Immortal hymn to martyrs turns 60

It was on August 14, 1957, that the song Balikudeerangale was first sung. It was the opening song of a grand two-day event held on the occasion of the 100th-anniversary celebration of the Revolt of 1857 (regarded as the first ever organised rebellion against the British rule and the beginning of Indian freedom struggle).

People had gathered in hundreds at VJT Hall, but not just because it was a grand celebration where President Rajendra Prasad or CM EMS Namboothiripad would be present. The emotion of patriotism was alive and throbbing. Moreover, the communist government had assumed power just four months ago. Though the government was still taking baby steps, the excitement was palpable.

Here, it was sung by the KPAC Gayaka Sangam which included the likes of Devarajan and K Sulochana, with K S George as the lead singer. Years later, the song would be used in the play Visarikku Kattuvenda.  

Penned by Vayalar Ramavarma and composed by Devarajan, the song is a salute to all martyrs. It represents Indian freedom struggle as well as the labour movement in the country.

It was originally written for another event – the all-India meeting of AITUC. However, the two-day celebration of Indian freedom struggle came before that. The then education minister Joseph Mundassery was given the responsibility of putting together the event. He formed a subcommittee to organise cultural programmes, and assigned Ponkunnam Varkey as its convenor. The subcommittee brought together ONV, Devarajan and various members of the KPAC.

It was ONV who was first assigned to the role of writing an opening song. However, he was a government servant, with restrictions imposed by a strict code of conduct. So he and Devarajan approached Vayalar.    

The next day, the first President of India inaugurated the martyr's column at Palayam. Later that evening two important events took place at a thickly packed University Stadium.  Chief Minister EMS handed over the sword of freedom fighter Veluthampi Dalawa to the President. The press which was seized from Swadeshabhimani Ramakrishna Pillai by erstwhile Travancore Dewan Rajagopalachari during the reign of Sri Moolam Thirunal was given to the family of Vakkom Maulavi.

The author, a poet, playwright and former legislator, was a child of around ten years, when his uncle Madhavan Nair, one of the early Communists from Pirappancode, took him to the 100th-anniversary celebration of Revolt of 1857.