Lokmanya Tilak
Introduction: In the words of Thomas Carlyle, “The history of mankind is the story of great men who have led it. Men, who by their infinite genius have shaped their destines of nations and in doing so have achieved undying fame. Lokmanya Tilak belonged to the minority of men who are ageless and who bear deep reverence.”
Birth and Parentage: Lokmanya was born in July 23, 1816. His mother who was very religious, performed severe penance to propitiate the Sun God, so that she might be blessed with a son and believed that one day he would become a famous man and as lustrous as the Sun. He was named Keshav after his grandfather but was popularly called Bal. his father was a scholar of Sanskrit and Mathematics who had written a book on Trigonometry. He taught these subjects to his son. The child Tilak was especially brilliant in Mathematics and Sanskrit. He had the habit of solving the difficult sums of the Mathematics on paper but leaving the easy ones, as it was below the dignity to solve them.
Tilakji’s Education and Patriotic Activities: Tilakji’s mother passed away when he was only ten years old and his father died when he was sixteen. After this, he was looked after by his uncle who brought him up as his own dear son. He received education at the Deccan College. Here he decided that he would dedicate his life to the motherland after passing the LLB examination. After completing his education, Tilak, with the help of some of his sincere followers started a new college for the purpose of the feelings instilling patriotism and selfless service in the Young Indians. After this venture in public life, Tilakji took over two newspapers, “Kesari” and “Maratha” under this editorship and began to criticize the British Government as editor. To gives Indian a rallying point he revived “Ganpati” festival and also started the Shivaji festival. In the guise of discussing history, he could easily make the common masses understand and disgraceful atrocities they were being subjected to.
Two Great Events: Two great thunderbolts befell India, while Tilak was immersed in the work of national regeneration. One was terrible famine and the other, the outbreak of plague in the form of an epidemic. Thousands of lives were lost. Tilak organized relief measures and strongly criticized the British rulers for their inaction and for the ruthless ways with which they dealt with the victims of plague. This treatment had resulted in the murder of the officer-in-charge for this work on the very day, the Government was celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria’s Rule. The government suspected that Tilakji was behind the murder even though the murderer when caught said that his action was due to his desire for revenge. His articles in the Kesari were looked upon as seditious and on this charge, he was imprisoned for 18months. Though condemned as guilty by the court, it caused Tilak’s influence to rise even more. It ended the chapter of subject surrender by India to the proud foreign ruler. The meek and mild Indian of Rudyard Kipling was gone and in his place was taken by a new Indian to the proud foreign ruler. The meek and mild Indian of Rudyard Kipling was gone and his place was taken by a new Indian who breathed in defence and challenged the foreign rule.
Tilakji’s Gita Rahasya: After his release from the jail, Tilakji say that he was necessary to use new weapons for attaining his goal of Swarajya. It was then that he put forth the idea of Swadeshi and passive resistance. Took advantage of the attempt to divide Bengal to galvanize the whole country into action. It was during this period that the first country bomb arrived at the scene and put Indian politics in the melting point. Waves of repression followed this act and the native press was severely attacked for fermenting the troubles. Tilak’s articles in the Kesari were termed seditions by the Government and he was sentenced to six year’s transportation. He suffered tremendously in prison, yet he was able to produce ‘The Gita Rahasya’ a miraculous interpretation of Gita.
Tilakji’s role during the First World War: Tilakji was released from jail in 1914. Meanwhile, the First World War broke out. He urged the Indians to join the army on mass scale to help the British Government but demanded Home Rule or Swarajya in return. He also rejoined the Congress at the session held at Lucknow. He also formed a pact with the Muslims to ensure unity in the country. He then decided to go to England after the war to fight a case against Valentine Chirol who had written all sorts of lies about him and to influence British opinion about India and Britain. This legal action, however, proved of no avail.
Conclusion: Tilakji returned to India and continued galvanizing Indian opinion in favour of the Home Rule Movement. In the meantime, he fell in July with malaria, yet they continued to work. In consequence, he caught pneumonia. In spite of the best medical care, he passed away on August 1, 1910. The fabulous bird, Phoenix, burns itself, it is said and believed on a funeral pyre and rises again from its own ashes with renewed youth and beauty. Lokmanyaji surpassed the phoenix. He had begun his renovated life in the hearts of the people of India even before he was placed on funeral pyre.
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