shades of strength, orator, mediator, pillar, leader, communicator, poet etc. Independent India’s 1st Governor for Uttar Pradesh was a lady- none other than Sarojini Naidu whose contributions made a lot of difference for women in a country. 

Sarojini Naidu brightened up society with her poems which portrayed the evils that shook the nation. Her collection of poems earned her literary applause. In 1905, she published her first book, a collection of poems, under the title of "Golden Threshold". Her poems gave her the nickname of 'Nightingale of India.'

A contemporary poet, Bappaditya Bandopadhyay quoted "Sarojini Naidu inspired the Indian renaissance movement and had a mission to improve the life of Indian woman.”

Sarojini Naidu actively participated in India’s National Movement. Here political graph consists of various ups and downs – ranging from a partition of Bengal in 1905 to thriving for Champaran’s farmers for producing their food crops. Backed by iconic stalwarts like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Gopal Krishna Gokhale Sarojini Naidu took a respite from writing and devoted herself fully to the political cause.

 

Sarojini Naidu was awarded the ‘Kaiser-i-Hind’ medal by the British government for her vehement work during the plague epidemic in India. She is also regarded as the 1st person to hoist the Indian flag on an international platform; in the United States of America and England.

Recalling ‘Nightingale of India’ on her birth anniversary, Nation paid tributes to salute our beloved Sarojini Naidu.