BANKIM CHANDRA CHATTERJEE

Bankim Chandra Chatterjee also known as Bankim

Chandra Chattopadhyay was one of the greatest
novelists and poets of India.
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY
Born: June 27, 1838 in the village Kantalpara of the 24 Paraganas District of
Bengal.
Died: April 8, 1894
Achievements: Author of Vande Mataram, the national song of India
His father Yadav Chandra Chattopadhyaya was in government service. After
his birth he was posted to Midnapur as Deputy Collector.
Bankim Chandra had his early education in Midnapur. He was a brilliant
student. After his early education in Midnapur Bankim Chandra Chatterji joined
the Mohsin College at Hoogly and studied there for six years
In 1856 he joined the Presidency College in Calcutta. In 1857, there was a
strong revolt against the rule of East India Company but Bankim Chandra
Chatterjee continued his studies and passed his B.A. Examination in 1859.
He was married when he was only eleven . At that time his wife was only five
years old. Bankim Chandra Chatterjee was only twenty two when his wife died.
After some time he married again. His second wife was Rajlakshmi Devi. They
had three daughters but no son.






LITERARY CAREER
Durgeshnandini, his first Bengali romance, was published in 1865.
Bankim Chandras novels have been translated in almost all the
major languages of India,he passed away on April 8, 1894.
His famous novels include Kapalkundala (1866), Mrinalini (1869),
Vishbriksha (1873), Chandrasekhar (1877), Rajani (1877), Rajsimha
(1881), and Devi Chaudhurani (1884). Bankim Chandra Chatterjee
most famous novel was Ananda Math (1882). Ananda Math contained
the song "Vande Mataram", which was later adopted as National
Song.

Anandamath (Bengali: Anondomh; first English publication title: The
Abbey of Bliss) is a Bengali novel, written by Bankim Chandra Chatterji and
published in 1882. Set in the background of the Sannyasi Rebellion in the late
18th century, it is considered one of the most important novels in the history of
Bengali and Indian literature. Its importance is heightened by the fact that it
became synonymous with the struggle for Indian independence from the British
Empire. The novel was banned by the British. The ban was lifted later by the
Government of India after independence.
The national song of India, Vande Mataram was first published in this novel.
VANDE MATARAM
Vande Mataram (English translation "I bow to thee, Mother") is a poem
from the 1882 novel Anandamath.
Chatterjee wrote the poem in a spontaneous session using words
from Sanskrit and Bengali

Two stanzas in Vande Mataram rendered by Sri Aurobindo Ghose.

I show gratitude to thee, Mother,
richly-watered, richly-fruited,
cool with the winds of the south,
dark with the crops of the harvests,
The Mother!

Her nights rejoicing in the glory of the moonlight,
her lands clothed beautifully with her trees in flowering bloom,
sweet of laughter, sweet of speech,
The Mother, giver of boons, giver of bliss.

PLOT SUMMARY
The book is set in 1771 Kalyani, a housewife, is fleeing through the forest with
her infant, trying to escape from man-hunters who will sell her for food. After a
long chase, she loses consciousness at the bank of a river. A Hindu monk,
stumbles upon her and the baby, but before he can help her, he is arrested by
the British soldiers, because other priests were fueling revolt against the British
rule. While being dragged away he spots another priest who is not wearing his
distinctive robes and sings,

"In mild breeze, by the bank of the river,
In the forest, resides a respectable lady.

The other priest deciphers the song, rescues Kalyani and the baby, taking them
to a rebel priest hideout. Concurrently, Kalyani's husband, Mahendra, is also
given shelter by the priests, and they are reunited. The leader of the rebels
shows Mahendra the three faces ofBharat-Mata (Mother India) as three
goddess idols being worshipped in three consecutive rooms:
What Mother Was - An idol of Goddess Jagaddhatri
What Mother Has Become - An idol of Goddess Kali
What Mother Will Be - An idol of Goddess Durga

Gradually, the rebel influence grows and their ranks swell. Emboldened, they
shift their headquarter to a small brick fort. The British attack the fort with a
large force. The rebels blockade the bridge over the nearby river, but they lack
any artillery or military training. In the fighting, the British make a tactical
retreat over the bridge. The Sannyasis undisciplined army, lacking military
experience, chases the British into the trap. Once the bridge is full of rebels,
British artillery opens fire, inflicting severe casualties.
However, some rebels manage to capture some of the cannons, and turn the
fire back on to the British lines. The British are forced to fall back, the rebels
winning their first battle. The story ends with Mahendra and Kalyani building a
home again, with Mahendra continuing to support the rebels.