Forty-six-year-old Zakir Hussein Hazari remembers his grandfather’s association with Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at his village Korei in Jajpur district.“My grandfather Abdus Sattar Hazari had first associated with Subhas Chandra Bose when the dreaded disease cholera was spreading its tentacles in the 1910s in many rural areas and hundreds of people had perished.”
“My grandfather died in 1970. My father three years back donated the wooden box of Netaji to the Netaji museum at the latter’s birthplace in Cuttack. He also donated a lantern and a stone glass of Netaji to Mohammed Mustaque, a lawyer of Kendrapada, who preserved these items in a museum in his house,” said Zakir, a member of a Zamindari family.
late Fakira Hazari Sattar was a friend of Netaji as both were studying at the Ravenshaw Collegiate School in Cuttack, for which Netaji used to come to his house many times during his stay in the State. Subhas and Abdus’ father had looked after many cholera-affected persons in nearby villages.
Subhas had brought bleaching powder and medicines in a wooden box to treat the patents. He during his stay in Sattar’s house used to drink water in the glass now donated to the Netaji museum. Subhas had stayed a week in the house of Sattar when he was treating patients.
In the 1920s, Subhs had also visited the Sattar house. He used to take bath in a tank in the middle of the house, for which the Sattar family is still keeping the tank in a perfect shape after so many years. Each year, the locals observe Netaji’s birthday on January 23 at the village by hoisting the flag of the Indian National Army. “My grandfather during lifetime believed that Netaji did not die in an air crash,” said Zakir.