About the Revolutionary Movements
The revolutionary movements were the armed and secret attempts by young Indians to overthrow British rule. They arose mainly after the partition of Bengal (1905), when many young people lost faith in the constitutional methods of the Moderates. The revolutionaries used bombs, pistols, secret societies and heroic acts of sacrifice to arouse the people against the British. There were two main phases: the early phase (1905–1917) and the later phase (1920s–1930s).
Early Revolutionary Organisations
Secret societies were formed in Bengal, Maharashtra and Punjab. In Bengal, the Anushilan Samiti was founded in 1902 and the journal Jugantar spread revolutionary ideas. In Maharashtra, V. D. Savarkar founded the Abhinav Bharat in 1904 at Nasik. In London, Shyamji Krishna Varma set up India House in 1905, and Madan Lal Dhingra assassinated Curzon Wyllie in 1909.
The Muzaffarpur Bomb and the Alipore Case
On 30 April 1908 Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki threw a bomb at Muzaffarpur, intending to kill the unpopular magistrate Kingsford, but two English women were killed instead. Prafulla Chaki shot himself, and Khudiram Bose was hanged on 11 August 1908. The Alipore Conspiracy Case (1908) was followed by a bomb attempt on Lord Hardinge in Delhi in 1912, in which Ras Bihari Bose and others were involved.
The Ghadar Party and Overseas Revolutionaries
The Ghadar Party was founded in 1913 at San Francisco by Lala Har Dayal and others, mainly among Indian immigrants in North America. The Ghadar (revolt) movement tried to spread revolution among Indian soldiers and workers abroad, and the Komagata Maru episode of 1914 increased anti-British feeling. During the First World War, the Ghadarites planned an uprising in India, but it failed.
The Hindustan Republican Association
In 1924 the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) was founded by Sachindranath Sanyal and Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee, with Ram Prasad Bismil as an important leader. Its aim was to establish a Federal Republic of India. On 9 August 1925 the famous Kakori train robbery took place to raise funds. Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqullah Khan, Roshan Singh and Rajendra Lahiri were tried in the Kakori Conspiracy Case and hanged.
The Hindustan Socialist Republican Association
In 1928 the HRA was reorganised as the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi, adding socialism to its aims. Its leaders were Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Batukeshwar Dutt and Rajguru. When the Simon Commission came to India in 1928, a protest in Lahore was lathi-charged and Lala Lajpat Rai was fatally injured; he died on 17 November 1928. To avenge him, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev shot the police officer Saunders on 17 December 1928. On 8 April 1929 Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw bombs inside the Central Legislative Assembly to protest against repressive laws. Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru were hanged on 23 March 1931 in the Lahore Conspiracy Case. Chandrashekhar Azad died fighting at Alfred Park, Allahabad, on 27 February 1931.
Bengal Revolutionaries in the 1930s
In Bengal, Surya Sen (known as Masterda) led the famous Chittagong Armoury Raid on 18 April 1930, in which the revolutionaries captured the armoury and hoisted the national flag. Surya Sen was arrested and hanged on 12 January 1934. Many women, such as Pritilata Waddedar and Kalpana Dutt, took part in the revolutionary activities of this period.
Why the Revolutionary Movements Failed and Their Impact
The revolutionaries failed to overthrow British rule because they had no mass base, lacked money and arms, worked in small scattered groups, and faced severe government repression. Yet their patriotism and sacrifice inspired the whole nation and kept the spirit of resistance alive. They also gave a socialist direction to the freedom struggle and showed that Indians were ready to give their lives for freedom.
Timeline of Revolutionary Movements
- 1902: Anushilan Samiti founded in Bengal.
- 1904: Abhinav Bharat founded by Savarkar.
- 1905: India House set up in London.
- 1908: Muzaffarpur bomb; Khudiram Bose hanged; Alipore Conspiracy Case.
- 1912: Bomb attack on Lord Hardinge in Delhi.
- 1913: Ghadar Party founded.
- 1924: Hindustan Republican Association founded.
- 1925: Kakori train robbery.
- 1928: HSRA founded; death of Lala Lajpat Rai.
- 1929: Assembly bomb case.
- 1930: Chittagong Armoury Raid.
- 1931: Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru hanged; Azad killed.
Main Facts about Revolutionary Movements (Quick Revision Bullets)
- Anushilan Samiti: 1902, Bengal.
