Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, the writer of Vande Mataram

No matter if it is Independence Day or Republic Day, our hearts never forget to sing "Vande Mataram." It is more of an emotion than a song. Everyone must have once thought of the person who was able to pen down India in such a magnificent way that every line describes the greatness of our country. Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay was an eminent personality who created this legendary song and became immortal in it.

The man who composed Vande Mataram, Image Source- Wikipedia

Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay was born on June 27, 1838, in an orthodox Brahmin family at Naihati, Bengal. As a young boy, Bankim was greatly influenced by his father, Yadav Chandra Chattopadhyay, who worked as a government employee. He received his education from Hooghly College and graduated from Presidency College. He was later enrolled at the University of Calcutta to get a law degree.

Amidst his education, he was already tangled in married life from a very young age of 11, as in those days, child marriages were not a big issue. However, he was always highly inclined toward his studies. During the year 1857, there rose a strong revolt against the East India Company, but this never hampered his academics. He continued his studies and passed his B.A. examination in 1859. Following in his father's footsteps, he was also posted as a Deputy Collector by the Lieutenant Governor of Calcutta as soon as he passed his exam.

His idol, Ishwarchandra Gupta, had a profound impact on him and had always sparked his interest in writing. His English novel, "Rajmohan's Wife," which he wrote for a competition, marked the beginning of his writing career. However, neither did it get any acknowledgement nor was it published. It helped Bankim appreciate the need to publish his works in Bengali.

After being posted as Deputy Collector in 1859, he followed his literary interest and published his first notable work, "Durgeshnandini," in 1865. It was his first Bengali romantic novel, centred on a Rajput hero and a Bengali heroine. It was followed by "Kapalkundala", "Mrinalini", "Vishabriksha," and "Indira", which were among his most famous pieces of work.

He never stopped after that. He published several novels, essays, articles, literary criticism, and sketches in a monthly magazine called "Bangadarshan". He also had a profound impact on many prominent personalities. Bipin Chandra Pal and Lala Lajpat Rai also published their works after being inspired by Bankim.

Anandamath (The Abbey of Bliss), a political novel by Bankim Chandra, was published in 1882. Its central idea was a patriotic story about the sannyasis' uprising against the British. The incredibly well-known Vande Matam was also featured in this book. It was originally composed in Sanskrit, and its tune was added by Rabindranath Tagore later.

Bankim was chosen to serve as Jessore's deputy magistrate in 1858. After that, he worked in the Indian Civil Service as a deputy magistrate till his retirement. He retired in 1891 and was awarded the title of "Rai Bahadur" in the same year.

In his lifetime, he produced 13 novels. He was known as the "Sahitya Samrat" of Bengal for his contributions to the fields of literature. At the age of 56, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay passed away in 1894. However, he made an enduring accomplishment in his relatively short life. His song "Vande Mataram" has now become the national anthem of India and will remain rooted in the hearts of every Indian forever.