Varanasi, Dec 15 : For Sanjeev Sanyal, the Economic Adviser to the central government, the inauguration of Kashi Vishwanath Dham by the Prime Minister has brought back the memories of his family’s nearly 250 old association with the temple. His ancestors saw the inauguration of the temple built by Queen Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore in the year 1780.
Sanyal, principal economic advisor with finance ministry, had a rare opportunity of watching the inauguration of Kashi Vishwanath Dham, extension and renovation of the complex, about 250 years later on Dec 13, 2021. Sanjeev Sanyal, a descendant of the great revolutionary Shachindra Nath Sanyal, said in a tweet, “When my ancestors moved to Kashi circa 1780, they wept with joy at the temple reconstructed by Ahalyabai Holkar. I have lived to see the reconstruction of 2021. There is something about deeply felt civilizational memory ……..”
Economist-writer Sanjeev Sanyal said in emotional words, “my descendants will remember me, not by the official role I may have or books I wrote. They will remember that my ancestor Sanjeev Sanyal was the person who was alive at the time when Kashi Vishwanath corridor was opened. That is how they will remember me.”
Sanyal’s great grand uncle, revolutionary Shachindranath Sanyal was involved in the “Delhi Conspiracy”, the “Gadar Conspiracy” and the “Banaras Conspiracy” (1916) planned to end the British rule. He also played a role in the 1912 bombing incident targeting the Viceroy Lord Hardinge in Delhi. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and had to serve the Cellular Jail in Andaman. In 1930s the British government confiscated the family’s house and property located in the Madanpura locality of Varanasi. The revolutionary, who was the inspiration of Chandrashekhar Azad and Bhagat Singh, breathed his last in the Gorakhpur jail in the year 1942.
Sanjeev Sanyal visited Varanasi in the year 2012 and tried to identify the places related to the family here. He also went to the Bengali Tola School where Shachindra Nath Sanyal studied. In this school there is a plaque in which the names of the freedom fighters, along with Shachindra Nath Sanyal, who studies there were mentioned.(UNI)