Bankim Chandra Chatterjee Death Anniversary: Ankim Chandra Chattopadhyay was a journalist, poet, and writer from India. On June 27, 1838, he was born, and on April 8, 1894, he died. The song Vande Mataram, which serves as India’s national song, was written by Chattopadhyay. In his lifetime, he authored numerous critical, satirical, scientific, and serio-comic works in addition to 13 Bengali novels. In Bengali, he was also referred to as Sahitya Samrat. Rabindranath Tagore, Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, and Surendranath Dutt are reported to have influenced him.
The first class of students at Calcutta University graduated with a B.A. in 1857, but only two of them. One of them was Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. He eventually earned the nickname “Sahitya Samrat,” which means “literary emperor,” in popular culture.
He joined the lower executive position (subordinate executive service), following in his father’s footsteps, and eventually became a deputy magistrate and deputy collector. He was given the titles “Raybahadur” and “Companion of the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire” by the rulers in 1891. (CMEOIE). Whatever knowledge he acquired during his professional career was crucial to how he thought and behaved. However, history will remember him as a Rishi, a Hindu reform writer and thinker rather than for his illustrious position as a government employee. In his publications, he wrote under the alias “Kamalakanta.”
“If Dharma is the way to true happiness, then the whole of human life should be governed by Dharma. This is the true meaning of Hinduism. It does not happen in other religions;
If universal love is taken to be the highest human ideal, then, Hinduism has it to the largest degree.
Other communities believe that religion is only for the sake of God and the hereafter. To the Hindu, this world, the after-life, God, man, all beings, all worlds — everything is a concern of Dharma. Now, is there any universal, holy religion apart from this? ”
Good Friday 2023: Date, History, Activities, Significance and Facts
The person who was able to say this with authority, while holding the highest position of honour and glory in society, is none other than Rishi Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay. No concern about being exposed in front of others or fading from prominence existed. In his book Dharmatatwa (Anushalon), he has been entirely truthful about the ultimate reality that he had personally discovered during his lengthy search.
The novel “Durgesnandini,” written by the literary genius between the ages of 24 and 26, was the first successful novel in Bengali history and was set against the backdrop of the Mughal-Pathan land struggle over the rights of Odisha in the late 16th century.
English was the language of communication for literate people in his time, which widened the gap between the lowest and higher classes. In 1872, he began putting out a monthly literary journal called Bangadarshan, where he first got his act together by serving as a conduit for communication between the educated elites and the ignorant people. As he was assigned to the province of Bengal’s outlying areas, he encountered the true living circumstances of the local populace. Many of the characters in his novels were shaped by his relationships and firsthand encounters with people.
Facts about Bankim Chandra Chatterjee:
- A traditional Bengali Brahmin family raised Bankim in the West Bengali town of Naihati.
- It was customary at the time for young men to get married when they were only 11 years old.
- Long before he authored the book “Anandamath,” he wrote the lyrics of “Vande Mataram.”
- On November 7th, 1875, he composed the song “Vande Mataram.”
- In 1882, Bankim published Anandamath, a book that included lines from “Vande Mataram.” A Sanyasi army battles British soldiers in this political fiction. Rabindranath Tagore later composed the music for “Vande Mataram.”
- He was among the University of Calcutta’s earliest graduates.
- Bankim received the same position as his father: Deputy Collector of Jessore. He received a rise to Deputy Magistrate. In 1891, he left the government sector.
- His first writings were published in the weekly paper Sangbad Prabhakar.
- His first two significant publications were Durgeshnandini and Kapalkundala. Both novels garnered positive reviews and were also translated into other languages.
- Beginning in April 1972, Bankim published a literary journal called Bangadarshan on a monthly basis. It used an epochal approach and included pieces on religion and devotional topics along with amusing sketches, historical studies, and miscellaneous essays.
- He continued to publish novels, which over time attracted a large readership. His most well-known creations include Chandrasekhar and Rajani.
- He is regarded by many critics as one of Bengali literature’s best authors, and they contend that in order to comprehend his works of fiction, one must first comprehend the author.
