Thread by @HistorifyToday

Bankim Chandra Chatterjee ,composer of our national song Bande Mataram, one of the finest writers of modern India, who wrote atire, scientific, critical treatises too apart from novels.
Thread on his Jayanti today.

Bankim Da is widely regarded as one of the key figures in Bengal's literary renaissance, as he forged a new style, breaking away from the traditional verse oriented one, and becoming an inspiration for modern writers.

Bankim Chandra was born in Kanthalpara , located in Bengal's North Parganas, the youngest of 3 brothers to Yadav Chandra Chattopadhyaya and Durga Devi, in an orthodox Bengali Brahmin family.

Graduating from Presidency in 1858, he became the first graduate of Kolkata University, and later got a degree in Law too. He was appointed later as Dy.Collector of Jessore, and retired as Dy. Magistrate in 1891.

Bankim Chandra's writing career began with Sambad Prabhakar edited by Ishwar Chandra Gupta. His first novel in English was Rajmohan's wife, however Durgesh Nandini was what made him well known, which was also the first novel in Bengali.

His most famous work was Anandamath, set in the backdrop of the Sanyasi Revolt in late 18th century, that contained the famous song Bande Mataram. The music to this was set by Rabindranath Tagore later.

Durgesh Nandini set against the backdrop of the Pathan-Mughal conflicts during Akbar's reign, and is a love triangle centered around Jagat Singh, a Mughal general, Tilotamma, daughter of a Zamindar and Ayesha, daughter of a rebel Pathan leader.

Durgesh Nandini was also the first novel in Bengali, and it's story was based on local legends in the Arambagh region. Though criticized by the more conservative writers, for it's language, it was highly praised by his contemporaries.

His other famous novel was Kapalkundala, loosely based on Shakespeare's The Tempest, about the heroine bought up in a forest, who marries a young gentleman from the city Nabakumar, but finds herself unable to adjust to that life.

Again Kapalkundala is set in Contai in East Midnapore district, where Bankim Da served as Dy. Collector, And it was one of his more popular novels, translated into multiple languages, as well as 4 movie adaptations.

Another famous novel of Bankim Chandra was Devi Chaudhurani, about the heroine Prafulla, shunned by her father in law, who becomes a dacoit and is known as Devi Chaudharani, a Robin Hood kind of figure, and later takes on the British.

One feature of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's novels was the very strong woman characters in them, be it Prafulla in Devi Chaudharani, Kalyani in Ananda Math, Tilotamma/Ayesha in Durgesh Nandini or Kapal Kundala. Strong, independent women all.

He also had a good bonding with Ramakrishna Paramahansa, whom he used to visit regularly. Once Guru Maharaj playing on meaning of his name Bankim(Bent A Little) asked him what made him bent in a rather lighter vein.

And Bankim Chandra replied to Ramakrishna Paramahansa, that it was due to being the regular kicks he from the English man's boot, alluding to the fact that he was a known critic of the British.

"Bankim Chandra had equal strength in both his hands, he was a true sabyasachi (ambidextrous). With one hand, he created literary works of excellence; and with the other, he guided young and aspiring authors."- Gurudev Tagore.

The earlier Bankim was only a poet and stylist, the later Bankim was a seer and nation-builder- Aurobindo

Bankim Da's novel Anushilan Tattva in a way inspired Pratamnath Mitra to start Anushilan Samiti, one of the major underground revolutionary movements in Bengal during the British Raj.

Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, was one of the icons of the Bengali Renaissance, whose Bande Mataram became the cry of the Revolution, and Anandamath inspire many Bengali youth to plunge into the freedom struggle. #Naman on his Jayanti today.