LOKAMANYA TILAK G. P. PRADHAN Foreword 1. Student and Teacher 2. Dedicated Journalist and Radical Nationalist 3. Four-Point Programme for Swarajya 4. An Ordeal 5. Broad-Based Political Movement 6. Scholar and Unique Leader Index Foreword The conquest of a nation by an alien power does not mean merely the loss of political freedom; it means the loss of one’s self-confidence too. Due to economic exploitation by the ruling power, the conquered nation is deprived of its natural resources and the people lose their sense of self-respect. Slavery leads to moral degradation and it thus becomes essential to restore self-confidence in the people so that they become fearless enough to participate in the struggle for freedom. In this respect Tilak played a pioneering role in India’s freedom struggle. For nearly four decades, he directed his energies to the task of creating the consciousness in the people that swarajya was their birthright. As editor of the Kesafy he opposed the tyrannical British rule and raised his voice against the injustices perpetrated on the Indians. With Chhatrapati Shivaji as his perennial source of inspiration, Tilak appealed to the people to emulate the great Maratha warrior and revive the glorious past. During the famine of 1896, Tilak made a fervent plea that the government must provide relief to the peasants, as stipulated in the Famine Relief Code. When Lord Curzon, the Viceroy of India, partitioned Bengal, the people of Bengal were enraged. Tilak, alongwith Lala Lajpat Rai and Bipin Chandra Pal, made the issue of partition a national cause and appealed to the people to assert their rights. In 1908, after the bomb blast in Muzaffarpore, Tilak, through the Kesari, warned the British government that the Indian youth would rise in revolt if the legitimate and just demands of the people were not acceded to. The government responded by arresting him and prosecuting him for sedition. He was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment and transported to the Mandalay prison in Burma. Tilak suffered the punishment stoically, carried on his pursuit of knowledge even in prison, and wrote the Gita-Rahasya —a monumental philosophical treatise containing the message of the Bhagazvad-Gita and his own interpretation of the text. On his release from prison in 1914, Tilak resumed his struggle for the freedom of the country. His entire life of sacrifice and political integrity earned him a place in the hearts of his countrymen who came to refer to him as ‘Lokamanya Tilak’. He toured different parts of India, spoke to the people in his simple and direct style and aroused them to fight for swarajya. He succeeded in awakening them from their stupor and paved the way for reaching the goal of swarajya. Though many books have been written on Lokamanya Tilak, here in this book, I have made an humble effort to present some of the lesser known aspects of his personality. Prof. A.K. Bhagwat and I had co-authored a biography on Tilak at the time of his birth centenary celebrations in 1956 for which, I am grateful to him. I started studying the life and works of Lokamanya Tilak in 1954; yet, even after four decades, I feel that my efforts to probe the depths of his personality are still incomplete. Pune G. P. PRADHAN 1. STUDENT AND TEACHER Youth is the springtime of life. During this happy period spirits soar high, eager to accept any challenge, face any danger. Two young students, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Gopal Ganesh Agarkar, both studying at the Deccan College in Poona, sat engrossed with thoughts on the present and the future in an optimistic and self-confident frame of mind. Both had impressed their teachers with their intelligence and desire to acquire knowledge. While most students wove rosy dreams about their personal life, Tilak and Agarkar thought of their society and the future of their country. They were idealists prepared to dedicate their lives to a noble cause. Their favourite pastime was to go for walks on a hillock nearby and hold discussions on varied subjects. At times they would get involved in heated arguments particularly when the two differed sharply in their views. However, these differences did not come in the way of their friendship as each was aware of the other’s sincerity and earnestness. Bal Gangadhar Tilak was born on 23rd July 1856, in a middle-class family at Ratnagiri. His father Gangadhar Pant worked in the Education Department of the government. Bal lost his mother at an early age and was, therefore, brought up by his paternal aunt. He had his primary education at Ratnagiri. His father was then transferred to Poona as Assistant Deputy Educational Inspector. During Bal’s school days, his father regularly made him recite the sub-hashitas, shlokas and other verses in Sanskrit and Marathi. As was customary in those days, Bal got married at a young age in 1871. A year later he lost his father. His uncle Govindrao took charge of the household. On completing his matriculation at the age of sixteen, Bal joined the Deccan College at Poona. Since his father had made adequate provision for him, Tilak could complete his college education without being burdened by economic constraints. He secured a first class in his B.A. examination with mathematics as the main subject. As a student Tilak was known for his razor-sharp intelligence and love for reading. Agarkar came from a poor family. He had to pass through many hardships, both during his high school as well as college days, that is, while studying at the Deccan College. But that did not deter him in any way. In a letter to his mother, Agarkar wrote: “Dear Mother, I know you must be hoping now that your son has passed his high school examination, he would get an officer’s job which would enable you to lead a happy life. However, let me tell you frankly, I have decided to earn just as much as is required for sustenance; I shall be satisfied with modest means of livelihood and will spend the rest of my life for the good of the society.” These two young friends had diametrically opposite views regarding the manner in which they would serve their country. Tilak was of the opinion that they ought to devote their energies to the task of liberating their motherland from the British yoke. Agarkar, on the other hand, felt that though political independence was important, it was necessary first to reform the society through social work and then turn one’s attention to political work. Tilak, being a student of mathematics, was forthright in his approach and clear in his perception. Agarkar, a student of philosophy, with a rare sensitive mind, was keen to launch a battle against the evils and injustices perpetrated in Indian society. One thing they had in common—both were voracious readers and admirers of two great English thinkers—Mill and Spencer, whose thoughts and ideas greatly influenced them. Both Tilak and Agarkar had no time for futile talks or sterile discussions. Both were eager to act but according to each one’s own ideological convictions. For days together they would discuss India’s problems and how these could be overcome. It was through these discussions that their ideas took shape and both came to the conclusion that before plunging into either the political or social field, it was necessary to spread education, an essential prerequisite for laying the foundation for their future work. This was no com- promise, but a realistic decision taken after careful thought and serious deliberations. It was but natural for both Tilak and Agarkar to hold in great regard the then leaders of the society and be influenced by their ideas. Mahadeo Govind Ranade was the leader who profoundly influenced their thoughts and ideas. Ranade, ajudge in the High Court, was a great scholar with wide vision and earnest desire to serve the society. Even though in government service, Ranade had worked endlessly towards the enlightenment of his people through his words and deeds. He started institutions like the Sarvajanik Sabha, established libraries at different places and started a series of spring lectures, in Poona, for educating the people and making them aware of their rights and duties to the Indian society. Tilak and Agarkar held Justice Ranade in high esteem, but somehow felt that they could serve the society better only if, unlike Ranade, they kept themselves away from the shackles of government service. Interestingly enough, it was during this period that Vishnu Shastri Chiplunkar resigned from his government job to start publishing his inspiring writings. Chipiunkar had a powerful pen and edited a Marathi magazine, Shala Patrak. In 1872 he wrote an article entitled, ‘The Mission of a Teacher’. In this inspiring article, Chiplunkar drew attention to the fact that in the hands of idealist teachers, education can become a powerful weapon like a sword—sharp, forceful and penetrating. When Tilak and Agarkar took the decision of devoting their energies to education, it was the ideas put forth by Chiplunkar that made them conscious of the nature of their mission. When these two young idealists came to know that Chiplunkar had decided to start a high school in Poona, they met him in September 1879 and expressed their desire to join him in his mission by working as teachers in the proposed high school. This gave an impetus to Chiplunkar’s project and on 2nd January 1880 started the New English School in Poona. Among those to join the school was Vaman Shivaram Apte, an eminent Sanskrit scholar who took charge as headmaster at the high school.