The Rise of a Comet - Exploring Shri Aurobindo ’s path in the alley of Indian nationalism
Names of Gandhi, and Nehru were etched with golden letters in the Book of Indian Independence. But the pages with the spills of blood, soaked in sweat, smeared with gunpowder, and roaring with courage were torn apart. There were episodes missing, accomplishments overlooked, and heroes forgotten but their sacrifices are still quietly echoing beneath the layers painted with peace and non-violence.
This is a tale of a legend who had flashed like a fiery comet on the horizon for five years, inspiring thousands to rise against the unvanquished British colossus. According to him, it is not by prayer and petition but by “purification by blood and fire” that a nation’s freedom could be achieved. He also happens to be the first political leader in India to openly put forward, the idea of complete independence for the country, and within barely thirty months of active politics, Sri Aurobindo changed the whole character of political activity in India and set the freedom movement firmly towards the goal of complete national independence (Purna Swaraj). From being the pioneer of the revolutionary movement in Bengal to being imprisoned in Alipore jail for false acquisitions, this is a tale that explores Aurobindo’s journey
Aurobindo Ghosh was born on 15th August 1872 in a Bengali family, who were followers of the Brahmo Samaj. The followers of this movement saw themselves as reformers of Hinduism and aimed to liberate the religion from aspects such as ‘polytheism’, ‘idol-worship’, and ‘casteism’. Two offshoots of the movement existed by the time Aurobindo was born. His mother, Swarnalata Devi, belonged to the old guard of “reformists”, in contrast, his father, Krishna Dhun Ghose, was a member of the second group. This group believed that the best course of action to put forward their community was to “westernize” and mimic their British overloads. His father went so far as to give Aurobindo’s brother Barin Ghosh, an English name, Emmanuel Mathew, and him an English middle name Akroyd along with the actual name Aurobindo (a Sanskrit word for lotus). So, Aurobindo’s upbringing was completely devoid of any connection to his Indian roots, linguistically, philosophically, or culturally.
When Sri Aurobindo left India for England in 1879, he was, but a boy of seven, and during his stay of almost fourteen years in England, he first grew in general ignorance of conditions in India. But gradually, during his years at Cambridge, his eyes were opened to Indian realities while preparing for Indian Civil Service (ICS), when he deep-dived into Sanskrit, Bengali, Hindu customs, and the civil and criminal codes of the British. Upon enrolling at King’s College, Cambridge in October 1890, Aurobindo actively participated in the Indian Majlis debates at the university. He later joined the secret society known as the “Lotus and Dagger” in London. In the same year, he passed the open competition for the Indian Civil Service, but destiny had different plans for him in store. At the end of two years of probation, he failed to present himself at the riding examination (perhaps on purpose!) and was disqualified from the Service. Later, partly maneuvered by himself due to rejection from Indian civil service and partly provoked by his political activities at Cambridge — he dwelled deep into politics of the Raj, first covertly and later openly after his return to India in February 1893. Little did he know that this voyage back home would change the entire course of his life.
After a long period of fourteen years, he came back to India in 1893, and soon found employment under Sayajirao Gaekwad of Baroda, and then began his real discovery of India. He learned Sanskrit on his own and made frequent trips to Bengal to master the language as well as soak in its culture. At Baroda, he took an active interest in academics in addition to his administrative duties. He started teaching at Baroda College (now Maharaja Sayajirao University), where he went on to become the vice principal.
Within a few months of his arrival in India, K.G. Deshpande, a friend of Aurobindo from his Cambridge days, who was in charge of a weekly periodical, “Induprakash”, requested him to write about the current political situation in India. Aurobindo began writing a series of fiery articles under the title “New Lamps for the Old”, strongly criticizing the Congress for its moderate policy and providing sharply worded opposition to the British. To understand Aurobindo’s point of view, the embarrassingly servile statements of the early leaders of the Moderates in the Congress are adequate. Their subservience to the British overlords was evident in their speeches, demonstrating an allegiance so profound that it cast doubt on their genuine loyalty and intent.
“ Our faith in the instinctive love of justice and fair play of the people of the United Kingdom is not misplaced. I for one have not a shadow of a doubt that in dealing with such justice-loving, fair-minded people as the British. We may rest fully assured that we shall not work in vain. It is this conviction that has supported me against all difficulties. I have never faltered in my faith in the British character and have always believed that the time will come when the sentiments of the British nation and our Gracious Sovereign proclaimed to us in our Great Charter of the Proclamation of 1858 will be realized. ”
— Excerpt from the presidential address of the Lahore Congress in 1893 by Dadabhai Naoroji
In his articles, Sri Aurobindo stated that India’s greatness lay in its spiritual and cultural heritage, and the revival of this heritage was crucial for India’s resurgence as a nation. His ideas, advocating for Indian self-reliance, cultural pride, and spiritual nationalism, resonated with many Indians who sought freedom from British colonial rule. His writings played a significant role in shaping the intellectual and ideological landscape that fueled the movement.
