Rajamahendravaram: A tribute to unsung heroines of freedom fighters

Rajamahendravaram(East Godavari district): Not many people know that women also directly participated in Swaraj struggle and were imprisoned. Despite several sacrifices, they failed to grab attention.

But, Rajamahendravaram is the only place where there is a gallery displaying the statues of 12 female freedom fighters from Godavari region and their life stories at one place. This place is the historic Pal Chowk and currently called Kotipalli bus stand.

As a reminder of the spirit of the historical legacy of freedom struggle, the area, where the women freedom fighters' statues were installed, is named as Freedom Fighters Park.

Famous freedom fighter Bipin Chandrapal visited Rajamahendravaram in 1907 as part of his national tour and the place where he addressed the people was named Pal Chowk. In later days famous leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu addressed meetings in this Pal Chowk. Thus, this region became associated with freedom struggle.

Andhra Kesari Yuvajana Samithi founder late YS Narasimha Rao established India Freedom Park at this place of historical significance. At a programme organised on the occasion of Durgabai Deshmukh's birth anniversary in 2000, Narasimha Rao suggested installation of the statues of female Swaraj fighters like Durgabai in Rajahmundry.

Following his suggestion, after a survey it was found out that 12 women freedom fighters were imprisoned in Swaraj struggle from Rajahmundry and its surroundings and their life details were collected.

Following the request of Andhra Kesari Yuvajana Samithi, the then district Collector and Special Officer of Rajahmundry Corporation allotted the park at Kotipalli bus stand to the Samithi. And statues of all the 12 women freedom fighters were installed here along with the details of their lives.

The statues of Durgabhai Deshmukh, Duvvuri Subbamma, Gujju Nagaratnamma, Kasibhotla Venkata Ramanamma, Baru Alivelamma, Peddada Kameswaramma, Sivaraju Subbamma, Chebiyyam Sodemma, Palakodeti Syamalamba, Guduri Nagaratnam, Madduri Venkataramanamma and Tallapragada Vishwa Sundaramma.

With the help of donors, these statues were made and each statue was unveiled by celebrities.

Also, statues of Mahatma Gandhi, Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu, Garimella Satyanarayana, Chilakamarthi Lakshminarasimham and Nyapati Subbarao Pantulu were installed in this park.

Subbarao of Ravulapalem drew the sketches and Rama Rao of Kothapet of Konaseema district made the statues.

Perumalla Raghunath, the founder of Chilakamarthi Foundation, said that the hearts of the people of Godavari region swell with pride whenever they see the statues of women freedom fighters in Freedom Park. The statues of a greater number of women, who fought for freedom and spent their lives in prison in the same region, are not seen anywhere else, he pointed out.

Sannidanam Shastri, the organiser of literary organisation Brown Mandiram, appreciated the efforts of Andhra Kesari Yuvajana Samiti to get due recognition and respect for those, who showed fighting spirit and made sacrifices.

Locals observe that this premises with the statues of women freedom fighters needs to be widely publicised so that everyone can visit them. Also, they stressed the need to document their lives.