Sri Aurobindo's Footprints

Alipore Sessions Court

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Alipore Sessions Court
Alipore Sessions Court

Alipore Bomb Case 

The 'Alipore Bomb Case' was "the first state trial of any magnitude in India". The British Government arrested Sri Aurobindo, a prominent Nationalist Leader at the time, Barindra Ghose, and many young revolutionaries. They were charged with "Conspiracy" or "waging war against the King" - the equivalent of high treason and punishable with death by hanging.

The case dragged on with preliminary hearings in the Magistrate's court, involving 1000 artefacts as evidence and 222 witnesses followed by a trial in Sessions Court, involving 1438 exhibits and 206 witnesses. During this period, the under-trial prisoners were illegally held in Presidency Jail under torturous conditions (including solitary confinement).

Alipore Bomb Case 

Sri Aurobindo as under-trial prisoner in Presidency Jail
Sri Aurobindo as under-trial prisoner in Presidency Jail

Cosmic consciousness 

... When the case opened in the lower court and we were brought before the Magistrate I was followed by the same insight. He said to me, "When you were cast into jail, did not your heart fail and did you not cry out to me, where is Thy protection? Look now at the Magistrate, look now at the Prosecuting Counsel." I looked and it was not the Magistrate whom I saw, it was Vasudeva, it was Narayana who was sitting there on the bench. I looked at the Prosecuting Counsel and it was not the Counsel for the prosecution that I saw; it was Sri Krishna who sat there, it was my Lover and Friend who sat there and smiled. "Now do you fear?" He said, "I am in all men and I overrule their actions and their words. My protection is still with you and you shall not fear. This case which is brought against you, leave it in my hand. It is not for you. It was not for the trial that I brought you here but for something else. The case itself is only a means for my work and nothing more."

From Uttarpara Speech

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Defence Counsel Chittaranjan Das
Defence Counsel Chittaranjan Das

Barrister Chittaranjan Das

Afterwards when the trial opened in the Sessions Court, ... something happened which I had not expected. The arrangements which had been made for my defence were suddenly changed and another Counsel stood there to defend me. He came unexpectedly, - a friend of mine, but I did not know he was coming. You have all heard the name of the man who put away from him all other thoughts and abandoned all his practice, who sat up half the night day after day for months and broke his health to save me, - Srijut Chittaranjan Das. When I saw him, I was satisfied, but I still thought it necessary to write instructions. Then all that was put away from me and I had the message from within, "This is the man who will save you from the snares put around your feet. Put aside those papers. It is not you who will instruct him. I will instruct him." From that time I did not of myself speak a word to my Counsel about the case or give a single instruction, and if ever I was asked a question, I always found that my answer did not help the case. I had left it to him and he took it entirely into his hands, with what result you know.

Extract from: Sri Aurobindo > Uttarpara Speech

C.R. Das's Address

C.R. Das's defence of Sri Aurobindo in the Sessions Court spanned across eight days. He concluded with an impassioned appeal:

Poet of Patriotism, Prophet of Nationalism, Lover of Humanity

My appeal to you therefore is that a man like this who is being charged with the offences imputed to him stands not only before the bar in this Court but stands before the bar of the High Court of History and my appeal to you is this: That long after this controversy is hushed in silence, long after this turmoil, this agitation ceases, long after he is dead and gone, he will be looked upon as the poet of patriotism, as the prophet of nationalism and the lover of humanity. Long after he is dead and gone his words will be echoed and re­-echoed not only in India, but across distant seas and lands. Therefore I say that the man in his position is not only standing before the bar of this Court but before the bar of the High Court of History.

The time has come for you, sir, to consider your judgment and for you, gentlemen, to consider your verdict...

Extract from: Alipore Bomb Case > Argument > Page 107

Sessions Court Judgement

Sessions Judge Charles Porten Beachcroft
Sessions Judge Charles Porten Beachcroft

I now come to the case of Arabinda Ghose, the most important accused in the case. He is the accused, whom more than any other the prosecution are anxious to have convicted and but for his presence in the dock there is no doubt that the case would have been finished long ago. It is partly for that reason that I have left his case till last of all and partly because the case against him depends to a very great extent, in fact almost entirely, upon association with other accused persons...

The point is whether his writings & speeches, which in themselves seem to advocate nothing more than the regeneration of his country, taken with the facts proved against him in this case are sufficient to show that he was a member of the conspiracy. And taking all the evidence together I am of opinion that it falls short of such proof as would justify me in finding him guilty of so serious a charge.

Undertrial revolutionaries in the Alipore Sessions Court-yard
Undertrial revolutionaries in the Alipore Sessions Court-yard

They laughed at death... 

...After some time this resulted in a strange spectacle: the trial would be in progress with the fate of the accused convicts hanging in the balance, the outcome could either be death by hanging or transportation for life; yet those who could be affected, without so much as a glance at the proceedings, would remain absorbed in perusal of Bankimchandra's novels, Vivekananda's Raja Yoga or Science of Religions, or the Gita, the Puranas, or books on European Philosophy.....

