The Dawn before the Rise began as an interview with my late great-uncle, Mr. Baburao Gornale about the time before independence. At the time, I had planned to enter this interview into a competition, where the stories of Solapur history could be showcased. Although I did not win that competition, the stories my great-uncle shared were etched in my mind long forever.
Years later, when I was given a creative writing assignment to write about any topic of my choosing, it was no surprise that the stories I had learned from my great-uncle resurfaced, proof of the great impact they had on me. Quickly, I jotted down a few ideas on a scrap piece of paper in the spring of 2021 and a story was born. This remnant of a story remained in a pile hidden away, until one afternoon many months later when my father introduced me to the YUVA Mentorship Scheme. This scheme went on to help me shape the novel you are reading today.
My great-uncle had shared tales of bravery, terror, and perseverance all of which were the kind of stories that fascinated me from a young age. Baburao shared first-hand information about the tale of a young man named Mallappa Dhanshetti who saved his enemy's life to uphold the principles of non-violence – whose act remained cemented in my great-uncle's mind for decades to come.
Although this novel changed many times since its inception - the first draft is practically unrecognizable -one theme shines through every version: how unity triumphs over all obstacles, and how you may be more capable than you realize.
The Dawn before the Rise is meant for all those who wish to read about the special contributions a relatively unknown city of Solapur made to India's freedom and how it helped create the India we know today. It weaves the tales of friendship, hardship, courage, and compassion, told through the main character's love of music and her inner conflict between the safe path of silence and the dangerous path of action.
This novel is largely based on true events that took place between 1930-31 in the city of Solapur, highlighting four key figures of that time: Mallappa Dhanshetti, Shrikisan Sarda, Jagannath Shinde, and Abdul Kurban Hussein. These are four young heroes who fought for their honorable causes. Events such as the ones that took place in Rupha Bhavani and characters such as Collector Knight, Tatya Deshpande, and Walchand Hirachand are all true historical figures, although their words and actions were written with reasonable creative liberty. To differentiate between the historical and fictional characters, please use the provided dramatis personae.
The Youth League of Solapur was a real organization led by Antroliker, a leader and freedom fighter, and Shri Dhanshetti, Shri Shinde, and Shri Kurban Hussein were a large figure in this organization. They led marches, protests, and boycotts to garner the attention of the Collector of Solapur and the Indian government. The aftermath of one of their protests against Mahatma Gandhi's arrest on May 8th, 1930 became one of the most famous turning points in Solapur's struggle for freedom in the 20th century. This led to the three days of Solapur's independence, where the British rulers lost control and the city municipality leaders took their place. These became the first three unofficial days of India's freedom, 17 years before India officially earned independence.
During these three days, Solapur hoisted India's tri-colored flag and this symbol of freedom travelled across the nation. These three days served as a glimpse of what freedom could mean to India. Solapur was the dawn that came before India's true rise toward emancipation.
Without Solapur's success and continued fight, India could not have had its taste of liberty and we would be learning an entirely different history.
These three days of hard-earned freedom directly led to the enactment of the Martial Law of Solapur, a law that had been passed in London, printing Solapur's name all across the London papers. The protests across India following martial law and the tenacity that Solapur continued to display made Solapur one of the most widely known and lauded cities in India as well. However, as the years have passed, the stories of Solapur's great contribution are fading and we must preserve them.
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