Aadishesh/ncerts · Datasets at Hugging Face

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often symbolised in a figure or image. This helps create an imagewith which people can identify the nation. It was in the twentieth
century, with the growth of nationalism, that the identity of India
came to be visually associated with the image of Bharat Mata. Theimage was first created by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. In the
1870s he wrote ‘Vande Mataram’ as a hymn to the motherland.
Later it was included in his novel Anandamath and widely sung during
the Swadeshi movement in Bengal. Moved by the Swadeshi
movement, Abanindranath Tagore painted his famous image of
Bharat Mata (see Fig. 12). In this painting Bharat Mata is portrayedas an ascetic figure; she is calm, composed, divine and spiritual.
In subsequent years, the image of Bharat Mata acquired many
different forms, as it circulated in popular prints, and was paintedby different artists (see Fig. 14). Devotion to this mother figure came
to be seen as evidence of one’s nationalism.
Ideas of nationalism also developed through a movement to revive
Indian folklore. In late-nineteenth-century India, nationalists began
recording folk tales sung by bards and they toured villages to gather
folk songs and legends. These tales, they believed, gave a true pictureof traditional culture that had been corrupted and damaged by
outside forces. It was essential to preserve this folk tradition in
order to discover one’s national identity and restore a sense of pridein one’s past. In Bengal, Rabindranath Tagore himself began collecting
ballads, nursery rhymes and myths, and led the movement for folk
Fig. 12 – Bharat Mata, Abanindranath Tagore,
1905.
Notice that the mother figure here is shown asdispensing learning, food and clothing. The mala
in one hand emphasises her ascetic quality.Abanindranath Tagore, like Ravi Varma beforehim, tried to develop a style of painting thatcould be seen as truly Indian.
Fig. 13 – Jawaharlal Nehru, a popular print.
Nehru is here shown holding the image of Bharat Mata and the map of Indiaclose to his heart. In a lot of popular prints, nationalist leaders are shownoffering their heads to Bharat Mata. The idea of sacrifice for the mother waspowerful within popular imagination.India and the Contemporary World
72‘In earlier times, foreign travellers in India marvelled at the courage, truthfulness and modesty of the people of the Arya
vamsa ; now they remark mainly on the absence of those qualities. In those days Hindus would set out on conquest and
hoist their flags in Tartar, China and other countries; now a few soldiers from a tiny island far away are lording it over the
land of India.’
Tarinicharan Chattopadhyay, Bharatbarsher Itihas (The History of Bharatbarsh) , vol. 1, 1858.Source E
Sourcerevival. In Madras, Natesa Sastri published a massive four-volume
collection of Tamil folk tales, The Folklore of Southern India . He believed
that folklore was national literature; it was ‘the most trustworthy
manifestation of people’s real thoughts and characteristics’.
As the national movement developed, nationalist leaders became
more and more aware of such icons and symbols in unifying people
and inspiring in them a feeling of nationalism. During the Swadeshi
movement in Bengal, a tricolour flag (red, green and yellow) wasdesigned. It had eight lotuses representing eight provinces of British
India, and a crescent moon, representing Hindus and Muslims. By
1921, Gandhiji had designed the Swaraj flag. It was again a tricolour(red, green and white) and had a spinning wheel in the centre,
representing the Gandhian ideal of self-help. Carrying the flag,
holding it aloft, during marches became a symbol of defiance.
Another means of creating a feeling of nationalism was through
reinterpretation of history. By the end of the nineteenth century
many Indians began feeling that to instill a sense of pride in thenation, Indian history had to be thought about differently. The British
saw Indians as backward and primitive, incapable of governing
themselves. In response, Indians began looking into the past todiscover India’s great achievements. They wrote about the glorious
developments in ancient times when art and architecture, science
and mathematics, religion and culture, law and philosophy, craftsand trade had flourished. This glorious time, in their view, was
followed by a history of decline, when India was colonised. These
nationalist histories urged the readers to take pride in India’s greatachievements in the past and struggle to change the miserable
conditions of life under British rule.
These efforts to unify people were not without problems. When the
past being glorified was Hindu, when the images celebrated were
drawn from Hindu iconography, then people of other communities
felt left out.
Fig. 14 – Bharat Mata.
This figure of Bharat Mata is a contrast to the
one painted by Abanindranath Tagore. Here sheis shown with a trishul , standing beside a lion
and an elephant – both symbols of power andauthority.
Look at Figs. 12 and 14. Do you think these
images will appeal to all castes and communities?
Explain your views briefly.Activity73
Nationalism in IndiaConclusion
A growing anger against the colonial government was thus bringing
together various groups and classes of Indians into a common struggle
for freedom in the first half of the twentieth century. The Congress
under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi tried to channel people’sgrievances into organised movements for independence. Through
such movements the nationalists tried to forge a national unity. But
as we have seen, diverse groups and classes participated in thesemovements with varied aspirations and expectations. As their
grievances were wide-ranging, freedom from colonial rule also meant
different things to different people. The Congress continuouslyattempted to resolve differences, and ensure that the demands of
one group did not alienate another. This is precisely why the unity
within the movement often broke down. The high points ofCongress activity and nationalist unity were followed by phases of
disunity and inner conflict between groups.
In other words, what was emerging was a nation with many voices
wanting freedom from colonial rule.India and the Contemporary World
74Discuss
Project1. List all the different social groups which joined the Non-Cooperation Movement of 1921.
Then choose any three and write about their hopes and struggles to show why they
joined the movement.
2. Discuss the Salt March to make clear why it was an effective symbol of resistance
against colonialism.
3. Imagine you are a woman participating in the Civil Disobedience Movement. Explain
what the experience meant to your life.
4. Why did political leaders differ sharply over the question of separate electorates?
Find out about the anti-colonial movement in Kenya. Compare and contrast India’s nationalmovement with the ways in which Kenya became independent.
DiscussWrite in brief
1. Explain:
a) Why growth of nationalism in the colonies is linked to an anti-colonial movement.b) How the First World War helped in the growth of the National Movement in India.
c) Why Indians were outraged by the Rowlatt Act.
d) Why Gandhiji decided to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement.
2. What is meant by the idea of satyagraha?
3. Write a newspaper report on:
a) The Jallianwala Bagh massacre
b) The Simon Commission
4. Compare the images of Bharat Mata in this chapter with the image of Germania
in Chapter 1.
Write in brief
Project 1 The Pre-modern World
When we talk of ‘globalisation’ we often refer to an economic

