Q40.

’If Aurobindo was the high priest, Rabindranath, was the great poet
of the Swadeshi Movement' [1990, 10m]

Answer:

The Swadeshi movement that began as the anti-partition movement in

Bengal but soon spread out to various regions of India gave a great impetus
to cultural nationalism through the patriotic literature which it brought into
being.

Aurobindo Ghose as a high priest

Aurobindo Ghose expounded the religions and philosophical basis of

nationalism and presented it as a sublime sentiment in human life.

• His literary talents blazed in his articles in the Bande Mataram.

• In Surat Congress (1906) he formulated the fourfold objectives of "Swaraj,

Swadesh, Boycott, and national education".

• He gave the spiritual exposition to the idea of Indian nationalism which

provided fervour required to reach the masses.

• For his contribution, he was called as “poet of patriotism and prophet of

Indian nationalism” by CR Das.

Rabindra Nath as a great poet

Tagore’s poems during the Swadeshi movement were infused with patriotism
and national consciousness. The ideas which inspired Bankim Chandra to
write Bande Mataram hymn was expressed through the charming poems
and songs by Rabindra Nath.

• He wrote extensively in Bhandar and Banga Darshan emphasising on

fraternity and national consciousness.

• By singing patriotic songs in processions and tying Rakhi on hand, he

evoked the spirit of national sentiment in the heart of everybody.

• He sang glories of ancient Indian culture and held vividly before the people
the portraits of Shivaji and Guru Gobind Singh as nation-builders.

• His famous swadeshi song “Banglar Mati, Banglar Jol” became an

epitome of Hindu-Muslim solidarity.

• His great Baul songs describe the picturesque natural beauty of Bengal
and like the national hymns evoke national spirit.

• He endorsed the students’ and women’s active participation through

essays like “Brata Dharan‟.

Both Aurobindo and Tagore proved that ‘the pen is mightier than sword’.
Their work was ably supplemented by others to foster nationalism through
poems, essay, drama, history and novel during the Swadeshi movement.

#GS1 #History

Additional Information

The contribution of Aurobindo to modern Indian political thought

summarized under four headings

1. Spiritual Nationalism –
With a spiritual basis and cosmopolitan outlook, Aurobindo’s nationalism is a
comprehensive and broad one. Unlike the western concept of nationalism
which merely implies a common political sentiment he treated nationalism as
a religion (divinity of the motherland) and a spiritual ‘Sadhana’.

Aurobindo provided an element of spiritualism to nationalism. In 1908 he

said in a public meeting in Bombay, "Nationalism is not a mere political
programme; Nationalism is a religion that has come from God; Nationalism is
a creed which you shall have to live... Let no man dare to call himself a
nationalist if he... does so merely with a sort of intellectual pride, thinking that
his thinking is more patriotic and higher than those who do not call
themselves by that name. If someone is going to be a Nationalist, he has to
subscribe to this religion of nationalism in a religious spirit. You must
remember that you are the instrument of God". He elevated the demand for
national freedom to a religious faith of worship of motherland as Shakti so
that the masses could be awakened.

2. Ideal of complete freedom

Aurobindo was the first Indian political leader to use the word
"Independence" instead of "Swaraj'. He strongly believed that without
political freedom, no real development is possible in India. Political freedom
must precede socio-economic and administrative reforms. As he observed
"Political freedom is the life-breath of a nation; to attempt social reform,
educational reform, industrial expansion and moral improvement of the race
without aiming first and foremost at political freedom is the very height of
ignorance and futility".

3. Theory of passive resistance and boycott

Aurobindo explained the aim of passive resistance as "to make British
administration impossible by an organized refusal to do anything which shall
help the growth of British trade and commerce resulting in the exploitation of
the country". Aurobindo made it clear that the passive resistance may turn to
be violent in case of ruthless suppression by the ruler. In this way it differed
from Gandhiji's technique of non-violent resistance. Aurobindo realized that
his idea of passive resistance would be successful if there was boycott of
British in every field. Along with his theory of economic boycott, he put
forward his views on national education. Along with his theory of economic
boycott, he stressed the necessity of Swadeshi. Along with educational
boycott, he put forward his views on national education. Along with judicial
boycott, he emphasized the necessity of setting up national arbitration
courts. He also asked for social boycott of those Indians who did not
support the cause of non-cooperation with the British.

4. Vision for India

At a time when British rule in India was firmly and securely established,
Aurobindo had the breadth of vision to foresee India as a free nation and her
contribution to the world community. He felt that India had a spiritual
message which was urgently needed by the people of the world. He was
convinced that a free India was to fulfil her true destiny in the international
community. He advocated the concept of human unity. He pleaded for
independence for India in the wider interest of the humanity. He said "Our
ideal of patriotism proceeds on the basis of love and brotherhood and it
looks beyond the unity of the nation and envisages the ultimate unity of
mankind…. it is a unity of brothers, equal and free men that we seek, not the
unity of master and serf, of devourer and devoured"

#GS1 #History