Correct Answer - Option 3 : Development of nationalism
There are many festive days and different festivals in the Hindu religion, but they are celebrated individually and privately.
- For national awakening, Tilak initiated Ganeshotsav and Shivaji Utsav in 1894.
- Shivaji Utsav started on Fort Raigad in 1894 and reached as far as Japan by 1905.
- In 1896 Ganeshotsav attained national importance.
The Shivaji festivals were first used by the Maratha ruler to encourage National sentiment.
- Later when the British banned political assemblies the same festivals were used by Bal Gangadhar Tilak to develop nationalism among common people and make them aware of their freedom.
- One of the major drawbacks of these events was that although they were meant to be a way to oppose colonial rule, they also contributed to religious tensions.
Thus, it is clear that the main objective of Tilak behind the celebration of the Shivaji festival was to develop nationalism.
- Bal Gangadhar Tilak was born on 23rd July 1856 in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra.
- A book ‘Indian Unrest’ written by Valentine Chirol, an English journalist, stated Tilak the ‘father of Indian unrest.
- He also popularized the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in the Maharashtra region.
- Along with Lala Lajpat Rai and Bipin Chandra Pal, he was part of the Lal-Bal-Pal trio of leaders with extremist outlooks.
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Indian Home Rule Movement was a movement in British India on the lines of the Irish Home Rule movement.
- It started in 1916, it is believed to have set the stage for the independence movement under the leadership of Annie Besant and Bal Gangadhar Tilak for the educated English speaking upper-class Indians.
- He started 2 newspapers-Weeklies Kesari (Marathi) and Mahratta (English).
- Books are written by him- Gita Rhasya and Arctic Home of the Vedas.
