Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a new target --- 'deconolisation' of Indian mindset by 2035. This is related to the well perceived 'civilisational' war of the Hindus.
But it's all easier said ... than even thinking of doing it. There are multiple layers of games involved.
One irony has been that the 'intellectual energy' of the Bengal Renaissance dispersed into political activism and ideologies like Communism got encouraged.
This resulted in losing the renaissance movement's cohesive reformist drive.
Basic info
** The Bengal Renaissance was a cultural, social, intellectual, and artistic movement that took place from the late 18th century to the early 20th century.
** The Renaissance was predominantly led by Bengali Hindus, who at were socially and economically more affluent.
--- Well-known figures included the social reformer Raja Rammohan Roy, philanthropist Rani Rashmoni and poet-writer Rabindranath Tagore and also the physicist Satyendra Nath Bose.
$$ Nobin Chandra Das as also a leading light.
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Macaulay in his own wisdom thought about imposing English education in India so that the British Raj could "form a class of persons, Indian in blood and in colour; but English in tastes, in opinions and in morals and in intellect". What's the importance of Calcuta and West Bengal in all these ? For the major part of British rule; Calcutta (now Kolkata) was the capital of Indian empire.
This closeness to the seat of 'power and authority' gave the Bengalis -- a front seat before the "window" to the west and English intellectualism. There came in inherent contradictions.
For all practical purposes; Bengalis thought it was wise to be close to the colonial masters and hence there was no problem in accepting English education, culture and the influence of so-called western thoughts.
But religion was an important facet. So even for educated Bengalis (and those educated in English) -- Civilisation was crucial. This 'civilisational' thought excluded the 'foreigners' from the society's soul.
The terms 'firangi', 'saheb' came into being.
Info:
Examples of Bengali Muslim renaissance men and women included Kazi Nazrul Islam, Ubaidullah Al Ubaidi Suhrawardy, and Rokeya Sakhawat Hussain.
The Freedom of Intellect Movement was established in 1926 to challenge the social customs and dogmas in Bengali Muslim society.
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However, there were other impacts .... ideas of liberation of women; equality; Secular nationalism etc found "inlet" through English education and perceived Christian and western values.
The realism came into being .... just as Persian and Arabic were learnt a few centuries back as part of professional necessity; even Orthodox Bengali Hindus (Upper castes Bhadralok) adopted English.
This also answers one basic question -- "What is the secret of British success In Bengal?"
During this period; Bengal saw emergence of Raja Ram Mohan Roy -- born 1772 ... expired 1833. He was a social reformer; India was proud of but his strive for equality and abolition of Sati System -- but his contact with the west was key driver.
About a century later came - Michael Madhusudhan Dutt (1824-73). He converted to Christianity and prefix Michael name in his name. He enjoyed drinks and even beef. But his turbule t life set the "model" for discovery of India.
Madhusudhan Dutt wrote 'Meghnadbadh Kavya' (an anthology on Ravan's son). He took extreme liberty in creativity and even gave phrase 'Bikhari Raghava' (something would have become difficult to write even today).
(Ref. Pramila, Meghnath's wife Pramila telling her friend Bashonti that she is not scared of Ram)
Dutt's first marriage was with Rebecca Mactavys and the second marriage was with Henrietta White. In 1858 after his parents expired; he returned to Kolkata and started writing in Bengali (Bangla).
He got associated with ‘Belgachhiya Theatre’ and penned down the first western-style original Bengali play named ‘Sharmistha’ (1859).
In 1861 came his masterpiece ‘Meghnadbadh Kavya’
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| Postage stamp in honour of Michael Madhusudhan Dutt |
When his father shifted to Kolkata (Khidirpur area), grown-up Madhusudan made himself enrolled in the Hindu College. He studied Bengali, Persian, and Sanskrit among other subjects. His burning desire was to be a famous English poet and Byron was his role model.
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But there were other protagonists who stole limelight too. ONE of them was Raj Narayan Bose - who said - "The Hindus had forgotten their past to such an extent that they had no recollection of the fact that national thinking and ideas of social and personal freedom were not wanting in the history of their own culture".
In the meantime; in 1795 Gerasim Lebedeff (Russian) founded the Bengali Theatre. This was a landmark episode and it introduced Bengalis to the western theatre in India.
Around 1875 -- came in Arya Samaj - founded by a Gujarati Brahmin Swami Dayanand. This mega movement rejected caste, idoltry, polygamy, isolation of Hindu widows and child marriage.
Some years later in Bengal -- emerged a formudable zamindari clan Tagores. Gagendranath Tagore maintained contacts with Japanese; later years - poet Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) traveled all over the world. He also established good rapports with writers, poets and printers across western countries.
Tagore emerged larger than life and as observers said Tagores gradually treated the world as "very own oyster". Rabindranath Tagore wrote poetry collection Geetanjali; won Nobel Prize in 1913. In Santiniketan, he set up China Bhavan and the Nobel laurate's travels took him "all over the world".
This was the era of Tagorsean synthesis.
Things were changing slowly.
In times to come; people cherished that all progress and education in Bengal and India has been the outcome of a conscious blend of West and East.
However, caught in the cross currents of the two -- the Bengali middleclass had to start a new journey. They had to embark on an agonizing search for identity.
In the ultimate analysis; the Bengal renaissance made groundbreaking intellectual and artistic contributions.
The Bengal Renaissance didn't entirely "fail" but it faced significant critiques primarily for its elitism.
It could focus mostly on upper-caste Bhadraloks and failed to reach the Muslim community or lower castes.
There was also a decline in broader social transformation.
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