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Anandamath by Bankim Chandra Chatterji : A CLOSE READING

Bankim Chandra Chatterjee Bankim Chandra Chatterjee was born on june 27 1838 .

The name Bankim Chandra means the moon on the second day of the bright fortnight.

He started his literary career by writing poems and prose pieces in Sambhad Prabhakar, a periodical.

He wrote thirteen novels in Bengali and his literary period is classified into three phases.

The greatest novelist of Bengali literatyre died on 8 April , 1884 at the age of 55

ANANDA MATH

A Bengali novelFirst published in 1882 It was serialized first in the journal

BangadarshanA work of patriotism Novel is a collaboration of both history and

romanceFour English translations are available

Bengal witnessed the continues changing of rules ( Mughal and British rulers)

Emerging of English East India company as a ruler of Bengal

Battle of Plassey (1757) : A decisive victory of the British East India Company over the Nawab of Bengal and his French allies.

Socio-Historical context

Diwani Right or Taxation Right: By this act English East India company became the supreme authority of Bengal

Battle of Buxar (1764): Between the forces under the command of the British East India Company and the combined army of the Nawab of Awadh and the Mughal King Shah Alam II .The battle fought at Buxar, was a decisive victory for the British East India Company.

Satyananda: The founder and main Guru of Anandamath as a master he controls each and every character in the novel.

Mahendra : Novel begins by introducing mahendra. He is a true disciple of swami with high energy of nationalism.

Bhavan: A brave commander of Anandamath who dies during the battle against the British.

Jiban: The most accomplished and loyal disciple of Satyananda.

Main Charecters

Shanti : She is a strong , brave, independent and intelligent woman. She lives her life in an independent manner. She had her own ideologies and principles.

Kalyani : Wife of Mahendra

Dhiren : Commander of Anandamath . A brave santhan who left his family for the sake of his motherland.

Other characters : Sukumari , Gouri Devi , Nimi, Captain Thomas, Major Edward and a holy man.

It is a strong human love and passion interwoven with a strong of sacrifice and patriotism.

Love towards Mother Earth or Motherland is the primary theme and the freedom struggle can only be considered as a secondary one.

At the end of the novel , the author pleads through a character the importance and necessity of British rule in India as an instrument of social changes and regeneration. But its theme is intensely patriotic and because of it the novel banned by the British.

Themes of Anandamath

It is considered to be the early war of independence in the late eighteenth century.

The British had got the Diwani right of Bengal, by using this right they were looted local land lords and zemindars.

Sanyasi’s and fakirs are the active members of this rebellion they stood up against the oppressive tax collection. The result was that these Sanyasis started raiding the government treasuries.

Our national song Vande Mataram is the best reminder of the Sanyasi Rebellion.

Sanyasi Rebellion

English East India Company became the ruling power of Bengal after defeating Siraj Ud Daula in 1757 .

After that they looted all Bengal treasuries.

People were died due to strong starvation.

Beggers increased in such a large number so that the charitable works became unable to practice.

Shortage of grains and food crops, people were start to eating leaves, grass and weeds of plants.

Bengal Famine

The National Song Vandemataram (I salute the Mother) first appears in this novel and then it became the song of the freedom fighters of Mother India and finally it become India’s National Song.

Vande matharam

Bankim’s criticism was against Muslim rulers Of Bengal.

Novel ends in most favour of British. He reveals his political affinity towards

British by giving a notion that British has supremacy over country.

Evokes patriotic feelings of reader especially readers.

Spirit Of Nationalism

Kalyani represents a typical Indian wife , who consider her husband as god and she is the prime example for some of the ill practices prevailed in the country one example quoted from the novel ‘according to the custom , it was unable to utter the name of her husband’

While Shanti represent a strong , independent and intelligent women. She does not need the help of others .

She is a brave enigmatic fighter who doesn’t care what the society expects out of a woman.

Analysis of the female characters in Anandamath

Novel mainly introduce two women characters – kalyani and shantiThey were stand for two different spheres of women hoodBoth women are victims of atrocities of men and can be resembled with the scenario of 21 century

The novel Anandamath later adapted into a film entitled Anandamath (1952)

Directed by Hemen Gupta Starring Bharat Bhushan Pradeep Kumar Geeta Bali. Music was by Hemant Kumar, who carefully

inserted version of the Vande Mataram.

Film adaptation

THANK YOU

ANJU VASUDEVANST. MARY’S COLLEGE MANARCAUD