Esuru memorial cries for attention

SHIVAMOGGA: A memorial built to honour martyred freedom fighters of Esuru, a village in Shikaripur taluk that declared independent from the British rule in 1942, is bearing signs of neglect. The memorial hall is in a dilapidated condition while the surrounding area is a neglected bed of weeds.

The Martyrs Memorial Hall, situated in the heart of the village, was constructed over five decades ago in memory of the five people who were hanged to death by the British during the freedom struggle.  Suresh, a villager, said the memorial needs to be developed and that politicians have to take a call in this regard. “There was a proposal to build a new memorial building in place of the old one on the lines of the Shivapura Sathyagraha Soudha. However, veteran freedom fighters opposed the demolishment of the old one. Hence, the plan has not been realised. However, we clean the premises every year,” he said.

Gram panchayat member Govardhana said that ` 1 crore was earmarked for the construction of the building. “However, the funds went back to the government as the money was not utilised for the purpose. We are hoping that the government will construct the new building soon,” he said.
When TNIE visited the memorial, its hall was being cleaned to make way for the polling to be held for the bypolls in the Shivamogga LS seat.  The premises were full of weeds, and the walls of the building show cracks. 
 The people of Esuru declared their village as independent in 1942, after they started a movement following the Quit India Movement demanding an end to the British rule in India.

According to the Gazetteer of India, from August 17, 1942, the villagers showed great courage and defiance. Processions were carried out in the area every day, with people raising slogans like ‘do not pay taxes’, ‘cut down teak trees and wires,’ and ‘burn the account books of gaudas and shanbhogues’. On September 25, when the village officers came for collection of assessment and preparation of pahani, their registers were seized by the village youths. The next day, the villagers put up a signboard that declared that theirs was a free village, and a parallel government of youngsters was set up.

The villagers say that on September 28, 1942, when Amaldar and inspector came to the village, the villagers insisted that the officers wear the Gandhi cap. During the ensuing scuffle, the villagers kill both the officers. The British seized the village and arrested the freedom fighters. Of them, Gurappa, Jinahalli Mallappa, Suryanarayanachar, Badakalli Halappa and Goudru Shankarappa were hanged in March 1943.