Rajnarayan Basu - The Grandfather of Nationalism in India

Rajnarayan Basu or Rajnarain Bose (1826-1899), was a staunch nationalist, educator, litterateur, thinker, and reformer. He was famous for his nationalist thoughts. The eminent historian Sir Jadunath Sarkar hailed him as 'The Grandfather of Nationalism in India' and Ravindranath Thakur got from him their first inspiration to free India. (Majumdar, R C., History of The Freedom Movement in India- Volume 1, Firma K L Mukhopadhyay, 1971, page 294) He is also considered as the pioneer of Hindu nationalism in modern India.



Before that let's have glimpses of the social and religious situation in Bengal at that time. Alexander Duff, a famous British missionary, established a school in Kolkata (then Calcutta) with a motive 'to kill Hinduism by striking at its brain, Calcutta' (Kopf, David. The Brahmo Samaj & The Shaping of The Modern Indian Mind, Gupta Brothers, 1959, page 160). Due to the influence of English education, youth generation of Kolkata at that time were dreaming of English as noted by Bhudev Mukhopadhyay. Thus, with the spread of English education and Christianity, Bengali youth began to look towards Europe as a source of inspiration. They thought that all that is European is good and all that is Indian is bad or regressive. It was period of colonializing the Indian mind.

Rammohan Roy noted in his preface to the Brahmanical Magazine (1821), “during the last twenty years, a body of English gentlemen, who are called missionaries, have been publicly endeavouring in several ways, to convert Hindus and Muslims of this country into Christianity. The first way is that of publishing and distributing among the natives various books, large and small, reviling both religions, and abusing and ridiculing the gods and saints of the former: the second way is that of standing in front of the doors of the natives or in the public roads to preach the excellency of their own religion and the debasedness of that others. (Majumdar, R C., British Paramountcy & Indian Renaissance- Volume 10- Part 2, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 1965, Page 15-16) It was first opposed by Rammohan Roy, known as the pioneer of Indian renaissance, with a well-organized political and moderate movement in India. He was co-founder of 'Calcutta Unitarian Society' (1923) which then became 'Brahmo Samaj' in 1928. He linked Christian Unitarian principles with Vedanta; Due to this, the young generation in Bengal, who feared converting to Christianity was attracted towards the Brahmo Samaj. As a result, Christianization gradually stopped.

But a few decades after the death of Rammohan Roy, a new crisis arose of believing that Brahmo Samaj was different from Hindus, and at such a crucial time, Brahmo Samaj officially divided in 1866 and original Brahmo Samaj known as ‘Adi Brahmo Samaj’. On 19 March 1872, Brahmo Marriage Bill was enacted by British government. It applied to “those marrying parties who declared that they did not profess the Hindu, Mohammedan, Christian, Parsee, Buddhist, Sikh or Jain religion.” (Kopf, David. page 105) It means Brahmoism had given a separate religion status with a distinct legal identity. In short, this was the British government's conspiracy to separate the Brahmo Samaj from the Hinduism.

At such a decisive time, Rajnarayan Basu said, “I am a Hindu like yourself. I pride myself in the name. I do not consider Brahmoism to be different from Hinduism. I am fired ‘with indignation when I see religionists classified in this way —Christians, Mohammedans, Brahmos, Hindus, as if Brahmoism is different from Hinduism…. Brahmoism is Hinduism and Brahmos are emphatically Hindus.” (Mondal, Sri Haripada. Thoughts on Religion and National Problems- What is Brahmoism, www.midnapore.in). He also said, “The Brahmos now in fact an integral part of Hindu Society. The law will dissociate the former from the latter- a contingency to be highly dreaded as it will injure the course of religious reformation in India.” (Kopf. page 104)

Rajnarayan Basu wanted to reform Hinduism by preserving the essence of the nation and Hinduism. It means his reforms were constructive, not destructive. At Kanpur, he clearly expressed that Brahmoism was not a new religion in the true sense of the term, but that it was the Hindu Dharma without the superstitions which accrued to its body through the ages. He wanted a national religious movement that Hindu society would follow in a Hindu way by including all the existing sects and castes in India and not ignore anyone. He had put forth proposal for 'Hindu National Congress' in 1885 which had some fundamental principles to guide any organised body and in 1891, he had put forward a generous plan for a 'Maha Hindu Samiti' in which his intention was to form a National Hindu Union of all sects and castes on the basis of Dharma. (Mondal, Sri Haripada. Rishi Rajnarayan Basu- A Sage at Deoghar 1879 – 1899, www.midnapore.in).

As per Basu, Hinduism and Hindu culture is the foundation of our nation and he wanted religion in a national form. He studied Dharma as a science. This science was predicated on the belief in ‘unity in essentials, variety in non-essentials and toleration for all’. (Rajnarain Bose and the emerging ideology, Page 21) It shows Basu’s egalitarian thoughts and inclusiveness, and these values derived from his study and faith in Hinduism.

