India House : Pilgrimage Centre of Revolutionaries Abroad

Finally, the efforts to being ashes of Krantiveer Pandit Shyamji Krishna Varma from Geneva to
India has been succeeded. At a time, when Mahatma Gandhi was yet to enter India’s struggle for
freedom, this Kutchi Saput encouraged armed struggle, whose ashes after arriving at Mumbai on
the 23rd of this month, today being brought at Kutch.
Residing abroad, throughout his life he struggled for the freedom of his motherland. He fought to
free the motherland from shackles of slavery. Among the most important landmarks ‘India
House’, ‘Indian Socialogist’ and ‘Indian Home Rule’ are regarded as prominent ones.
Great scholar of Samskrit and a Barrister, Pandit Shyamji’ Krishna Varma, had made London as
the centre of his activities. He was determined to show Britishers stars in broad day light in their
own country. So, in the first issue of ‘Indian Socialogist’, in the year 1905, he wrote, ‘It is just
and essential to counter attack. By not countering it, we are destroying both, our pride and spirit’.
To write boldly, in the country of Britishers, who were ruling India, was not an easy thing.
In 1905, Shyamji established ‘Indian Home Rule Society’, in the year 1905. It’s aim was to give
fight to Britishers and get freedom for India. As a weapon in this struggle, he favoured Non-
cooperation movement. Once he wrote : without violent revolution, and by not only cooperating
with our foreign bosses, we can not be freed from slavery.
The main aim of India House was, to provide lodging and boarding facilities for higher education
to the weaker class Indian students. Thereafter, gradually, India House became abode of
revolutionaries.
A house was purchased in London’s posh area is, Cromwel Avenue, near High Gate. It was
named ‘India House’. It was a two – storey building. On first floor were Hall and Library and
second floor was residence, in which about fifty youth were staying. At the time of India House’s
inauguration, prominent revolutionaries, such as Dadabhai Naoroji, Lala Lajpat Rai, Madam
Cama, Sardar Singh Rana, editor of ‘Positive Review,’ the leader of women’s movement of
Sydney Island Mrs. Despark, Madanlal Dhingra, Dyanchand Varma, Harnam Singh, Lala
Hardayal, S. V. Bapat were present.
The life of Shyamji Krishna Varma was highly influenced by founder of Arya Samaj Dayanand
Saraswati, Lokmanya Tilak and Sociologist Herbert Spencer.
Indian youths, who were coming to India House were provided with loading and boarding
facilities, but with strict conditions.
1) Will never try to obtain any advantage from British Government. 2) Not serve in British
Government, 3) Not advice anybody to accept government service. Thus, before Gandhiji, the
Non-cooperation movement was started from India House. Due to strict conditions of India
House, great revolutionaries like Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Ganesh Damodar Savarkar, Sardar
Singh Rana, Madanlal Dhingra, V. V. S. Aiyaer, Lala Hardayal, Viren Chattopadhyaya were
produced among its students.
Indian youths were provided arms training at India House. Lessors of Patriotism were taught.
Financial help was provided to revolutionary youths in India. Tips to make bombs and weapons
were supplied from here.
Letters and periodicals voicing demand of freedom were published from here. Madam Cama’s
‘Madan Talwar’ and ‘Vande Matram’, Chagan Kheraj Varma’s ‘Gadar’ and Shyamji’s ‘Indian
Sociologist’ were published from here. Britishers had described the Revolt of 1857, as an failed
revolt by some soldiers. Te decision to celebrate Golden jubilee of this armed revolt of 1857, was
taken in India House.
Association of Col. Wayle by Madanlal Dhingra was also planned here.
The pilgrimage centre of revolutionaries India House is appropriately described as Kashi of
Freedom by writer and journalist Vishnu Pandya. This India House should be considered
pilgrimage centre for every Indian. Unfortunately, now this place is under the possession of a
Britisher. Can’t we free it? Students of Independent India can reside and study there.

This great revolutionary donated immensely till his last breath. He donated 40 lacs france to
Soborn University of Geneva. Which was aimed at giving scholarships to Indian students.
According to available information Indian Students are not getting any benefit from this donation.
When his ashes are coming in the country after 73 years, we must keep two things in mind. First,
what happened to the donation given by Pandit Syamji established at Mandvi, why not India
House can be preserved as a memorial, which remained a busy centre of freedom activities for
over three decades?