Anandamath” (Hindi Edison) – Bankimchandra Chatterjee

ANANDA MA TH is considered to be a milestone in the history of modern fiction in India. It received such wide acclaim in the late nineteenth century that Bankim Chandra Chatterji, its author, was referred to as the Walter Scott of India. Translations appeared in Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi.

In ANAND A MATH, Bankim Chandra portrayed vividly the life of a band of patriotic santaans (children) who had left their hearth and home for the sake of their motherland. Mahendra, a young zatt1.indar, leaves his drought- affected village for the nearby town, but he is taken a captive by the soldiers. Bhavananda, a santaan, frees him and takes him to their secret hideout – Ananda Math. On his way, he speaks to Mahendra about the Mother, who is “Sujalam, sufalam” (with plenty of rivers and fruits). “You sing about a mother. Who is she?” asks Mahendra.

“My land! I am her child -a santaan,” replies Bhavananda. He bemoans the fate of the mother in captivity, who has sixty crores of arms to protect her (The population of India was about thirty crores then). Before Mahendra reaches Ananda Math, he too is a convert and takes the vow to forsake his hearth and home for the Mother.

Ananda Math was greatly instrumental in fostering militant nationalism in Bengal in the early twentieth century. Many young men of Bengal literally left their hearth and home to join secret societies, emulating the example of the santaans.

The song -Vande Mataram (I sal1lte the Mother) sung by the santaans – echoed through millions of throats during the freedom movement and during the non-co-operation movement. Many braved the lathis of the British police force by chanting “Vande Mataram”.