He was the first to use the medium of Bengali language in his public addresses to his own people, at a time when English lectures were almost universally in vogue. He was also among first to encourage the use of indigenous clothes and other articles to the exclusion of foreign products. He was moved by a complete ideal of national freedom, which would be realised in every department of the nation's life, religious and social no less than economic industrial and political. (Pal, Bipin Chandra. Memories of My Life & Times, Modern Book Agency, 1932, page 264) He wanted both political and social freedom with financially strong India. His vision was omnipresent.

In 1872, Basu delivered his famous memorable Bengali speech 'Hindu Dharmer Shreshthata' (The Superiority of Hindu Dharma) in which he fearlessly stated publicly the superiority of Hinduism and culture. He said, "I may say that I see in my mind the noble and puissant Hindu nation rousing herself after sleep, and rushing headlong towards progress with divine prowess. I see this rejuvenated nation again illumining the world by her knowledge, spirituality and culture, and the glory of Hindu nation again spreading over the whole world. In this hope I bring this discourse to a close after reciting panegyric of India's triumph."(Majumdar. page 295-296)

After this speech, Rajnarayan Basu came to be known as 'Hindu Nationalist' and 'Hindu Brahmo'. Archconservative and revivalist Shib Chandra Guha proclaimed that a statue should be erected for Rajnarayan, whereas a journalist wrote that "Hinduism was dying but Rajnarayan saved it.” (Kopf. page 181-182) Bipin Chandra Pal stated in his autobiography, “His lecture was really the first challenge of the ancient spirit of India to the aggressive thought and civilization of Europe” (Pal. Page 260) Author David Kopf noted, "His full endorsement of the original purpose of Hindu institutions and complete defiance of Christianity as inferior to his nation's faith marked the beginning of a new stage in his development as a cultural nationalist....he reached the apex not of his ideological development but of his reputation as a Hindu nationalist." (Kopf. page 181) Debendranath Thakur (1817–1905, philosopher, reformer; father of Rabindranath Thakur) remarked, "Everything that came out of his mouth created a stir in the country." Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay who was also impressed by this speech and said, "Let there be a shower of flowers and sandal on the pen of Rajnarayan Babu." (Majumdar. page 296) Shibnath Shastri writes “Within a short period, this lecture received a great deal of praise and disseminated in this country as well as in others.” (Sengupta, Indira Chowdhury. Colonialism & Cultural Identity: The Making of A Hindu Discourse, Bengal 1867-1905, Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts of the University of London, for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, School of Oriental and African Studies, London, Department of History, 1993, page 40)

The leaders of the Adi Brahmo Samaj invited Swami Dayanand Saraswati and he was the chief guest at the annual festival of the Adi Brahmo Samaj. He had several meetings with Rajnarayan Basu. He (Basu) read text of this famous speech ('Hindu Dharmer Shreshthata') to Swami Dayanand Saraswati and presented him with a copy. It had a great impact on his thought, it was developed and increasingly accentuated in his later works. (Jordens, JTF. Dayananda Sarasvati-His Life & Ideas, Oxford University Press, 1960, page 77-78)

Many eminent persons like Bijoy Krishna Goswami (1841–1899; a prominent social reformer and religious figure), Bhudev Mukhopadhyay (1827–1894, a writer and intellectual in the 19th century Bengal renaissance; author of the first historical novel written in Bengali 'Anguriya Binimoy' [1857].), Sibnath Sastri, Swami Vivekanand, Aurobindo Ghose (Rajnarayan Basu was his maternal grandfather) and Ravindranath Thakur used to come to meet Rajnarayan Basu and had discussions with him on religion, literature and national movement; such was an influential and sage-like personality he was in Bengal at that time.

While taking into consideration the plight of future Hindus, a visionary and far-sighted thinker like Rajnarayan Basu had written a pamphlet 'The Prospectus of a Society for the promotion of National Feeling among the Educated Natives of Bengal' in 1866 that would be a guide to Hindu leadership. Concept related to nationalism has been stated in this pamphlet. Its main object was to promote and foster national feelings which would lead to the formation of a national character and thereby to the eventual promotion of the prosperity of the nation. It can be called as the first national manifesto of India. Basu stated in the pamphlet, "Already a band of young men have expressed a desire to distance themselves at once from Hindu Society and renounce even the Hindu name. It is to be feared that the tide of revolution sweeps away whatever good we have inherited from ancestors. To prevent this catastrophe and to give a national shape to reforms, it is proposed that a Society be established by the influential members of native society for the promotion of national feeling among the educated natives of Bengal, without due cultivation of national feeling, no nation can be eventually great. This is a fact testified to by all history." (Mondal. Rishi Rajnarayan Basu)

