The Father of Indian Unrest: Tilak Maharaj

Tilak Maharaj

"Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it" -- these are the words from a fearless crusader of India's Independence, Bal Gangadhar Tilak.

Bal Gangadhar Tilak's contribution to modern India stands on par with that of Mahatma Gandhi's. His role in Congress and advocating Home Rule for India were enormous. His newspaper (Kesari) founded in 1881 is going strong even today. Hundreds of schools in India were result of his vision. We owe the mass celebration of the Ganesh festival (see: Ganesh Chaturthi) only to Tilak.

Tilak Maharaj was the inspiration to Savarkar and thousands of nationalists like V.O.Chidambaram and crores of Indians. Although Gandhi accepted Gokhale as his mentor, in practice, he adopted all of Tilak's ideas of Swadeshi and of social reform. He may have passed away in 1920. But, his vision and seeds are giving fruits even today.

A good leader is a one who creates next ring of leaders and a great leader is a one who inspires others. Tilak was a great leader. When Tilak passed away, 200,000 mourners assembled on Chowpati beach of Bombay, without a single untoward incident. It is very hard to condense the great man's contribution to our country.

He didn't believe in feeding fish for the hungry, but he taught them fishing.

"Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it!" were the fiery words of Tilak which roused the sleeping nation to action, making Indian people aware of their political plight under a foreign rule. Tilak did not question the British Sovereignty nor his demands rebellious or revolutionary. All he was asking was favorable conditions in India, to enable people to learn to govern themselves. May be all over the world, the separatist forces should follow his vision and define freedom as ability to govern one's land. But the handful rulers who ruled India's millions thought otherwise. They thought that Tilak was whipping a rebellion and he was imprisoned twice; two years for the first and six during the second. They said, he had committed treason.

Tilak's mother wished for a son, and undertook strenuous fasting and and strict religious observances in worship of the Sun God. Tilak was born on 23.07.1856 in Ratnagiri, a small coastal town in 1856 in a middle class family. The boy who was born by the grace of the Sun God, was instrumental in making the sunset in the British Empire!

At an early age he was convinced that the educational system the British provided for the Indians was not at all adequate. After graduation and a law degree, he helped found a school which laid emphasis on nationalism. He started a news paper 'Kesari' which tried to teach Indians of their glorious past and reminded them to be self reliant.

The concept of Swaraj had yet to blossom in the minds of the people. They had to be made to feel that thirst for independence. Patriotism had to be nurtured. To lay a strong foundation for a new way of life, an educational institution reflecting Indian culture had to be estab lished. EveryIndian had to be taught about Indian culture and national ideals. Good citizens can be moulded only through good education.

The British used all the native raw materials to run their factories in England and sold the finished products to India, keeping the India an ever dependant country. In the process, all the self-employing industries of India like spinning, weaving, glass making, sugar ,dyeing, paper making were destroyed. People became destitute for no fault of theirs to help an empire become richer and stronger. The people's blind faith that British rule was God's gift to India had to be wiped out.

The educational institution planned and founded by Tilak is like a banyan tree. The little seedling planted by him, has grown into a gigantic tree with many branches.

Tilak tried to inpart life into the nation through four mantras.
(1) Boycott of foreign goods
(2) National Education
(3) Self Government
(4) Swadeshi or self reliance

He realized that mere protest against British rule was not going to help and insisted on native production and reliance. He roared, "We have no arms, but there is no necessity. But our strong political weapon is boycott (of foreign goods) Organize your powers and then go to work so that they cannot refuse you what you demand"

He founded Deccan Education Society to give better education as per the country's needs. He wrote scathing articles over inhuman punishment meted out to the nationalist youth who protested the division of Bengal (VangaBhanga). Indian newspapers were not to criticize the British policy in those days and two articles titled "Has the Government lost its head ?" and "To Rule is not to wreak vengeance" appearing in Kesari landed him in jail, after a namesake trial. For the first time in British history, intellectuals in England (including the great orientalist, Max Muller) were able to convince the Government that the trial was unfair.

