Vande Mataram: The Song That Frightened An Empire—Unpacking The History Of Bankim's 'Anand Math'

Vande Mataram: The national song 'Vande Mataram' that inspired the struggle for India's independence has roots in a period of historical suffering and defiance vividly narrated by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in his landmark 1882 novel 'Anand Math.' The story was a fictionalised account of the Sannyasi Rebellion born out of famine and colonial exploitation in Bengal in the 18th century.

The Agony Of 1773: Famine And Exploitation

The novel is set in the eastern part of India around 1773, a land rich in fertility and confronting catastrophic tragedy.

The Bengal Famine : The region was reeling under a devastating famine and epidemic that had reportedly claimed the lives of over a million people.

Burden of tax : It was compounded by the financial cruelty of the British East India Company,