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Sri Aurobindo Memorial Court Room

Commemorative Plaque for Sri Aurobindo Memorial Court Room
Commemorative Plaque for Sri Aurobindo Memorial Court Room
Sri Aurobindo's Memorial Court Room - Pilgrimage Site
Sri Aurobindo's Memorial Court Room - Pilgrimage Site
Sri Aurobindo's Memorial Court Room - Pilgrimage Site
Sri Aurobindo's Memorial Court Room - Pilgrimage Site
Sri Aurobindo's Memorial Court Room - Pilgrimage Site
Commemorative Marble Plaque at Alipore Sessions Court
Commemorative Marble Plaque at Alipore Sessions Court
Museum of Memorable Case Records at Alipore Sessions Court
Museum of Memorable Case Records at Alipore Sessions Court
Museum of Memorable Case Records at Alipore Sessions Court
Museum of Memorable Case Records at Alipore Sessions Court
Museum of Memorable Case Records at Alipore Sessions Court
Museum of Memorable Case Records at Alipore Sessions Court

Memorial Court Room at Alipore Sessions Court

 Directions

Address

Alipore District & Sessions Court
Judges Court Road, Alipore,
Kolkata, West Bengal.

Sri Aurobindo Memorial Court Room

The room is kept open for visitors from 3 pm to 5 pm on working days when the Court is in session.

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Residence - 6, College Square 

Sri Aurobindo's Footprints in Calcutta

Sri Aurobindo was born on August 15, 1872 at No. 4 Theatre Road. This property is now known as 'Sri Aurobindo Bhavan', which came into being through a Government Act in 1972...

Sri Aurobindo's Birthplace

Sri Aurobindo was born on August 15, 1872 at No. 4 Theatre Road. This property is now known as 'Sri Aurobindo Bhavan', which came into being through a Government Act in 1972...

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Sri Aurobindo usually resided in this house as a guest of Raja Subodh Chandra Mullick on his visits to Calcutta. 12, Wellington Square thus became a hub of the Nationalist movement and its silent witness...

Hub of Nationalists

Sri Aurobindo usually resided in this house as a guest of Raja Subodh Chandra Mullick on his visits to Calcutta. 12, Wellington Square thus became a hub of the Nationalist movement and its silent witness...

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2/1, Creek Row served as the permanent office and press of 'Bande Mataram' - the English newspaper edited by Sri Aurobindo, which prepared the mind of the people for the Nationalist revolution...

Office of 'Bande Mataram'

2/1, Creek Row served as the permanent office and press of 'Bande Mataram' - the English newspaper edited by Sri Aurobindo, which prepared the mind of the people for the Nationalist revolution...

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Bengal National College, with Sri Aurobindo as its first Principal, operated from 191/1 Bowbazar Street and was later shifted to 164 & 166 Bowbazar street in 1907...

Bengal National College

Bengal National College, with Sri Aurobindo as its first Principal, operated from 191/1 Bowbazar Street and was later shifted to 164 & 166 Bowbazar street in 1907...

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19/3, Chhaku Khansama Lane served as residence of Sri Aurobindo for a brief period. He shifted here to become more accessible to the common man...

Residence

19/3, Chhaku Khansama Lane served as residence of Sri Aurobindo for a brief period. He shifted here to become more accessible to the common man...

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23, Scott Lane served as residence of Sri Aurobindo for a brief period in 1908. Bal Gangadhar Tilak had visited him at least once during his stay here...

Residence

23, Scott Lane served as residence of Sri Aurobindo for a brief period in 1908. Bal Gangadhar Tilak had visited him at least once during his stay here...

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The house at 32, Muraripukur Road served as headquarters for the Revolutionary group led by Barindra Ghose...

Revolutionary 'Ashram'

The house at 32, Muraripukur Road served as headquarters for the Revolutionary group led by Barindra Ghose...

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Sri Aurobindo was arrested from 48, Grey Street on 2nd May, 1908, to stand for trial in the Alipore Bomb Case...

Place of Arrest

Sri Aurobindo was arrested from 48, Grey Street on 2nd May, 1908, to stand for trial in the Alipore Bomb Case...

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Sri Aurobindo was imprisoned in a solitary-confinement cell as an undertrial prisoner in the Alipore Bomb case...

Prison Cell

Sri Aurobindo was imprisoned in a solitary-confinement cell as an undertrial prisoner in the Alipore Bomb case...

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The historic 'Alipore Bomb Trial', in which Sri Aurobindo was the main accused, took place at Alipore Sessions court in 1908-09.

Alipore Bomb Case

The historic 'Alipore Bomb Trial', in which Sri Aurobindo was the main accused, took place at Alipore Sessions court in 1908-09.

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6, College Square served as residence of Sri Aurobindo from 6th May, 1909 until February, 1910, when he left Calcutta...

Residence

6, College Square served as residence of Sri Aurobindo from 6th May, 1909 until February, 1910, when he left Calcutta...

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'Uttarpara Speech', in which Sri Aurobindo for the first time spoke publicly of his Yoga and his spiritual experiences, was made here on 30.May.1909...

Uttarpara Speech

'Uttarpara Speech', in which Sri Aurobindo for the first time spoke publicly of his Yoga and his spiritual experiences, was made here on 30.May.1909...

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4, Shyampukur Lane served as the office of 'Karmayogin' and 'Dharma' newspaper. It was here that Sri Aurobindo received a sudden 'command from above' to go to Chandernagore (in Feb 1910)...

Office of 'Karmayogin'

4, Shyampukur Lane served as the office of 'Karmayogin' and 'Dharma' newspaper. It was here that Sri Aurobindo received a sudden 'command from above' to go to Chandernagore (in Feb 1910)...

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Sri Aurobindo remained in secret residence at Chandernagore, entirely engaged in Sadhana, from mid-February to end-March in 1910 before proceeding to Pondicherry...

Secret Residence

Sri Aurobindo remained in secret residence at Chandernagore, entirely engaged in Sadhana, from mid-February to end-March in 1910 before proceeding to Pondicherry...

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