Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay was one of the first graduates of the University of Calcutta, a government magistrate for more than thirty years, and the father of the modern Bengali novel. His hymn to the motherland, "Vande Mataram", became the anthem of the freedom struggle and is India's National Song.
Life
- 1838Born at Kanthalpara, near Naihati in Bengal.
- 1858Among the first two graduates of the University of Calcutta; joins government service as a deputy magistrate.
- 1865Publishes "Durgeshnandini", one of the first Bengali novels.
- 1872Founds the literary journal "Bangadarshan".
- 1875Composes "Vande Mataram".
- 1882Publishes "Anandamath", which includes the song.
- 1886Publishes "Krishnacharitra", a reasoned study of Krishna's life.
- 1894Dies in Calcutta on 8 April.
Vande Mataram and Anandamath
"Vande Mataram" — "I bow to you, Mother" — praises the motherland as rich in waters, fruits and harvests, and in later stanzas identifies her with the goddess Durga. Set in the context of the sannyasi rebellion of the 1770s, the novel "Anandamath" made it a song of patriotic sacrifice. In the Swadeshi movement after 1905 it became the slogan of the national movement, and its first two stanzas were adopted as the National Song in 1950.
Thinker on dharma
In "Krishnacharitra" and "Dharmatattva" Bankim sought a rational, ethical reading of Hindu tradition, presenting Krishna as an ideal man of action and dharma as the harmonious development of all human faculties. He influenced Aurobindo, Tilak and many others who sought to unite religion and nationalism.
Criticism and debate
Critics have objected to the portrayal of Muslim rulers in "Anandamath" and to the goddess imagery of the later stanzas of "Vande Mataram". In 1937 the Congress decided that only the first two stanzas would be sung at national gatherings, a compromise that remains part of the debate over the song.
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Frequently asked questions
Who wrote Vande Mataram?
Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay composed it in 1875 and included it in his novel Anandamath (1882).
Is Vande Mataram the national anthem?
No; its first two stanzas are India's National Song. The national anthem is Jana Gana Mana.
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Read nextSwami ShraddhanandaSources & copyright status
- Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Anandamath (1882); Krishnacharitra (1886) — public domain
- Constituent Assembly debates, 24 January 1950 (National Song) — government record
- Historical facts: not subject to copyright.
- Commentary and translations on this page: original to The Hindu Book. © The Hindu Book, all rights reserved.
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