But the second time (1908) was no different. Tilak advocated his own case and when the judgment of six years of black-waters (kalapani) imprisonment was pronounced, he gave the famous statement : " All I wish to say is that in spite of the verdict of the jury, I maintain my innocence. There are higher powers that rule the destiny of men and nations. It may be the will of Providence that the cause I represent may prosper by suffering than by remaining free"

Tilak was immensely popular through writing and through social work. His idea of national festivals took shape in Shivaji Utsav and Ganesh Utsav which were instrumental in bringing people together culturally - irrespective of their caste and creed. His trial and punishment led to national upheaval. But the British were careful enough to arrange everything in secret and the judgment was delivered at midnight and Tilak was taken under military vigil to be deported to Burma (present Myanmar, which was also under British control)

Tilak wrote his famous commentary on Bhagavad-Gita, the sacred book of Hindus. He stressed that Gita taught action (karma), nothing but action. Religion or spiritual message were secondary and the need of the hour was to arise and fight. This was Lord Krishna's message to Arjuna. Tilak's wife, his companion of 45 years died at Pune and the news reached him in Madalay prison Burma only after a week. He had sacrificed his personal life, his profession, name and fame for the sake of the country.

By the time Tilak completed his six year prison term, he was the unquestioned leader of the Indians - the uncrowned king. He was known as the Tilak Maharaj.

There was unprecedented jubilation after Tilak was free and back in India. Civil resistance, the concept of Swaraj, and nationalism had taken deep roots. Tilak's suffering did not go in vain. A band of leaders, full of zeal for nationalism and self-sacrifice was coming up. National schools were coming up in all corners of India. He paved the way for Khadi (hand woven cloth), picketing against foreign goods and alcoholism. His death in 1920 brought Mahatma Gandhi on the scene and Gandhiji gave a concrete shape to Tilak's ideas of Swadeshi.

The court which convicted Tilak bears a plaque that says, " The action of Tilak has been justified as the right of every individual to fight for his country. Those two convictions have gone into oblivion- oblivion reserved by history for all unworthy deeds".

We seem have a very short memory. We usually remember the last thing that happens in life. That's the reason why politicians get rid of the 5 horrible years with a small good work at the end of their term. The list of those who got us freedom is so long. Tilak is one who has done impeccable work, silently.

Gandhi might be the "Father of the nation", but British described Tilak as "The Father of Indian Unrest". He was the one who sowed the seeds of nationalism.

Let us not forget the root cause and not forget that we are one as a nation because of all these great souls.

P.S: courtesy http://www.kamat.com/

Mr Advani: What is it?

Advani: Jinnah is secular

Hindus wanted a united India. They voted against Partition but Partition did happen. They wanted to retain Kashmir, the land of Maharishi Kashyap and the seat of Sharda Vidya, but two-thirds of Kashmir was snatched from them and from what remained, Hindus were driven out, thus dispossessing them of their home and hearth in a truncated, Independent India.

They had three great deities -- or rather three dreams -- in the words of socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia -- Ram, Krishna and Shiva. All the three holy places associated with them, had mosques built over them by the invaders.

After Independence, the Hindus naturally wanted to have their places of worship returned to them as a goodwill gesture by Muslims who otherwise got India partitioned.

But not only were they snubbed and humiliated for such a demand, even the greatest of their leaders in politics declared the day of a first Hindu resistance and effort to possess what historically belonged to them, as the saddest day of his life.

The Partition of the motherland and the resultant mayhem was not his saddest day but the day of repossessing a place of great significance to the Hindus became the 'most unfortunate' day for the man whom the world considered a Hindu nationalist leader.

It is obvious that any leader who is visiting the mausoleum of the father of the nation of a hostile host country should be nice and say decent words in his memory. Jinnah could have been justifiably appreciated without getting into these controversies.

In comparison, one must salute the contemporary Pakistani leadership for their single-minded missionary zeal to improve relations with India without compromising on their issues. President Pervez Musharraf visited Rajghat, but didn't say anything about Gandhi's secularism or his struggle to "HELP" newly born Pakistan despite facing disapproval from both his deputies Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel.

