Reading the sorrowful life of the virtuous Kamati brings many thoughts to mind and stirs the heart. It is baffling how a man of such deep business acumen and sharp vision could be brought to ruin in a single moment by wicked men. Why didn't he see the traps being set for him? How did his sharp intellect suddenly become dull? Even after being imprisoned, why did he not think of any way to escape the East India Company’s clutches other than through their own letters? Did he truly believe those letters would reach the right hands or that they would even help him? Why did he trust that the Company would give him justice and release him just because they received his letters?
He could have chosen the path of Shivaji Maharaj. Shivaji was a contemporary whom Kamati must have seen with his own eyes. Shivaji’s escape from Aurangzeb’s prison in Agra is considered a deed more important and praiseworthy than the founding of Swarajya itself. Shivaji showed the world how to defeat a treacherous and deceitful enemy like Aurangzeb in broad daylight; that is how he was able to build his kingdom. If Shivaji had stayed in that prison to rot, the word 'Swarajya' would never have been heard. Why did Kamati not show the same spark of justice and rebellion?
The Missed Opportunity with Kanhoji Angre
Kamati could have easily crossed over to the other side. To a Hindu like Kanhoji Angre, Kamati would have been far more valuable than the European Portuguese. Governor Boone had even tried to plant a suspicion in Kamati’s mind that Angre considered him a spy. Knowing this, why did Kamati not put his life on the line and free himself to join the Khanderi fort?
Because of his service to the English, Kamati had earned a bad reputation with Angre. Yet, due to his years of experience in the political and military affairs of the region, he knew the intricate details of the political 'weaving' and military strengths of the area. A clever, experienced, and capable man like him would have been welcomed with open arms by a shrewd strategist like Kanhoji. Kanhoji was already a sworn enemy of the Europeans. If the two had joined forces, the English might have been uprooted from the island of Mumbai. At that time, their roots were not deep in India. In 1685, Aurangzeb had ordered them to be driven out of India, and they survived only by falling at his feet and begging for mercy. They were constantly terrified and hounded by the threats of Shivaji, Angre, and the Siddi.
The Slave Mentality
Why did Kamati not strive in that direction? Perhaps he feared what would happen to his family in Mumbai if he escaped and the Governor took out his anger on them. But wasn't his family’s fate already sealed? On the day Boone threw him into the dungeon, a lightning bolt of terror had already struck his household.
Looking at Kamati’s life, it seems he felt he was born to serve the English and was destined to die for them. He possessed the intellect and strength, yet why did he never use it to help himself? He believed that without the English, he had no other refuge—that they were the ones who fed him, protected him, and would ultimately save him. He felt that even if he left them, or they left him, he would be completely lost. This feeling of bandepon (servitude or a slave mentality) had taken hold of him. He was a wise, smart, and courageous man, yet the "warmth of ownership" was missing from his body. In body and mind, he had become a complete servant to the English.
Because of this slave mentality, he never realized what the true purpose of his life should be. Had he realized it, he would not have suffered the injustice and humiliation of the English like a tied-up beast, rotting away in their prison. Like Shivaji, he would have broken free and made them pay for their deeds.
The Lesson for the Community
We may sing praises of Kamati’s intellect and capabilities, or weep for his misfortunes, but our work does not end there. This feeling of servitude still eats away at our own lives. We must reflect on why such a state has come to be.
During Kamati’s time and after him, there have been many wise, intelligent, and brave men among the Brahmins. If we look closely at their lives, there is no difference between their conduct and Kamati’s. They too lacked the warmth of ownership and were filled with the spirit of servitude. For this reason, their precious qualities were never fully utilized for themselves or their country. Instead, they and the country suffered losses. The ends of many such great men were just as sorrowful as Kamati’s, or they simply faded away like withered flowers. The lives of men like Ramchandrabab Sukhtankar, Sadashiv Malhar, Narayanbab Bakshi Kerkar, Lakhabadada Lad, and Baloba Pagnis all tell the same story.
Even today, the lineage of Kamati within us is not broken. We have intellect, we have knowledge, we have strength, and we have money; therefore, we have every right to feel pride. Yet, in religion, language, society, and politics, we have no "ownership" (mastery). We live in our own homes like foreigners who are only there for a few days. We labor in servitude. Our self-confidence has completely vanished. We use our intellectual light only to serve others' lamps. If that lamp is extinguished, our brilliant minds fall into darkness. Why is this so? Since when did we become like this? Were our ancestors truly like this? Did they labor in ownership or in servitude? What is the root cause of this slave mentality? Can we ever regain our sense of ownership? These questions must be examined deeply; they cannot be answered in just a few lines. Therefore, it is best to address them in a separate essay.
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