Bengalska renesansa

Pavlak, Vedrana. (2015). Bengalska renesansa. Diploma Thesis. Filozofski fakultet u Zagrebu, Department of Indology > Chair of Indology. [mentor Gönc Moačanin, Klara].

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Abstract

East India Company and British colonization triggered a new period in history of Bengal commonly referred to as the Bengali renaissance. This immensely intense periodcreated a fertile ground for India’s further cultural and economic development. British colonizers strived to learn as much as possible about Indian culture and language in order to transform the political culture of India. Institution responsible for that was Fort William College, which gave the British officers knowledge of India, and Hindu College which implemented a new western model of educationbased on the knowledge of English language, history and philosophy onto Indian people. Most of Indians that got high western education were Hindus of higher casts open to new ideas, generally because of the fact that their education provided opportunities to work for the British Crown, setting them for a life of leisure and wealth. That created a new class in India – bhadralok– upper middle class citizens with conservative views and little desire to oppose the new government. Nevertheless, bhadralok created some of the most exquisiteintellectuals of the renaissance such as Rām Mohan Rāy, Henry Derozio, Madhūsudan Datta, Chattopādhyāy or Vidyāsāgar – all men of great knowledge and desire for improving the society. They have set the cultural base for development of Bengali language and literature, as well as the changes in their religion and beliefs. British intellectuals were also of high importance in creating a literally basis for Oriental studies and Indology giving the matter a scientific approach and thoroughness which Indians lacked up to that point. However, Renaissance in Bengal was not just a time of prosperity and culture, it was also a time of big restlessness amongst the people without all the benefits bhadralok had – Muslims, peasants, lower casteHindus. Changes and events mentioned in this work led to the Indian independence movement - it could mean the end of Bengal Renaissance, although it is often said that the end of the Bengal Renaissance is Tagore’s death. His words managed to perfectly capture the spirit of Bengali Renaissance, giving us an ideal towards which we should all strive. "Let our life be simple on the outside, and rich with inner value. Let our culture be founded on a solid base of social cooperation, not on war and economic exploitation. A sign of weakness and inertia is to accept the way of life that others impose, with their ideals. "

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