“The Congress wanted to make England’s yoke easy and its burden light, but not to remove the yoke altogether. All that it hoped to achieve by its prudent policy of gradual and constitutional pressure, was a colonial form of government, expressing Britain’s platonic sympathy for the political aspirations of the Indian nation, and evincing an imperial solicitude for its advancement under its perpetual tutelage. It lacked the vision, the faith, the courage, the impetuous drive and daring of the inspired rebel who would die rather than submit to bear the yoke of slavery.”
“The youth should be taught to think and act for the country. They should be inspired by the idea of their mission, which is to help India awake to her destiny. It is the action that counts, not words. Deeds alone reveal the strength of character and purity of heart. The youth must act fearlessly, following the promptings of their inner self”.
— Excerpts from New Lamps for the Old by Aurobindo Ghosh
A SURGE OF NATIONALISM
Aurobindo was still in search of ways he could rekindle the nationalistic spirit of the nation. In the early 1900s, the prevailing mood of the majority of Indians was apathy and despair, where most could think of nothing more than their daily sustenance. People had believed that regeneration could only come from outside, that we needed the help of another nation to liberate India, and that there was nothing we had ourselves to do. That was when Aurobindo felt that a whole new generation of youth had to be awakened to the triune lights of self-respect, self-reliance, and resolute cooperative action. This led to the inception of the Anushilan Samiti. Thus, the fire for the revolutionary movement ignited.
By frequently traveling to the different parts of Bengal and Madhya Pradesh, Aurobindo Ghosh established links with the revolutionaries of these places. He also had contacts with Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Sister Nivedita. With the help of Barindra Kumar Ghosh, Aurobindo Ghosh established contacts with several Bengal revolutionaries such as Bagha Jatin, Jatindra Nath Banerjee, and Surendranath Tagore and founded various number of youth clubs in Bengal with the objective of giving martial and spiritual training to the youth of Bengal. They brought together hundreds of Akhadas (local fitness centers, that primarily focussed on wrestling), and formed a contiguous network for the Nationalists to operate. They named it the Anushilan Samiti, most likely inspired by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s Ananda Math, which was loosely based on the Sanyasi rebellion in the late 18th century. The word about the Samitis spread like fire, first in Bengal and then throughout India. In addition, the Samiti collaborated with other revolutionary organizations like the Gadharites (who deserve a dedicated article) in India and abroad for their revolutionary activities against the British.
When the partition of Bengal was declared by the British, in 1905, it caused an outburst of anger in the entire nation, and amidst the great turmoil that engulfed the entire nation, Aurobindo noticed that the time for public propaganda had come. That is when he initiated the ground preparation for an armed revolution. He published pamphlets of “ Bhawani Mandir” in which he set forth the aims and doctrines of revolutionaries under religious garb. He portrayed the struggle for independence as a sacred duty and invoked divine blessings for those who fought for the cause. Aurobindo used the principles of spiritual nationalism and religion to inspire Indians towards the cause of independence, infusing the movement with a sense of sacred purpose and unity. After the partition of Bengal, Aurobindo Ghosh decided to take part directly in India’s freedom struggle.
In 1906, he left the Baroda state and shifted to Calcutta. Here, he was appointed as a principal to the National College of Education, established by Subodh Chandra Mullik. In August, Bipin Chandra Pal started the English-language newspaper “Bande Mataram”. It preached the ideals of Swadeshi, Swaraj, and self-sacrifice, and set complete and absolute independence as the country’s goal. Soon, Aurobindo Ghosh became its chief editor. He wrote most of its leading articles on the extreme lines. Aurobindo’s fiery editorials and articles in “Bande Mataram” stirred nationalist sentiments and called for united action against colonial oppression, making it one of the most influential publications of its time. His articles captured the objectives and determination of the revolutionary movement in India, inspiring generations to fight for independence with courage and devotion. He presided over the Nationalist Conference at Surat in 1907 where in the forceful clash of two equal parties the Congress led to its division.
declared openly that complete and absolute independence should be the aim of political action in India .
“Let us cast aside our differences and unite as one force, for in unity lies our strength. Together, we shall forge a path towards freedom, breaking the chains of oppression that bind us.”
