Question

how did the people belonging to different communities,region, develop a sense of collective belongings

Answer 1

Many factors played a role in the development of a feeling of collective belonging among Indians from different regions.

The image of Bharat Mata, created by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay became the primary visual representation of the Indian nation. Moved by the nationalist sentiment, many other artists, including Rabindranath Tagore, re-adapted this image. It encouraged a nationalist fervor among Indian nationalists and it was widely circulated among the Indian populace.The flag developed during the Swadeshi movement and the tricolour flag designed by Gandhiji both came to have great political importance to the Indian public. Holding these flag during demonstrations and protests became a sign of defiance against the colonial government.While the colonial government worked to crush the spirit of nationalism among Indians, national leaders sought to glorify India’s past achievements during the pre-colonial period. This was done in order to instill a sense of pride among the general populace and rouse the public to participate in the national political process.Nationalist leaders also turned their attention to folk tales and ballads as these had great cultural reach. Indian folklore was reinterpreted and used many a times for subtle or open political propaganda.

Answer 2

The cultural processes helped in creating a sense of

collective belongingness in India:

a. Nationalism is a belief that all are a part of the

same nation which binds the people together and

make different communities, regions and language

groups united.

b. This came through the muted struggles like the

different Non-Cooperation Movements, Civil

Disobedience movements, the wars like 1857,

history, fiction, folklores, folk songs, prints, icons

and symbols etc. all these helped in unifying the

Indians and inspired a feeling of nationalism in

them.

c. The image of India was first visualized as Bharat

Mata by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and

also a hymn ‘Vande 3 Mataram’ was written by

him in 1870s. This hymn was later included in

his novel Anandmath and sung in the Swadeshi

Movement in Bengal. The image of Bharat

Mata was portrayed as calm, composed, divine

and spiritual which acquired different forms in

different years by different artists. This image of

India developed the ideas of nationalism in India.

d. The Indian folklores were revived and the folk

tales were recorded and sung by bards which gave

a true picture of the traditional Indian culture

and tells how it was ruined by the Britishers.

e. A tricolor swadeshi flag, using red, green and yellow

was designed during the Swadeshi Movement in

Bengal which had 8 lotuses for the representation

of the 8 provinces and a crescent moon for

symbolizing the Hindus and the Muslims.

f. A tricolor Swaraj flag was designed by Gandhiji

in the year 1921 using the colours red, green and

white. A spinning wheel was in the Centre of the flag which represented the Gandhian ideal of self-

help.