Hinduism - Who Was Bal Gangadhar Tilak?

 

 


 (1856–1920) Political activist from Maharashtra who was once dubbed "the Father of Indian Unrest." Tilak never wavered from his belief that the British had no authority to govern India, unlike his Maharashtrian colleagues Ranade and Gokhale, who emphasized working within existing institutions.

In 1890, he left Gokhale's reformist organization and dedicated himself to educating and organizing common Maharashtrians.

Two publications, one published in English and the other in Marathi, served as one avenue for such organization.

The second task was to plan and promote two new events.

One of these events was dedicated to Maratha ruler Shivaji, a local hero who had spent his life resisting the Moghul empire's dominance.

The second celebration was Ganesh Chaturthi, which Tilak advocated as a visible opportunity for Hindu nationalists to express and celebrate their identity under British imperial rule.

Outright insurrection was unthinkable given British authority, and the British government severely banned all kinds of political protest.

Because the British had a long-standing policy of not interfering with religious observances, the Ganesh celebration offered a method to get around these prohibitions.

Tilak was imprisoned on multiple occasions on charges of instigating political assassinations, yet he always returned to politics.

Apart from his political engagement, his most important intellectual contribution is a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, a religious scripture, in which he emphasizes the necessity for this-worldly action, including violence if necessary, to overcome evil.

~Kiran Atma


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