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Aug. 21, 2008 This 15th August we celebrated the sixty first anniversary of India ’s freedom. While freedom fighters were engaged in fighting the British colonialists, intellectuals, writers, poets, journalists, and columnists provided them the much needed inspiration through their writings and contributed their might towards the country’s freedom. These writers united and motivated the people across the subcontinent to make unprecedented sacrifices. They infused a sense of togetherness among the masses and inspired them to confront the oppressor. During the late 19th century, various regions of India began to share a common purpose in reacting to the British presence in their country, giving rise to a nationalist movement. This movement was the inspiration behind much Indian writing in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The spread of journalism helped the development of prose writing and patriotic writings grew almost simultaneously in different languages as part of the resistance of a community to foreign rule. For example, Rangalal in Bengali, Mirza Ghalib in Urdu, and Bharatendu Harishchandra in Hindi all expressed their opposition to colonial rule and wrote about the glorification of India . The renowned Bengali writer Bankim Chandra Chatterjee attacked colonialism in his historical novels, which achieved popularity throughout the subcontinent and helped spread nationalism and patriotism. His ‘Vande Mataram’ created a stir and brought about an emotional climate to challenge foreign supremacy. His thrilling works had the effect of trumpets and moved the young generation of those days. Another Bengali writer Michael Madhusudan Dutt wrote the first modern epic in an Indian language. Subramania Bharati was a great Tamil poet who revolutionized the poetic tradition in Tamil. Maithili Saran Gupt and Bhai Vir Singh, writing in Hindi and Punjabi respectively, took themes from mythology and history for their patriotic epics. Rabindranath Tagore, the greatest name in modern Indian literature, said that the unity of India should be a unity in diversity. He wrote his novel Gora in 1910 to challenge colonial rule and to give a new meaning to Indian nationalism. Tagore was a novelist, poet, playwright, composer, and painter of great renown. His collection of poetry Geetanjali won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1913. The ideas of Mahatma Gandhi deeply affected India in the decades leading up to independence in 1947. Writing in Gujarati, English, and Hindi, Gandhi used the language of common man. He used the weapons of truth and nonviolence and spoke out in favor of traditional values and against industrialization. Gandhi was the most effective mass medium of the 20th century. His journalism belonged to an era when there was neither radio nor television but whatever he said and wrote reached the farthest corners of the country within no time. Saratchandra Chattopadhyay is one of the most popular Bengali novelists. A Gandhian and a socialist, his influence spread throughout India with translations of his books in various Indian languages. Among the well known journalists, during the Indian national movement, Subramanya Bharathy’s name figures on the top. A prolific writer of immense genius, Bharathy was also the most prominent leader of the Indian independence movement in South India . By 1912 Bharathy was already a legend and his writings attracted multitudes of young patriots to join the non-violent agitation against the British rule. It is an undisputed fact that writers have been behind all the great revolutions of the world. Our poets and writers gave expression to the fervent hopes of the people of India and they looked upon the struggle for independence as a glorious adventure. The British suppressed the spirit of our writers, because they were afraid that their writings might spoil their international reputation. Still our writers could produce some of the best literary works, which may embellish even world literature. Towards the beginning of the 20th century, there appeared a new constellation of writers like Sarada Devi, Sarojini Naidu, Subhadra Kumari Chauhan, Munshi Prem Chand, Ram Prasad Bismil, Subhas Chandra Bose, and to some extent Shaheed Bhagat Singh. Sarojini Naidu’s vigorous and vibrant lines stimulated and inspired even Gandhiji. She created a new thinking in the minds of Indians. Her famous poems 'Mother' and 'Immortal India' are noted for their revolutionary ideas. Subhadra Kumari Chouhan’s poems are noted for their national outlook and revolutionary ideas. Her inspiring poem, ‘Jhansi Ki Rani’, is an asset to our literature. The credit-worthy contribution made by the Urdu poet, lqbal cannot be ignored. His patriotic poems had great impact on the thinking masses of India . His works permeated with patriotic spirit and universal brotherhood. School children still enthusiastically sing his ever green song “Saare jahan se achha Hindostan hamara”. It is indeed commendable that Indian patriotic literature has been woven around non-violence and world peace, which is our country’s avowed creed so painstakingly nurtured by Mahatma Gandhi. Even in the face of unspeakable atrocities committed on us by our foreign rulers, we never forsake the principle of non violence, which is not just a creed for us but also a way of life. Today the concept of non-violence is gaining strength throughout the world and making its contribution towards world peace. We are proud to be the citizens of India which first gave the message of non-violence and peace to the world thousands of years back in the form of Buddhism and Jainism which were founded on the glorious principles of equality, tolerance, peace, and love towards fellow human beings. (With a few inputs from the Web) ------------ About the author: Mohinder Bhatnagar from India is a prolific writer and has been writing since the age of twenty. Having been in varied careers like academics, taxman, banker, lawyer, editor, writer et al, he has seen life in its varied hues. Currently located in New Delhi (India) and working as an editor and writer, he has widely traveled to UK, US and Canada. Email: mkbhatnagar2000@yahoo.co.in Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com. Please link to this article rather than copying and pasting it onto your site (which would be unauthorized and illegal). |
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