Volume-II, Issue-III, January 2026
Volume-II, Issue-III, January, 2026 |
Received: 10.01.2026 | Accepted: 13.01.2026 | ||
Published Online: 31.01.2026 | Page No: 664-672 | ||
DOI: 10.69655/atmadeep.vol.2.issue.03W.256 | |||
‘বাঙ্গলার কথা’ ও ‘বাঙালি পেট্রিয়টিজম্’: ব্যক্তিত্ব ও ব্যবধান: একটি তুলনামূলক আলোচনা রাহুল মণ্ডল, গবেষক, ইতিহাস বিভাগ, কোচবিহার পঞ্চানন বর্মা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়, পশ্চিমবঙ্গ, ভারত |
‘Banglar Katha’ and ‘Bengali Patriotism’: Personality and Distance—A Comparative Discussion Rahul Mondal, Research Scholar, Department of History, Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University, West Bengal, India | ||
ABSTRACT | ||
This article presents a comparative study of Chittaranjan Das’s Banglar Katha and Pramatha Chaudhuri’s Bangali Patriotism in the context of early twentieth-century Bengal, a period marked by the Swadeshi movement, the rise of nationalist politics, and critical reassessment of Western education. Focusing on Bengal as the central conceptual space, the article examines how these two influential figures articulated ideas of Bengali identity, provincial nationalism, and their relationship with broader Indian nationalism. Chittaranjan Das, as a lawyer and nationalist leader, projected an inclusive and integrative vision of Bengal, emphasizing cultural unity across religious and social divisions and linking Bengal’s past glory with the political responsibilities of the present. His understanding of nationalism sought to harmonize regional consciousness with an all-India struggle against colonial rule. In contrast, Pramatha Chaudhuri, a leading literary intellectual, conceptualized Bengali identity as culturally distinct and psychologically autonomous, often highlighting the uniqueness of Bengali society and literature within India. His critique of Western education and his skepticism toward the Indian National Congress further differentiated his position. Despite these differences, the article argues that both thinkers shared significant common ground. Both were Western-educated yet increasingly critical of colonial educational models, both demonstrated deep emotional attachment to Bengal, and both ultimately rejected any rigid separation between love for Bengal and love for India. Their writings reveal that provincial or sub-national consciousness did not negate Indian nationalism; rather, it functioned as one of its vital sources. By analyzing the convergences and divergences in their political thought, cultural outlook, and literary engagement, this study underscores the complexity of regional nationalism in colonial India and highlights Bengal’s dual role as a site of distinct cultural identity and as an integral component of the wider Indian nationalist movement. | ||
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