Lalit Mohan Sharma’s Another Gandhi: Pandit Durga Dass of Hoshiarpur is a compelling tribute to an unsung hero of India’s freedom struggle. The monograph delves deep into the life of Pandit Durga Dass, a man who dedicated over six decades to the socio-political fabric of the Doaba region, a land steeped in the legacy of the independence movement. Through meticulously chronicled events, Sharma draws a vivid portrait of a man whose life was defined by the Gandhian principles of sacrifice, simplicity, and unwavering nationalism.
The book is structured into eleven chapters, each delineating different facets of Pandit Durga Dass’s life and legacy. The first chapter, Another Gandhi, situates Durga Dass as a ‘Gandhi’ in his own right — a selfless leader who, much like the Mahatma, shunned personal glory and embraced a life of khadi and quiet dedication. Lalit Mohan Sharma captures the essence of the Gandhian ethos through Durga Dass’s relentless commitment to public service, painting him as a man who organized large political rallies, like the one at Garhadiwala addressed by Jawaharlal Nehru, while ensuring his own name remained in the background.
In Born in Bajwara, we are introduced to the roots of Durga Dass, a man shaped by personal losses and early exposure to the struggles of common folk. Sharma’s evocative retelling of Durga Dass’s near-fatal childhood accident and the subsequent generosity of his mother, who forgave a loan to the man who saved her son’s life, exemplifies the themes of sacrifice and resilience that recur throughout the book. The village of Bajwara itself becomes a character, a backdrop against which the larger narrative of a man’s transformation unfolds.
Feathers Foreshadow is perhaps the most revealing chapter, capturing the formative years of Durga Dass as a student at Randhir College, Kapurthala. Sharma skillfully connects Durga Dass’s early exposure to revolutionary ideologies, his admiration for Lala Lajpat Rai, and his initiation into the world of politics through small yet significant acts of defiance. The establishment of the Paigham-e-Watan newspaper, the formation of Heptarchy, and the courageous act of organizing a conference against the wishes of the district magistrate showcase the spirit of rebellion that defined Durga Dass’s youth.
The chapter Paigham-e-Watan stands out for its portrayal of Durga Dass as a revolutionary journalist and publisher. The Himalaya Printing Press becomes a symbol of resistance, a space where stories of corruption, oppression, and colonial exploitation were brought to light. Sharma’s inclusion of Durga Dass’s battles against corrupt officials and his clandestine visits to rural areas to document the plight of Babbar Khalsa members adds layers of depth to the narrative, highlighting how the pen became as powerful as the sword in the struggle for India’s freedom.
In Personal Desk, we witness the spiritual and intellectual side of Durga Dass. The letters from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, the notes on the Gita, and the diary entries of Dr. Lakshmi from the Rani of Jhansi Regiment are particularly moving. Sharma’s detailed recounting of Dr. Lakshmi’s heart-wrenching diary entry after losing her husband on the battlefield provides a haunting glimpse into the personal cost of the freedom struggle. This chapter serves as a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made by countless unsung heroes, and the emotional toll such sacrifices took on their families.
Private Regrets/Precious Memories is a poignant exploration of Durga Dass’s introspection in his later years. The author presents a vulnerable side of a man who, despite his towering public persona, carried the weight of his mother’s suffering, his wife’s sacrifices, and his own harshness towards his family. In this chapter, Sharma’s writing is particularly evocative, capturing the sense of regret that accompanies a life lived in service of a cause, where personal relationships are often sacrificed at the altar of patriotism.
A standout section of the book is the 1948 Letter from Jail, a letter written by Durga Dass from Yol Cantonment Jail to his son. The letter, written with restrained emotion, reflects his unwavering belief in non-violence, his abhorrence of communalism, and his stoic acceptance of suffering as a part of his patriotic duty. Sharma’s choice to include this letter unedited amplifies its emotional resonance, making it a powerful testament to Durga Dass’s character.
In Moments Out of Time, Sharma brings forth Durga Dass’s encounters with luminaries like Lala Lajpat Rai and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Each anecdote is a snapshot of a larger narrative — a reminder that history is often shaped by seemingly ordinary moments that acquire profound significance in hindsight.
The Poetic Tribute chapter features a moving poem, Godsey, Gandhi and Grandfather, in which Sharma weaves the personal and political into a lyrical lament for a time when ideals were sacrificed at the altar of power and violence. The poem is an elegy for Durga Dass’s generation, a generation that stood tall in the face of oppression, only to see the dream of a united, free India splinter into communal violence and political opportunism.
The book concludes with The List Incomplete, a roll call of unsung heroes and freedom fighters from the Hoshiarpur district, each name a silent echo of a life lived in service of the nation. The list, as the title suggests, is incomplete — a subtle yet profound reminder that history often forgets the ordinary people whose extraordinary courage fuels the march towards freedom.
Sharma’s monograph is a valuable addition to the corpus of literature on India’s freedom struggle, particularly in its focus on a regional hero whose contributions have largely been overlooked by mainstream narratives. The writing is richly evocative, bringing to life the sights, sounds, and ethos of a time when India’s independence was not just a political dream but a lived experience marked by sacrifice, resilience, and an unyielding belief in a better tomorrow.
In conclusion, Another Gandhi is more than a biographical sketch of a forgotten hero; it is a narrative of a man whose life encapsulates the spirit of a generation that dared to dream, sacrificed without asking for recognition, and lived with the conviction that freedom, once attained, was the greatest legacy they could leave behind. Lalit Mohan Sharma’s tribute to his grandfather is as much a personal homage as it is a historical document, a poignant reminder that the Gandhis of India were many, but their stories remain untold.
