Thepowerofthelittle known: Robin Hood of Kathiawar rescuing lost histories

In an ecosystem where the general attention span is that of gnat; history is what the ruling dispensation insists is true; with semi-baked mindsets lapping it all up as the gospel truth and the WhatsApp university the only centre of academic excellence, one wonders what the Harper Collins publication, Robin Hood of Kathiawar and Other Extraordinary Stories from India's Freedom Movement, is seeking to sell.

- ADITI ROY GHATAK

Is it selling an antidote to the infectious malaise or just trying to sell freedom folklore? Whatever the purpose, this 50-tale anthology by Paperclip has been among the most delightful pieces of non-serious, yet deadly serious, writing one has come across. In this convoluted world of historiography, it burrows thin tunnels into faded history, presenting compelling accounts of how, for instance, symbols of the freedom movement have travelled and mutated to inspire societies across time and space. It rekindles emotion, stokes curiosity and connects remote facts to establish the far-flung ripples of the Indian freedom movement, its leaders and the perfectly ordinary players alike, often in worlds way beyond its shores. In the process, it literally rescues what were high-impact narratives from obscurity, while sticking to diligent research and transforming its findings into amazingly colourful stories of yesteryears. Robin Hood of Kathiawar breathes energy, enthusiasm and playfulness into encounters long forgotten.

From toddy shops in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, peddling 'kallu' becoming clandestine conspiracy hubs; of the ascetic Alluri Sitarama Raju from Vishakhapatanam (of natu, natu fame) getting trained in the art of bomb-making by Bengal terrorists, or the broad daylight arms heist in Kolkata and Masterda's master plans and the eventual betrayal by his nephew Netra Sen or, for that matter, Bangali Tola in Banaras, where the Bengali Tola High School, set up by Keshab Chandra Sen, became the hot spot for anti-imperialism, Paperclip has travelled the subterranean world of the freedom movement.