Bankim Chandra Chatterjee — A Pioneer of Bengali Literature.
Bankim Chandra Chatterjee was a prolific Indian novelist, poet, essayist, and journalist who wrote in Bengali and English. He is widely regarded as the father of modern Bengali prose and one of the leading figures of the Bengal Renaissance. He composed the national song of India, Vande Mataram, which inspired millions of Indians to fight for freedom from British colonial rule.
Early Life and Education
Bankim Chandra was born on 26 or 27 June 1838 in Naihati, a small town in present-day West Bengal. He belonged to an orthodox Brahmin family that traced its ancestry to Deshmukho village in Hooghly district. His father, Yadav Chandra Chattopadhyay, was a deputy collector of Midnapur and his mother, Durgadebi, was a pious and cultured woman. Bankim Chandra had two elder brothers, Sanjib Chandra and Hemchandra.
Bankim Chandra received his early education at Hooghly Collegiate School, where he wrote his first poem at the age of nine. He then joined Presidency College in Kolkata, where he studied arts and law. He was one of the first two graduates of the University of Calcutta in 1859. He also obtained a degree in law in 1869.
Career and Literary Works
Bankim Chandra followed his father’s footsteps and joined the civil service as a deputy magistrate in 1858. He served in various districts of Bengal and Bihar until his retirement in 1891. He was also conferred the title of CIE (Companion of the Indian Empire) by the British government in 1882.
Bankim Chandra started his literary career with an English novel, Rajmohan’s Wife, which was published serially in a magazine in 1864. However, he soon realized that English was not a suitable medium for expressing his thoughts and feelings to the masses. He switched to Bengali and wrote his first Bengali novel, Durgeshnandini, in 1865. It was a historical romance set in the Mughal era and marked the beginning of a new era in Bengali literature.
Bankim Chandra went on to write thirteen more novels in Bengali, covering various themes such as history, mythology, society, religion, politics, and nationalism. Some of his most famous novels are Kapalkundala (1866), Mrinalini (1869), Vishabriksha (1873), Indira (1873), Anandamath (1882), Devi Chaudhurani (1884) and Sitaram (1886). He also wrote several essays, commentaries, satires, and poems on various topics.
Bankim Chandra’s novels are characterized by their realism, patriotism, social criticism, humor, and lyrical language. He blended Indian and Western literary traditions and created a unique style of storytelling that influenced generations of Bengali writers. He also introduced new genres such as historical fiction, mystery, adventure, and science fiction to Bengali literature.
Vande Mataram and Nationalism
Bankim Chandra’s most enduring contribution to Indian culture is his patriotic song Vande Mataram, which means “I bow to thee, Mother”. He composed it in highly Sanskritized Bengali and included it in his novel Anandamath, which depicted the rebellion of the sannyasis (ascetics) against British rule in the late eighteenth century. The song personified India as a mother goddess and invoked her blessings for her children.
Vande Mataram became a rallying cry for the Indian freedom movement and was sung by millions of people across the country. It was adopted as the national song of India in 1937 by the Indian National Congress. It is still widely sung on various occasions such as Independence Day and Republic Day.
Legacy and Influence
Bankim Chandra died on 8 April 1894 in Kolkata at the age of 55. He left behind a rich legacy of literary works that have been translated into many languages and have inspired countless writers and artists. He is regarded as one of the greatest Indian writers of all time and has been honored with various awards and recognitions.
Some of them are:
- A postage stamp featuring his portrait was issued by India Post in 1968.
- A statue of him was installed at College Square in Kolkata in 1969.
- His ancestral home in Naihati has been converted into a museum and a memorial.
- His birth anniversary is celebrated as Sahitya Divas (Literature Day) in West Bengal.
- Several educational institutions, roads, and buildings have been named after him.
Bankim Chandra’s works have also been adapted into films, plays, television shows, and musicals. Some of the notable adaptations are:
- Anand Math (1952), a Hindi film directed by Hemen Gupta and starring Prithviraj Kapoor and Geeta Bali. It featured the song Vande Mataram sung by Lata Mangeshkar.
- Devi Chaudhurani (1974), a Bengali film directed by Dinen Gupta and starring Suchitra Sen and Ranjit Mallick.
- Kapalkundala (1981), a Bengali film directed by Tarun Majumdar and starring Sandhya Roy and Dipankar Dey.
- Durgeshnandini (1987), a Bengali television series directed by Basu Chatterjee and starring Moon Moon Sen and Anup Kumar.
- Anandamath (2005), a Bengali musical directed by Bratya Basu and starring Kaushik Sen and Debshankar Haldar.
Bankim Chandra Chatterjee was a pioneer of Bengali literature who enriched the Indian culture with his creative genius. He was a visionary who foresaw the rise of a free and united India. He was a patriot who ignited the spirit of nationalism among his fellow countrymen. He was a legend who lives on in the hearts and minds of millions of Indians.
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