National gymnasium, Hindu gymnastics, revival of National physical culture with indigenous sports and games, Hindu (National) music school, Hindu Medical school, cultivation of Sanskrit language, education in mother tongue instead of English, to use Bengali language in pure form in conversation, emphasize on a nutritious food, preservation, enhancement and purification of indigenous languages, to publish tracts in the Bengali containing proofs of the existence of liberal and enlightened customs in ancient India such as female education, personal liberty of females, marriage at adult age, widow-marriage, inter-marriage and voyage to distant countries, regulation of etiquette with a view to give a national shape, conducting national entertainment or amusement programs, to prevent from evil foreign customs, to introduce such foreign customs as have a tendency to infuse national feelings, to give already introduced foreign customs a national shape, to prevent the abolition of such old customs of the country as are beneficial in their nature, to publish in the Bengali the results of the researches of the Sanskrit scholars of Europe in the department of Indian Antiquities giving special prominence to their descriptions of prosperity and glory of ancient India, physical, intellectual, moral, social, political, literary and scientific. (Mondal)

Based on such thoughts which touch every part of the national life of Hindus stated in the above pamphlet, Nabagopal Mitra, editor of the National Paper, along with Rajnarayan Basu & Dwijendranath Thakur (1840–1926, Indian Bengali poet, song composer, philosopher, mathematician and painter, one of the pioneers of shorthand and notation in Bengali script; eldest brother of Rabindranath Thakur) founded the 'Hindu Mela' in 1867. The aim was to promote national feelings, a sense of patriotism, and a spirit of self-help among the Hindus. The special features of the annual gathering were patriotic songs, poems, and lectures, a detailed review of the political, social, economic, and religious condition of India, an exhibition of indigenous art and crafts, and a performance of different forms of physical exercises and feats of physical strength. (Majumdar, R C., British Paramountcy & Indian Renaissance- Volume 10- Part 2, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 1965, page 472) It means they envisaged Hindu nationalism would be entire development and progress of Hindus and not only an emotional call.

The 'National Society' founded after the fourth session of the Hindu Mela. Its avowed object was the promotion of unity and national feeling among the Hindus. The National Society arranged a monthly discourse. As the Hindu Mela was confined to the Hindus, objection was taken to the use of the word 'National'. So the National Paper, the mouthpiece of the Hindu Mela clearly stated that "We do not understand why our correspondent takes exception to the Hindus who certainly form a nation by themselves, and as such a society established by them can very properly be called a National Society."(ibid. page 472-473)

Rajnarayan Basu and Debendranath Thakur collaborated in a tract against the missionaries called Vedantic Doctrines Vindicated. David Kopf noted: “Though couched in religious and theological issues, the tract represents an early manifestation of an emerging ideology of cultural nationalism…….. The nationalist import of Vedanic doctrines vindicated lies in its point by point defence of a Hindu tradition against the pretensions of religious revelation and superiority by an alien faith. If in Rammohun’s writings cultural nationalism never went beyond the point of proving that Hinduism was equal to Christianity, in Rajnarain’s earliest polemical tracts, there was already the germ of a more defiant attitude that Hinduism was superior to Christianity. A list of the many conspicuous illustrations of Christian ‘irrationality’ appeared in Basu’s tract of 1851 entitled Remarks on K.M. Bannerji’s lectures on Vedantism.” (Rajnarain Bose and the emerging ideology, Page 15-16 & 19)

In 1877 he was at the helm of a secret society called “Sanjivani Sabha” in which Jyotirindranath Thakur (1849–1925, playwriter, musician, editor and painter; elder brother of Rabindranath Thakur) and other young men of the Thakur family and their kinsmen assembled together with the object of attaining national freedom and shaking off foreign shackles mainly in trade and industry. It had sowed good seeds for the future revolutions. (Mondal. At the Call of the Nation)

As Bipin Chandra Pal said, "His conservatism was, in fact, inspired far more by political than by social motives." (Pal. page 263) Although Basu was pious, but not orthodox; He was a reformist religious social worker. That's why, he attempted to establish a nursing home for the lepers in 1885 and he was also one of the pioneers of female education and liberation. He also established the first arch of women education in Midnapore, the first girls school and a night school for educating the illiterates. He established a public library that is still in use, although now it is known as the Rishi Rajnarayan Basu Smriti Pathagar (Rishi Rajnaraya Basu Memorial Library) which is the oldest public library in West Bengal.

A visionary leader like Rajnarayan Basu knew that nationalism based on religious, social and civilization also had a political aspect. In 1879, Rajnarayan Basu retired as the president of Adi Brahmo Samaj and settled at Devgarh in Bihar. He died in September 1899. According to Jadunath Sarkar, in Rajnarayan’s work on nationalism there appeared one central belief: that before a nation could participate in universal progress it had to become a nation, and before it became a nation its people had to acquire self-respect for the language, the history, and the true foundations upon which their society and culture were founded……he was both a nationalist and a social reformer. Rajnarayan Basu’s nationalism was summed up thus: ‘He who loves his country most is the truest cosmopolite’ (Kopf, David. The missionary challenge and Brahmo response: Rajnarain Bose and the emerging ideology of cultural nationalism, Contribution to Indian Sociology (NS), Number 8, 1974, page 11)

While studying nationalism and Hindu nationalism, we can't ignore Rajnarayan Basu’s thoughts on nationalism. It would not be an exaggeration to call him the pioneer of modern Indian and Hindu nationalism.

-Akshay Jog