- Abhinav Bharat: 1904, V. D. Savarkar.
- Muzaffarpur bomb: 1908, Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki.
- Ghadar Party: 1913, San Francisco, Lala Har Dayal.
- HRA: 1924, Sachindranath Sanyal; Kakori robbery 1925.
- HSRA: 1928, at Feroz Shah Kotla; Bhagat Singh and Azad.
- Assembly bomb: 8 April 1929, Bhagat Singh and B. K. Dutt.
- Bhagat Singh hanged: 23 March 1931.
- Chittagong Armoury Raid: 1930, Surya Sen.
- Azad died: 27 February 1931, Allahabad.
Important Persons and Terms
- Khudiram Bose: young martyr of the Muzaffarpur bomb case.
- V. D. Savarkar: founded Abhinav Bharat; wrote on revolution.
- Lala Har Dayal: founder of the Ghadar Party.
- Ram Prasad Bismil: leader of the HRA and Kakori action.
- Bhagat Singh: symbol of revolutionary sacrifice; hanged in 1931.
- Chandrashekhar Azad: fearless revolutionary who never surrendered.
- Surya Sen: led the Chittagong Armoury Raid.
- Jugantar: revolutionary journal of Bengal.
- Kakori Conspiracy Case: trial after the 1925 train robbery.
Why This Topic Matters for Exams
Common questions: When was the Ghadar Party founded? (1913.) Who founded Abhinav Bharat? (V. D. Savarkar.) When did the Kakori train robbery take place? (1925.) When was Bhagat Singh hanged? (23 March 1931.) Who led the Chittagong Armoury Raid? (Surya Sen.) A common trap is to confuse HRA (1924) with HSRA (1928), and to mix up the years of the Kakori action and the Assembly bomb.
How to Prepare This Topic
- Learn the two phases. Early (1905–1917) and later (1920s–1930s).
- Learn the organisations. Anushilan Samiti, Abhinav Bharat, Ghadar Party, HRA and HSRA.
- Learn the martyrs. Khudiram, Bismil, Ashfaqullah, Bhagat Singh, Azad and Surya Sen.
- Learn the key actions. Muzaffarpur (1908), Kakori (1925), Assembly (1929) and Chittagong (1930).
- Learn the significance. Inspiration, sacrifice and the socialist direction.
Common Exam Traps
- HRA was founded in 1924; it became HSRA in 1928.
- Khudiram Bose was involved in the Muzaffarpur bomb case (1908).
- Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw bombs in the Assembly on 8 April 1929.
- Bhagat Singh was hanged on 23 March 1931, not in 1930.
- The Chittagong Armoury Raid was led by Surya Sen, not by Bhagat Singh.
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the revolutionary movements in India?
The revolutionary movements were armed and secret attempts by young Indians to overthrow British rule, mainly after the partition of Bengal in 1905. They used bombs, pistols and secret societies, and had two phases: the early phase (1905–1917) and the later phase (1920s–1930s).
Who founded the Ghadar Party and where?
The Ghadar Party was founded in 1913 at San Francisco by Lala Har Dayal and other Indian immigrants in North America. The Ghadar movement tried to spread revolution among Indian soldiers and workers abroad and was strengthened by the Komagata Maru episode of 1914.
What was the Kakori Conspiracy Case?
On 9 August 1925 the Hindustan Republican Association carried out the Kakori train robbery to raise funds. Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqullah Khan, Roshan Singh and Rajendra Lahiri were tried in the Kakori Conspiracy Case and hanged.
What was the difference between the HRA and the HSRA?
The Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) was founded in 1924 by Sachindranath Sanyal and Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee. In 1928 it was reorganised at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi, as the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA), adding socialism to its aims. Chandrashekhar Azad and Bhagat Singh were its leading members.
Why were Bhagat Singh and his comrades hanged?
Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev shot the police officer Saunders on 17 December 1928 to avenge the death of Lala Lajpat Rai, and Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw bombs in the Central Legislative Assembly on 8 April 1929. In the Lahore Conspiracy Case, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru were hanged on 23 March 1931.
What was the Chittagong Armoury Raid?
The Chittagong Armoury Raid was led by Surya Sen (Masterda) on 18 April 1930. The revolutionaries captured the armoury and hoisted the national flag. Surya Sen was arrested and hanged on 12 January 1934. Women such as Pritilata Waddedar and Kalpana Dutt also took part in the revolutionary activities.