Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay (1838–94) was probably the first systematic exponent of the idea of nationalism in India. He has a unique contribution in conceptualizing nationalism in an indigenous way. In his protest against Muslim rule, Bankim elaborated on this idea by drawing on the Bhagavad Gita, which was widely translated into Bengali in the nineteenth century. In his translated version of the Bhagavad Gita, what Bankim provided was a reinterpretation in the light of Western knowledge to make the Gita more suitable for reading by Western educated intellectuals in the newly emerged context of nationalist opposition to British rule. An entirely new Gita emerged, reflecting the concerns of those seeking to provide a national alternative to foreign rule.
What was primary in Bankim's view was his concern for national unity, for on this depended the development of Hindu society. As Bankim argued, national solidarity can be conceived of only if one's outlook changes in the following two ways: first, the belief that what is good for every Hindu is good for me, and my views , Belief and action must be consistent along with other members of the Hindu society. And, second, a single-minded devotion to the nation and its interests must be instilled in the mind. It was an idea that Bankim nurtured in all his novels and other writings as he believed that without care and love for the nation (and of course for the country) one cannot be part of a united whole called the nation. failed to justify its existence as a unit. There lies an important theoretical point here. Unlike typical liberals, Bankim was in favor of the community and the role of the individual was explained in terms of what was good for the former. There lies an important theoretical point here. Unlike typical liberals, Bankim was in favor of the community and the role of the individual was explained in terms of what was good for the former. Bankim was of the opinion that contact with the British enabled Hindu society to learn to define its weaknesses not in terms of physical strength but in terms of 'culture'. Hindus lack culture simply because they are so diverse, separated by language, race, religion etc., and it will not be possible for them to create conditions for national solidarity until these divisive ingredients of Hindus disappear completely. It doesn't happen.
From the notion of national integration, Bankim now delved into his concept of anushilan or behavior. Bankim elaborated on this notion in his 1888 essay 'The Theory of Religion', defining it as 'a system of culture', comparing it to the Western concept of culture expressed by Western thinkers such as Comte and Matthew Arnold. is more complete and more perfect. A critique of the agnostic Western view of practice, Anushilan was based on bhakti (devotion) which meant a combination of knowledge and duty. In practical terms, cultivation means that it simultaneously imparts knowledge of what is good for the community and what the community should do in specific circumstances. Anushilan refers to duty which is the performance of an act for which one should not expect a reward. In other words, the community is bound to perform certain actions, not out of choice but out of devotion to a cause or goal. From this he derived the idea of duty towards the nation. There was no alternative and the community had to work for the defense of the nation which was completely crippled due to specific historical circumstances. For Bankim, this selfless and non-possessive notion of devotion is at the foundation of dharma or religion (Tripathi 1967). Underlining the importance of religion in national integration, Bankim sought to create a separate identity for the Hindu community. It was not only necessary for a subjugated nation, but also best suited for building a strong community based on its inherent cultural strength and not merely by copying the West. Superior in science and industry, the West represented a culture that had succeeded in conquering the East. Therefore, he argued for emulating the West in the field of material culture. But in the field of spiritual culture, the former was certainly superior and therefore should not be ignored. Bankim combined these two ideas to suggest that the West could be emulated in the area in which it excelled, while imbibing the spiritual distinctiveness of the East. Therefore, in building a national identity, Bankim does not appear to be entirely xenophobic but a creative thinker of the early nationalist movement, appreciating the strength and weakness of both East and West simultaneously. In other words, Bankim's dissenting project is what Partha Chatterjee defines as a 'moment of departure' in our national thought (Chatterjee 1986: Chapter 3; Kaviraj 1995).
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