India is so much about invasion and battles as it is about history and culture. Foreign interest in India only goes on to prove the richness of Indian soil. That always doesn't mean Indians let them loot and rob the country of its riches. There have been times when the rulers forced themselves in and had to pay a severe price.
The story of British Raj was of a forceful invasion to India. It took several years for India to wake up to the atrocities they faced. What was naturalised by the British was deconstructed by Indian visionaries which led to unified movements across the nation.
Here are the places that witnessed the deciding factors of Indian freedom struggle...
Red Fort
The centre of Sepoy Mutiny in 1857, often considered the beginning of India's freedom struggle, was at the Red Fort. Till today, Red Fort hosts the Prime Minister's address to the nation each year.
Photo Courtesy: michael clarke stuff
Tirunelveli
Veeran Azhagu Muthu Kone, a lesser known freedom fighter and now raised to be a national hero by the outspoken P Chidambaram, started India's freedom struggle a century before the Sepoy Mutiny. In 1739, Muthu Kone along with seven other fighters were shot dead for opposing a British agent which marked the start of a revolution to gain pace 100 years later.
[in pic Agashtiyar Falls in Tirunelveli]
Photo Courtesy: Prakash
Amritsar, Jallianwala Bagh
1919, the day of Baisakhi turned out to be a "monstrous event" according to Winston Churchil. 1,650 rounds were fired which resulted in a 1000 dead and 1,500 injured. The brutality of the British Empire was shown to the world at Jallianwala Bagh.
Photo Courtesy: Sean Ellis
Port Blair, Cellular Jail
Words fail to describe the torture vented out at Indians at the Cellular Jail in Andaman and Nicobar islands. A visit to the jail where silence echoes gives you a sense of what a struggle it was to gain independence.
Photo Courtesy: Jomesh
Sabarmati Ashram
Spartan at heart, Gandhiji not only declared to Quit India but also tried to change many mindsets of Indian culture. Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat stands as a silent witness of this history.
Photo Courtesy: anurag agnihotri
Mysore
The freedom movement delayed its arrival in Karnataka. It was only in 1920 when Tagadur Ramachandra Rao, Ramaswamy Iyengar and the likes spoke out to the public of how it is to be a slave to a slave Maharaja. The Civil Disobedience Movements and a call against Simon Commission were the highlights of Mysore's role in freedom struggle. However, there have been many unsung heroes who have been muted from the history books forever.
Photo Courtesy: Riju K
Chauri Chaura
Mostly presented in documentaries, it was at Chauri Chaura that young fighters set a police station under fire following the call for non-cooperation movement. Gandhiji immediately called off the movement which was originally conceived to be non-violent at its core.
Photo Courtesy: Nagarjun Kandukuru
Champaran
The famous Indigo revolution took place at Champaran. It was probably this event that marked the arrival of one of India's greatest leaders, Mahatma Gandhi. The episode ended in India's favour with the Champaran Agraria Law in 1918.
Photo Courtesy: Rory MacLeod
Dandi
6th April 1930 marked the completion of a 24 day dramatic march to Dandi in order to begin the famous Civil Disobedience movement that changed the course of Indian history. Indians were encouraged to say no to imported goods and make their own salt. This event made Gandhiji an International figure.
Photo Courtesy: Sandip Bhattacharya
Vedaranyam
28th April 1930, C Rajagopalachari led a huge crowd along with 100 congressmen to a salt march similar to the one at Dandi in the same framework of Civil Disobedience Movement.
Bombay, August Kranti Maidan
The famous declaration "Quit India" that led to 60,000 Indians in jail was given at the August Kranti Maidan in Mumbai.
Vaikom
A protest against untouchability against Hindus was part of the greater Freedom Struggle of India. The Vaikom Satyagraha was led by TK Madhavan in 1924.