On island of dark memories, India’s remembered as the only light

‘‘His visit means a lot. Not many even in India may remember the role your country played during our struggle for freedom. India was the first country in the world to impose economic sanctions on SA. It also raised the question of racial discrimination at the UN. It was Jawaharlal Nehru’s sister Vijaylakshmi Pandit who led our cause at the UN. So, I will express our gratitude to the people of India through him.’’

Fifteen minutes later, President Kalam arrives. Kathrada keeps his promise. Also hands him a copy of his memoirs in which he has inscribed by hand: ‘‘To President Kalam, to express everlasting gratitude for India’s unwavering support for our struggle for freedom and democracy. India’s continuous support for our country is greatly cherished.’’

Kalam is visibly moved. He pastes a copy of a new poem he has penned for the occasion, Mighty Soul, in the visitors’ book. He also writes: ‘‘It is an inspiring experience to be in the island where many freedom warriors struggled for the Great Mission. My reverence and respect to these great warriors of freedom. God’s grace is always with you.’’

B section at the museum is a neat row of cells and No.5 is Nelson Mandela’s. Some of his personal effects have been kept in what seems no more than a 5ftx6ftx10ft cell. It has gray iron bars for a gate, in front of which is another wooden door.

Mandela, Kathrada and others were handed the sentence during what came to be known as the Rivonia trial. ‘‘Inside, we soon realised that apartheid was up and running in the prison system too,’’ recalls Kathrada. ‘‘Imagine a ladder. On top were the Whites. Then, us Indians or coloured South Africans. Below us were the Blacks. So while I was given socks and long trousers, Mandela didn’t get socks. The food they got had less sugar that we did—they got no fish or meat too.’’

Kathrada was 34 when he went inside. And 60 when he was released. In his book Long Walk To Freedom, Mandela mentions his comrade in arms as one who couldn’t handle the wheel barrow while working in the infamous Lime Quarry. ‘‘Yes, I remember. It wasn’t difficult, but there was a particular unhurried way in which one had to work the wheel barrow—so Mandela stopped work, came over and showed me.’’

With Kathrada is Laloo Chiba, another prisoner of the time. How did you keep yourselves going? ‘‘We knew that the struggle must go on and while we were in prison, there were the others who were being tortured and killed outside. In a way some of us were better off. I wasn’t tortured,’’ says Kathrada.

But Chiba was, severely. ‘‘I try not to talk about it,’’ he says. How are you now? ‘‘Married (to a Gujarati from India),’’ says the man of few words, who was responsible for transcribing Mandela’s book, Long Walk to Freedom, which he wrote illegally while in prison.

Chiba copied about 800 pages of the original manuscript in tiny handwriting and fitted its contents into about 50 pages of thin sheets of paper. It was then smuggled out of prison, the original kept buried till they knew the miniature was safe in London.

‘‘But before that some portions of the original was found. And we were all punished: banned from studying for four years. It was only a few days ago, while building a wall near the courtyard that we found some other parts of the manuscript,’’ says Kathrada.

How is to visit Robben Island these days— 10 years since SA was free of apartheid? ‘‘I see it through the reactions of the people. Otherwise, it is quite routine, I must admit.’’

Maybe, that’s the way it should be. For Mandela, Kathrada, Chiba and, say, Sideeq Levy (prisoner number 6367, now serving as an earnest tourist guide), Robben Island must not just be about the time served. It must be that towering symbol of survival and triumph.