They remain committed to the theory of an Islamic Pakistan as envisioned by Jinnah, the qaid-e-azam, to make Kashmir a core issues between the two nations, to get the Hurriyat leaders without a passport or visa to Pakistan and declare it an evidence of India's recognition of Kashmir as a disputed territory. They are never -- even in a light 'mood' -- apologetic or sad about Kargil.

Their firebrand leader Maulana Fazlur Rahman visited India and met RSS leaders, but never spoke a single word in praise of the RSS or its founder Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar. He didn't find it necessary to say so for the sake of friendship. He was careful not to express regret on the demolition of hundreds of Hindu temples in Pakistan in the wake of the December 6 demolition of the Babri Masjid and even earlier.

He said all good things, expressed decent gestures, evoked friendly amiable body language -- a smiling and affectionate face -- but not an inch was given on the core issues. The Pakistanis are never apologetic about having a two-tier constitutional arrangement for Hindus and other non-Muslim minorities in Pakistan which makes them virtually second class citizens.

It is not necessary to covert to win friendship. Stand up firmly and uncompromisingly on your issues and yet strive for friendship. That alone lasts. The 'converted' can only have pity and a 'protectionist' smile, but not a friendly relationship based on parity. That is the policy which makes Pakistanis a solid block and successful on Kashmir.

Advani, they say that once you reach 40, your brain turns a dog. It seems your brain is turning into 2 dogs while you reach 80. What happenned to you? You have spoiled all the good work that you did in the past 60 years of public life. Ultimately all that people will remember is your appeasement to Pakistan. If you had really felt what you belived was right and true, you wouldn't have spoken in such a haste. Your speach was unprecedented and unnecessary. What else is it other than appeasement? Was it so much necessary that you had to call him secular to wash away your so called involvement in qaid-e-azam's assasination attempt?

Like Musharraf, you must have met the Pakistani sessionist leaders from Balochistan, Sindhis and NWFP who have a warmth and tremendous goodwill for India. Instead you met only those whom the pak Govt wanted you to meet. As an Indian you failed in your duties to your motherland. You did neither good to your Nation nor your community. Shame on you by calling yourself the Iron Man, next to Sardar and shame on you by calling yourself the sole reprsentative of the Hindus.

Walk your talk. Or else, don't talk at all.

You have no moral right to talk anymore. No moral right to criticise the UPA govt on communal lines. Do some introspection Mr.Advani. UP was in BJP's hands and so was Uttaranchal, which had the most revered pilgrim centres like Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Mathura, Vrindavan, Kashi and Ayodhya. Not a single religious township or temple got the attention of the Hindu nationalists.

Gangotri, visited by lakhs from all over the world, does not have power supply even today or a workable telephone connection. Ayodhya, Mathura and Vrindavan are the filthiest towns and its temples remain badly mismanaged under government control. Though you demand that Hindu temples be freed from State control, not a single Hindu nationalist state government has yet started a plan to de-control Hindu temples in their states and make them a 'shining example' of their 'vision, agenda, programme' and all that which gets an entry into their idea of Ram Rajya.

In a way it is good for India as well as BJP that it is out of power. They say power corrupts people. But, it has also blind folded BJP. The time till 2009 is a good time for readdressing the basic things and re-organising the party. But with a leader who is clueless about where to start, what to do and above all how to lead, I doubt if BJP can rise back to their origional vigour in 1997.

A weak opposition party is not good for the nation. A strong BJP is in the national as well as in the congress's interest. A weak congress has destabilised India and has pushed BJP out of power. In the same sense, a weak BJP might push congress out of power.

God only can help India !!!

Murali

BJP and VHP damaged the VIP lounge in Indore Airport

BJP's bandh affects train services

Agreed, attack on the make shift temple was a major security lapse. So, how do you react to it? By damaging public property? My foot. Shame on them to call themselves a "Party with a difference". A demonstration is fine, but not this. This amounts to goondaism amd shud not be tolerated.

Look at Atal. He has asked to look into what went wrong first. This is what is the need of the hour and keep communal harmony. Instead, instilling hatred and damaging public property... stinks.