“Let us emulate the bravery of our forefathers, who fearlessly confronted tyranny and sacrificed everything for the cause of our nation. With unwavering determination, let us march forward, ready to make any sacrifice for the liberation of our beloved motherland.”
— Excerpts from Bande Mataram editorial
THE ALIPORE BOMB CASE AND IMPRISONMENT
In 1908, Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki attempted to kill Magistrate Kingsford, a judge known for handing down particularly severe sentences against nationalists. However, the bomb thrown at his horse carriage missed its target and instead landed in another carriage and killed two British women, the wife and daughter of barrister Pringle Kennedy. This episode is also referred to as the Muzaffarpur Bomb-throwing Incident and later called the Alipore Bomb Case. News of the bombing reached Calcutta on 1 May 1908, and suspicion was immediately on Aurobindo and Barin. Andrew Fraser, the Governor of Bengal, contemplated the arrest and deportation of the Samiti leadership of the Ghosh brothers, Abhinash Bhattacharya, Hemchandra Das, and Satyendranath Bosu. Aurobindo was also arrested on charges of planning the attack, and secret activities of the Anushilan Samiti, and imprisoned in solitary confinement in Alipore Jail. During his stay at the jail, Aurobindo wrote in considerable detail with his keen observation of prison life. The works have been compiled as Tales of Prison Life or Karakahini in Bangla.
“There were varying degrees of severity even in solitary confinement though. The first degree of severity consisted of keeping the courtyard doors shut to deprive the prisoner of all human contact. The tenuous link with the outside world was then preserved through the eyes of the vigilant sentries and the visits of fellow convicts, who came twice a day to deliver meals
A still higher degree of severity consisted of having a prisoner’s hands bound in handcuffs and feet in shackles. One might assume that the prescription of such a severe form of punishment would require a suitably grave offence like physical violence or disrupting the peace in jail. But that assumption would be incorrect. Even slackness in prison labour or repetition of mistakes in one’s assigned work would often be adequate cause to invite such harsh punishment”.
— An excerpt from tales of prison life
Beechcroft delivered his verdict about the Alipore bomb case on 6 May 1909, amidst tight security in Calcutta (An interesting note is that Beechcroft and Aurobindo had previously entered the Indian Civil Service Examinations in England in the same year, where Aurobindo had ranked ahead of Beechcroft! ). In his verdict, Barin Ghosh and Ullaskar Dutt were found guilty, and sentenced to death by hanging, and Seventeen others, including Aurobindo, were found not guilty. Beechcroft highlighted the lack of concrete evidence linking Aurobindo to the conspiracy.
During this period in Jail, his view of life was radically changed due to his spiritual practices and realizations. His goal vastly expanded from liberating India to spiritually liberating the whole of humanity. In 1910 Aurobindo withdrew himself from all political activities and reached Pondicherry, eventually beginning his spiritual journey as a yogi.
“Sri Aurobindo seems to have come to the conclusion that he had already accomplished his role by igniting the flame of nationalism. It was just a matter of time before the British were forced to leave.”
— An excerpt from Revolutionaries-The Other Story of How India Won its Freedom by Dr. Sanjeev Sanyal
Sri Aurobindo also strongly opposed the partition of India, stating in an interview with Francois Gaultier, that he hoped “the Nation will not accept the settled fact as forever settled or as anything more than a temporary expedient”. Many among the affluent in India had come to believe that the way ahead for Bharat was by simply aping the West, their culture, customs, and religion but Sri Aurobindo found his inner calling in revisiting Indian philosophy and providing an Indic perspective on the Vedas, Upanishads, and the treatises from Bharat’s storied past. Dr. Karan Singh has rightly called him the Prophet of Indian Nationalism as he could already see beyond India’s political freedom and he anticipated a civilizational crisis where Bharat’s intellectual heft is distorted and exported to various universities in the West. Such an incredible foresight, as 75 years post-independence, that civilizational battle still rages on…
Written and compiled by,
Ujwala Desu, EC22B1126: I am a great admirer of Indian culture and temple architecture. The knowledge of our forefathers in the fields of science and geometry always amaze me and I love to gather information about myths, stories and legends about our temples and rituals. I find a great sense of self-satisfaction in decoding the messages and secrets hidden in them.
Aravind Ananthakrishnan, EC21B1112: I am a student of Carnatic Vocal and Mridangam. I have also learnt Sanskrit and am constantly in the run to further my understanding of the same. I like to read up on our history, culture and traditions as I believe that understanding how we became who we are, will certainly shape how we want our future to be
