Dahyabhai Purohit, who defied the British to protect Maharaja Sayajirao

Time of India

3 days ago

Vadodara: Threatened with prosecution by the British and the prospect of a long jail sentence, a Vadodara-based freedom fighter refused to yield. Born 150 years ago, Dahyabhai Purohit stood his ground and shielded Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, the ruler of the Baroda state, from the wrath of the colonial authorities who were already displeased with the king.
Little known today, Purohit was a magistrate and a lawyer and was part of a fascinating episode in India's freedom struggle. A native of Karamsad village in Anand district, he moved to Baroda in the 1880s for his schooling and went on to complete an MA with Honours in 1898, earning a gold medal.
Purohit joined Baroda state and served in various capacities before being transferred to Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) as a professor, on the order of the king.
In 1911, he and a teacher from Amreli were sent to Europe by the Baroda state to study religious and social institutions. On his return, Sayajirao ordered the duo to travel across the country and study the main problems of religion and sociology.
During one such trip to Pondicherry in 1912, Purohit met Aurobindo Ghosh, the revolutionary figure and freedom fighter constantly under the watch of the British. They both spent a couple of hours together and the meeting rattled the British, who sought an explanation from the Baroda state.
"This incident has been mentioned in a book 'Veesmi Sadi – Valam Brahman' published by the Valam Brahman Samaj, and in the Shri Aurobindo Ashram Archives, a collection of Shri Aurobindo and the Mother's works," said Harsh Purohit, Dahyabhai's great-grandson.
After meeting Ghosh, Purohit also met the French secretary of settlement in Pondicherry — a coincidence which led the British to suspect a deliberate political mission, allegedly with the involvement of the Baroda state.
In his defence, Purohit claimed he had been duped into meeting Ghosh by the Madras CID or some mischief-maker, and insisted their conversation had not touched upon political matters.
The British, however, were unconvinced. They knew Purohit was acquainted with Ghosh, who had served as principal of Baroda College (now MSU). During Ghosh's sedition trial in the early 20th century, Purohit had raised funds in Baroda to support him.
Tensions between the British and Maharaja Sayajirao were already high after the 1911 Delhi Durbar incident, when the king famously turned his back on King George V.
The British were collecting material against Sayajirao as they suspected him of helping the freedom fighters. 'It is said that tremendous pressure was brought on Purohit to involve His Highness, promising him rich rewards if he only said that he went and met Aurobindo at His Highness' instance and threatening him with dismissal and prosecution if he didn't accede to this request,' the book published in 2012 states.
Purohit refused to oblige, after which he was fined Rs 50 and asked to quit his job at Baroda College. He resigned in Nov 1912. Sayajirao offered him help, but he refused and immediately started taking active part in political movements. During the Non-Cooperation movement in 1921-22, he hosted political leaders at his home.
Purohit, president of the Praja Mandal Conference in 1927, also took up many social activities. After his son's death and due to an overload of work, his health deteriorated. Purohit died of kidney cancer on Aug 15, 1932, at the age of 56.
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