First Phase of Indian Revolutionary Struggle
(1905 – 1918)
I. Regional Revolutionary Centers
📍 Maharashtra (The Beginning)
- Assassination of W.C. Rand (1897): The Chapekar Brothers (Damodar & Balkrishna) assassinated Plague Commissioner W.C. Rand in Pune due to atrocities committed during plague relief.
- Mitra Mela (1899): A secret society founded by V.D. Savarkar and his brother Ganesh in Nashik.
- Abhinav Bharat Society (1904): Mitra Mela merged into this society (modeled after Mazzini’s ‘Young Italy’). It became a hub for bomb-making and revolutionary ideas.
- Anant Laxman Kanhere (1909): A member of Abhinav Bharat who assassinated A.M.T. Jackson (District Magistrate of Nashik) in retaliation for Ganesh Savarkar’s deportation.
📍 Bengal (The Nerve Center)
- Anushilan Samiti (1902): The first secret society, founded by Promotha Mitter. Focused on physical training.
- Yugantar (1906): An inner circle (Barindra Kumar Ghosh, Bhupendranath Dutta) started this weekly paper advocating “force must be met with force.”
- Attempt on Judge Kingsford (1908): Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki threw a bomb at the carriage of Judge Kingsford (Muzaffarpur). They accidentally killed two British ladies.
- Alipore Conspiracy Case (1908): Police raided the HQ at Maniktala. Aurobindo Ghosh and Barindra Ghosh were tried.
- Dacca Anushilan Samiti: Led by Pulin Das in East Bengal. Highly organized with thousands of members.
- Barrah Dacoity (1908): Organized by Pulin Das to raise funds (“Swadeshi Dacoity”) for purchasing arms.
📍 Punjab & Delhi
- Anjuman-i-Watan: Organized by Ajit Singh (Bhagat Singh’s uncle) in Lahore; published the journal Bharat Mata.
- Delhi Conspiracy (1912): A bomb was thrown at Viceroy Lord Hardinge in Chandni Chowk by Rash Behari Bose and Sachin Sanyal.
📍 Revolutionary Activity Abroad
- India House (London): Established by Shyamji Krishna Varma. produced revolutionaries like V.D. Savarkar and Madan Lal Dhingra.
- Bhikaji Cama: Operating from Paris/Geneva. Unfurled the first Indian flag at the Stuttgart Conference (1907).
- Ghadar Party (1913): Founded in San Francisco by Lala Hardayal. HQ: Yugantar Ashram. Aimed to incite a Pan-Indian mutiny.
II. The Global Conspiracy: Ghadar vs. Zimmermann
Concept: The Ghadar Conspiracy was the internal “Mutiny,” while the Zimmermann Plan was the external “Supply Line.”
| Feature | Ghadar Conspiracy | Zimmermann Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Role | The Action (Mutiny inside India) | The Support (Arms & Money from Germany) |
| Key Origin | San Francisco (USA) & Punjab | Berlin (Germany) |
| Key Leaders | Lala Hardayal, Rash Behari Bose, Kartar Singh Sarabha | Arthur Zimmermann, Virendranath Chattopadhyaya |
| Outcome | Failed (Treachery by Kirpal Singh) | Failed (Ships SS Maverick & Annie Larsen intercepted) |
III. The Berlin Committee (IIC)
Original Name (1914): Deutscher Verein der Freunde Indien (German Union of Friendly India).
New Name (1915): Indian Independence Committee (IIC).
Why the Name Change?
- Shift to War: Moved from mere propaganda to managing the global German-Indian Conspiracy (arms shipping).
- Autonomy: To assert they were allies of Germany, not agents/puppets.
- Status: To act as a Government-in-Exile (leading to the Kabul Mission in Dec 1915).
- Lala Hardayal’s Arrival: His arrival in Jan 1915 injected a radical, action-oriented spirit.
IV. Complete Chronology (1897–1917)
1897 (June 22)
Assassination of W.C. Rand
Chapekar Brothers kill the Plague Commissioner in Pune.
1899
Mitra Mela Founded
V.D. Savarkar establishes secret society in Nashik.
1902
Anushilan Samiti Founded
By Promotha Mitter in Calcutta.
1904
Abhinav Bharat Society
Mitra Mela merges into Abhinav Bharat.
1905 (Oct 16)
Partition of Bengal
The catalyst for the revolutionary movement.
1908 (Apr 30)
Muzaffarpur Bomb Case
Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki attack Judge Kingsford.
1908 (May)
Alipore Conspiracy Case
Aurobindo and Barindra Ghosh arrested after Maniktala raid.
1908 (June)
Barrah Dacoity
Led by Pulin Das (Dacca Anushilan Samiti).
1909 (Dec 21)
Assassination of A.M.T. Jackson
Anant Laxman Kanhere shoots Nashik DM.
1912 (Dec 23)
Delhi Conspiracy Case
Bomb thrown at Viceroy Lord Hardinge.
1913 (Nov 1)
Ghadar Party Formed
Founded by Lala Hardayal in San Francisco.
1914 (Apr-Jul)
Komagata Maru Incident
Ship denied entry in Canada; forced to return.
1914 (Sept)
Berlin Committee Formed
Start of the Zimmermann Plan/German Plot.
1914 (Sept 29)
Budge Budge Firing
Police fire on returning Komagata Maru passengers near Calcutta.
1915 (Jan)
Lala Hardayal Arrives in Berlin
Joins Berlin Committee; merges Ghadar manpower with German resources.
1915 (Feb 21)
Ghadar Conspiracy Fails
Planned mutiny foiled by treachery.
1915 (Sept 9)
Battle of Balasore
Bagha Jatin dies fighting British police.
1915 (Dec 1)
Provisional Govt in Kabul
Mahendra Pratap and Barkatullah establish Free Indian Govt.
Generated for Study Purposes | Covers HPAS/UPSC Revolutionary History