often symbolised in a figure or image. This helps create an imagewith which people can identify the nation. It was in the twentieth

century, with the growth of nationalism, that the identity of India

came to be visually associated with the image of Bharat Mata. Theimage was first created by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. In the

1870s he wrote ‘Vande Mataram’ as a hymn to the motherland.

Later it was included in his novel Anandamath and widely sung during

the Swadeshi movement in Bengal. Moved by the Swadeshi

movement, Abanindranath Tagore painted his famous image of

Bharat Mata (see Fig. 12). In this painting Bharat Mata is portrayedas an ascetic figure; she is calm, composed, divine and spiritual.

In subsequent years, the image of Bharat Mata acquired many

different forms, as it circulated in popular prints, and was paintedby different artists (see Fig. 14). Devotion to this mother figure came

to be seen as evidence of one’s nationalism.

Ideas of nationalism also developed through a movement to revive

Indian folklore. In late-nineteenth-century India, nationalists began

recording folk tales sung by bards and they toured villages to gather

folk songs and legends. These tales, they believed, gave a true pictureof traditional culture that had been corrupted and damaged by

outside forces. It was essential to preserve this folk tradition in

order to discover one’s national identity and restore a sense of pridein one’s past. In Bengal, Rabindranath Tagore himself began collecting

ballads, nursery rhymes and myths, and led the movement for folk

Fig. 12 – Bharat Mata, Abanindranath Tagore,

1905.

Notice that the mother figure here is shown asdispensing learning, food and clothing. The mala

in one hand emphasises her ascetic quality.Abanindranath Tagore, like Ravi Varma beforehim, tried to develop a style of painting thatcould be seen as truly Indian.

Fig. 13 – Jawaharlal Nehru, a popular print.

Nehru is here shown holding the image of Bharat Mata and the map of Indiaclose to his heart. In a lot of popular prints, nationalist leaders are shownoffering their heads to Bharat Mata. The idea of sacrifice for the mother waspowerful within popular imagination.India and the Contemporary World

72‘In earlier times, foreign travellers in India marvelled at the courage, truthfulness and modesty of the people of the Arya

vamsa ; now they remark mainly on the absence of those qualities. In those days Hindus would set out on conquest and

hoist their flags in Tartar, China and other countries; now a few soldiers from a tiny island far away are lording it over the

land of India.’

