Thread by @dhavalkulkarni

Thread: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is a symbol of resistance towards tyrannical regimes. He was a rallying point for nationalists after the partition of Bengal in 1905. The 'Shivaji Utsav' tradition struck roots in Bengal in 1902

#ShivajiMaharaj #LokmanyaTilak #history

because of Sakharam Ganesh Deuskar. He was a Maharashtrian settled in Bengal. Deuskar taught in a school at Deoghar & was part of a revolutionary group set up by Rajnarayan Basu, the intellectual & grandfather of Aurobindo & Barindra Ghosh
#LokmanyaBalGangadharTilak

Deuskar was the first to write about #ChhatrapatiShivajiMaharaj & Peshwa Bajirao-I in Bengali, detailing their bravery & exploits. His 'Shivajir Mahatva' was republished as 'Shivajir Diksha' in 1904.

It was in this book that Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore's poem on the iconic warrior-king who had established a welfare state in the 17th century & launched the process to dismantle the mighty Mughal empire, was published. Deuskar introduced the 'Shivaji Festival' in Bengal in 1902

The Shiv Jayanti celebrations popularised by #LokmanyaTilak in #Maharashtra soon spread across #Bengal. Ashwini Kumar Dutta organised a well-attended Shivaji utsav at Barisal in 1904 and also presided over the celebrations at Kolkata in 1906.

The 1906 celebrations, where people across caste and religious lines had thronged to, were attended by Tilak, Dadasaheb Khaparde, Dr B.S. Moonje & Bipin Chandra Pal. Tilak said the Shivaji utsav is a national festival & called on Muslims to join it.

Notably, Tilak said Shivaji Maharaj's battle was not against Muslims per se, but a struggle against unjust, tyrannical regimes.

This also showed that Tilak, who had support in Mumbai, Central Provinces and Berar, had now developed a base in Bengal as well.

Tilak won support among the Bengalis due to his espousal of swadeshi. Tilak is the first pan-India mass leader in the colonial era.
#ChhatrapatiShivajiMaharaj #LokmanyaBalGangadharTilak #ShivajiMaharaj #LokmanyaTilak

Sources: Visavya Shatakatil Maharashtra: Khand 1- Y.D. Phadke
Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak- Sadanand More
Sakharam Ganesh Deuskar and the Swadeshi Movement in Bengal: The Second Identity- Ajanta Biswas (Social Scientist Vol. 33, No. 3/4 (Mar. - Apr., 2005), pp. 66-73, via Jstor)