Bhagat Singh’s jail notebook attracts crowds at book fair

Vishav Bharti

Chandigarh, March 4

The rare display of ‘jail notebook’ of Bhagat Singh has been drawing huge crowds at Delhi’s World Book Fair in Pragati Maidan.

This is the rare occasion since martyrdom of Bhagat Singh in 1931 when the ‘jail notebook’ has been displayed for the public. Earlier, the notebook, which is in the possession of the martyr’s younger brother Kulbir Singh, was displayed in 2008 during an exhibition organised by the Supreme Court of India during the birth centenary celebrations of the martyr.

The notebook is part of the exhibit at the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ pavilion at the World Book Fair. This is one place which is drawing a large number of people from all walks of life. Youngsters can be seen getting selfies with the exhibit. Gurmeet Singh, who hails from a village in Ludhiana, said he had read the book long back but it was his wish to see the original copy, which has been fulfilled now. The notebook has been displayed in a glass case.

However, the copy of the notebook is already in public domain for the past two-and-a half decades. For the first time, the notebook entered the public domain in 1994 when historian Bhupendra Hooja published it in a form of a book.

“The notebook, which is one of the most important heritages of not only of our family, but also of India’s freedom movement, was part of my grandfather’s collection, who was the younger brother of the martyr,” said Yadvinder Singh, grandson of martyr’s younger brother Kulbir Singh. “With an aim to introduce the younger generation to Bhagat Singh, we decided to display the original notebook at the World Book Fair,” he said.

Chandigarh publisher Harish Jain, who traced the history of the jail notebook of the martyrs, says, apprehending the early decision on hanging, Bhagat Singh wrote to his younger brother Kulbir Singh to collect his books, papers and other personal belongings which he would leave with the Deputy Jail Superintendent. That was on 16th September, 1930. The notebook, along with other books, papers and belongings left the Central Jail, Lahore before 23rd March, 1931.

Written between 1929-31

• The notebook consists of 404 pages, of which 140 pages are filled and rest are blank
• 100 authors are mentioned in the notebook while 18 appear in the miscellaneous pages
• It is believed that the martyr wrote it between 1929-1931
• ‘A Martyr’s Notebook’, edited and presented by Bhupendra Hooja, published by Indian Book Chronicle, Jaipur in 1994