My tribute to Sh. Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Poem or Essay
Answers
Born in Maharashtra on the 23rd of July, 1856, Bal Gangadhar Tilak was one of the most eminent freedom fighters of India. Tilak’s famous slogan ‘Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it’ is one of the most well known patriotic slogans. It ushered in an era of concentrated efforts and intensified the freedom struggle.
As a young and educated scholar, Tilak chose the interests of the nation over his own personal gains. He resisted the scathing attacks of the British rulers on matters of Indian culture. At a time when the average citizen did not dare to oppose the imperial regime, Tilak openly challenged their views. He started two newspapers, one in Marathi and the other in English to publicly air his anti-establishment views. Undaunted by the authorities, both the newspapers carried reports of the merciless British persecution of Indians. His courage and patriotism inspired many Indians to join the struggle for independence.
Tilak was fondly known as ‘Lokmanya Tilak’, meaning ‘chosen by the people as a leader’ and continues to be remembered the same way. He was in essence a leader of the masses. His ability to connect with the people can be understood by the fact that he established Ganesh Chaturthi as a ten day festival, to encourage people to come together as one community. The said festival continues to be celebrated the same way till date.
For a person who was not scared to speak his mind out, Tilak disapproved of the ideology that many people in the Indian National Congress subscribed to. Neither did he succumb to their collective pressure, nor did he give up fighting for the nation. Instead, he led the radical faction of the Congress, for he believed that the perpetrators of injustice could not be handled only with talks. He was in favour of using force whenever necessary.
Tilak’s straightforward activities often got him into trouble and he was arrested on numerous accounts. Each time however, he emerged from prison with the patriotic feeling intact. Also known as the Father of the Indian National Movement, Tilak played an important role not only in the pre-independence era, but is also given credit for being one of the main architects of modern India.
