Maharishi Bulusu Sambamurthy A True Indian and a Leader

Sri Bulusu Sambamurthy was born on the 4th March 1886, in Dulla village in the Godavari District, in an orthodox family of vedic pundits. He got graduated in science from the Madras University and after a brief stint of service as lecturer in physics in the Maharaja's College at Vizianagaram, he acquired a degree in law in 1911 and settled as a criminal lawyer at Kakinada. As a practicing lawyer, he proved his worth soon and appeared in the Madras High Court, along with the Late Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu in many famous criminal cases. He was and is also known as Maharishi Bulusu Sambamurthy.

Inspired the call of Mahatma Gandhi in 1921 for the triple boycott i.e. (boycott of courts, councils and colleges), this great man gave up is roaring and lucrative legal practice and plunged into the freedom movement. Sri Sambamurthy led a luxurious life he was fond of silk suits and riding a motorcycle those days.  Though his liking of expensive clothing, Sri Sambamurthy took to wearing loin cloth in 1921 itself much before Gandhiji wore and popularized it. He was a victim of the brutal lathi charge inflicted by two police officers namely Mustafa Ali Khan and Dappula Subba Rao. These two officers were known for their brutality. Dappula Subbarao acquired the name 'Dappula' not because it was his surname but because he used to beat people the way a drummer would beat the drum. The word 'Dappu' in telugu means a drum. His actual name was B. Subbaraydu. The manner he used to beat people was similar to beating drums. Dappula Subba Rao stripped all those protesters wearing khadi/khadhar clothes among the protestors including Sri Sambamurthy beat them very badly. Undeterred Sri Sambamurthy stood like a stone pillar.  Subsequently Maharishi faced a number arrests, criminal trials and imprisonments. He was the General Secretary Reception Committee for the All India Congress Session held at Kakinada, which known as the famous Kakinada Session. As the General Secretary of the reception committee he was incharge of the hospitality and the well being of the delegates who attended the Kakinada Session. A tragedy struck Maharishi during the session when his only son, a young boy, succumbed to death due to a snake bite. Despite of the big blow he suffered he ensured that the Kakinada Session continued as scheduled. When Mahatma Gandhi got to know about this tragedy he suspended the session to offer condolences to Maharashi Sambamurthy. In the words of Smt. Sarojini Naidu; he turned the drops of his tears into diamonds and welcomed the national leaders attending the Congress Session. Such was this great man who sacrificed his family obligations for the freedom movement.  

In 1926 during the Lahore Session of the Congress, when a number of Congress leaders including Nehru and others were still demanding only a 'Dominion Status' for India, Maharishi Sambamurthy had moved a resolution in the Congress Session calling for 'Poorna Swaraj'. He led the Salt Satyagraha Movement in 1930 and he participated in a Salt Satyagraha at Chollangi near Kakinada and was arrested on April 18, 1930 and sent to Vellore jail. Maharishi Sambamurthy had vowed not to eat salt till the British Government lifted the Salt Tax and had lived up to his oath. At the national level Maharishi was the President of Hindustan Seva Dal, which was organized by Dr. N.S. Hardikar. Though he hailed from an orthodox Brahmin family he contributed a lot for the uplift of women and the downtrodden.   

Maharishi encouraged Smt. Durgabai Deshmukh then a smalltime volunteer at the Kakinada session and with his encouragement she studied law became an Advocate. Much later as we all Smt. Durgabai Deshmukh became a leader of national stature.  

In 1937, he was elected as the first President of the Madras Legislature (today a position equivalent as to that of a Speaker of a state legislature). He was one of the founders of the 'Chennapuri Andhra Maha Sabha'. During those early days at Madras Legislature, Maharishi Sambamurthy was part of Andhrodyamam (Andhra movement) being a hard and active advocate for a separate Telugu Province comprising Telugu areas in Madras Presidency. Maharishi Sambamurthy asked the legislators from Telugu speaking areas to speak Telugu (instead of English) in the legislature to paralyse the proceedings of the house. One can say that much prior to Swami Sitharam (Sri Gollapudi Sitharama Sastry) and later Sri Potti Sriramulu here was one of the leaders who had also been leading the demand of a separate province for the Telugu speaking people.  He served as the President of the Madras Legislature from 1937 to 1942 when he resigned due to the outbreak of the Quit India Movement. Till India attained freedom Maharishi Sambamurthy continued with the freedom struggle.

Post Independence when many of our stalwart leaders started clinging to the Kursi (Chair/Position) culture, Maharishi held no high office, he could have atleast been a Minister in the Madras Province or could have been in the Constituent Assembly, but his contemporaries did not bother about him nor did he bother about any Kursi. Later when Potti Sriramulu wanted to start fast unto death for a separate State for the Telugus none of the leaders showed any interest as Swami Sitharam (Sri Gollapudi Sitharama Sastry) fast unto death did not lead to formation of the State as demanded and many of the powerful leaders felt that Potti Sriramulu fast will be a futile exercise. Since none of the leaders showed any interest or supported the idea of Potti Sriramulu, he approached Maharishi. Maharishi offered him shelter in his home and advised him to start his fast unto death on the verandah of Maharishi’s palatial house at Mylapore, Chennai. This house was adjacent to the other palatial house called ‘Sri Bagh’ where the famous Sri Bagh Pact was signed. Potti Sriramulu fast unto death resulted in his demise and later formation of Andhra State. Strangely, Maharishi Sambamurthy was not invited to inauguration of Andhra State. His house at Mylapore got converted into Potti Sriramulu memorial. Today the Mylapore home has been demolished and new building stands in its place as library and Potti Sriramulu memorial. Maharishi was rendered homeless from Madras (Now Chennai). No compensation was paid to Maharishi for this house being acquired as Potti Sriramulu memorial or probably Mahrishi himself refused compensation, the facts are not clear. Ultimately, Maharishi returned to Kakinada and his daily routine was visiting temples and residing in his home. Those who followed, adored and admired him shunned him. Hearing his plight Shri Govind Vallabh Pant rendered financial assistance. He led a life of penury and breathe his last on 2^nd February 1958. He was survived by his widowed daughter. When his daughter applied for Freedom Fighter’s Pension, the officials in the Ministry of Home Affairs rejected the application stating that there is no evidence that Maharishi was a freedom fighter. Such was the declaration made by the unique breed called bureaucrats and not public servants. But the fact remains lives Rishis and Maharishis inspired many and Maharishi Bulusu Sambamurthy life would inspire many.

Today a small bust statue of Maharishi stands at the Town Hall at Kakinada at the very place where he braved the lathis of the British Police, particularly those of the brutal Mustafa Ali Khan and Dappula Subba Rao. Some like minded people from Kakinada lead by Mr. T. Srinivasa Rao, who retired from the Shipping industry, established the Maharishi Sambamurthy Institute of Social and Development Studies at Kakinada. This institute caters to the development and support to the physically challenged persons. A postal stamp came to be released in memory of Maharishi in the year 2008. The Kakinada Municipal Corporation has named an area in Kakinada as ‘Sambamurthy Nagar’. All I could do at this juncture after hearing and reading so much about Maharishi is write a few words about this great human being as a duty bound member of the large Bulusu Family.