Tarinicharan Chattopadhyay, Bharatbarsher Itihas (The History of Bharatbarsh) , vol. 1, 1858.Source E

Sourcerevival. In Madras, Natesa Sastri published a massive four-volume

collection of Tamil folk tales, The Folklore of Southern India . He believed

that folklore was national literature; it was ‘the most trustworthy

manifestation of people’s real thoughts and characteristics’.

As the national movement developed, nationalist leaders became

more and more aware of such icons and symbols in unifying people

and inspiring in them a feeling of nationalism. During the Swadeshi

movement in Bengal, a tricolour flag (red, green and yellow) wasdesigned. It had eight lotuses representing eight provinces of British

India, and a crescent moon, representing Hindus and Muslims. By

1921, Gandhiji had designed the Swaraj flag. It was again a tricolour(red, green and white) and had a spinning wheel in the centre,

representing the Gandhian ideal of self-help. Carrying the flag,

holding it aloft, during marches became a symbol of defiance.

Another means of creating a feeling of nationalism was through

reinterpretation of history. By the end of the nineteenth century

many Indians began feeling that to instill a sense of pride in thenation, Indian history had to be thought about differently. The British

saw Indians as backward and primitive, incapable of governing

themselves. In response, Indians began looking into the past todiscover India’s great achievements. They wrote about the glorious

developments in ancient times when art and architecture, science

and mathematics, religion and culture, law and philosophy, craftsand trade had flourished. This glorious time, in their view, was

followed by a history of decline, when India was colonised. These

nationalist histories urged the readers to take pride in India’s greatachievements in the past and struggle to change the miserable

conditions of life under British rule.

These efforts to unify people were not without problems. When the

past being glorified was Hindu, when the images celebrated were

drawn from Hindu iconography, then people of other communities

felt left out.

Fig. 14 – Bharat Mata.

This figure of Bharat Mata is a contrast to the

one painted by Abanindranath Tagore. Here sheis shown with a trishul , standing beside a lion

and an elephant – both symbols of power andauthority.

Look at Figs. 12 and 14. Do you think these

images will appeal to all castes and communities?

Explain your views briefly.Activity73

Nationalism in IndiaConclusion

A growing anger against the colonial government was thus bringing

together various groups and classes of Indians into a common struggle

for freedom in the first half of the twentieth century. The Congress

under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi tried to channel people’sgrievances into organised movements for independence. Through

such movements the nationalists tried to forge a national unity. But

as we have seen, diverse groups and classes participated in thesemovements with varied aspirations and expectations. As their

grievances were wide-ranging, freedom from colonial rule also meant

different things to different people. The Congress continuouslyattempted to resolve differences, and ensure that the demands of

one group did not alienate another. This is precisely why the unity

within the movement often broke down. The high points ofCongress activity and nationalist unity were followed by phases of

disunity and inner conflict between groups.

In other words, what was emerging was a nation with many voices

wanting freedom from colonial rule.India and the Contemporary World

74Discuss

Project1. List all the different social groups which joined the Non-Cooperation Movement of 1921.

Then choose any three and write about their hopes and struggles to show why they

joined the movement.

2. Discuss the Salt March to make clear why it was an effective symbol of resistance

against colonialism.

3. Imagine you are a woman participating in the Civil Disobedience Movement. Explain

what the experience meant to your life.

4. Why did political leaders differ sharply over the question of separate electorates?

Find out about the anti-colonial movement in Kenya. Compare and contrast India’s nationalmovement with the ways in which Kenya became independent.

DiscussWrite in brief

1. Explain:

a) Why growth of nationalism in the colonies is linked to an anti-colonial movement.b) How the First World War helped in the growth of the National Movement in India.

c) Why Indians were outraged by the Rowlatt Act.

d) Why Gandhiji decided to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement.

2. What is meant by the idea of satyagraha?

3. Write a newspaper report on:

a) The Jallianwala Bagh massacre

b) The Simon Commission

4. Compare the images of Bharat Mata in this chapter with the image of Germania

in Chapter 1.

Write in brief

Project 1 The Pre-modern World

When we talk of ‘globalisation’ we often refer to an economic