WBBSE 10th Class Social Science Solutions History Chapter 2 Reform : Characteristics and Observations

1. Bengal was the hub of literary activities in the 19th century. Different periodicals; journals and newpapers published from Bengal did a yeoman’s service to the cause of Indian press.
2. The first newspaper of India, ‘Hicky’s Bengal Gazettee’, was published in Calcutta in 1780. The year 1818 marks the beginning of journalism in Bengal. ‘Samachar Darpan’ and ‘Digdarshan’ were published by the Serampore Baptist Missionary. In 1821, ‘Sambad Kaumudi’ was published under the patronage of Raja Rammohan Roy. This was followed by other newspapers and periodicals like ‘Sambad Prabhakar’, ‘Tattwabodhini Patrika’ etc., ‘Hutom Pyanchar Naksha’, ‘Nil Darpan’, ‘Hindoo Patriot’, ‘Grambarta Prakashika’, ‘Somprakash’ and others exposed the social and political vices of the contemporary period. The ‘Bamabodhini Patrika’ raised its voice against all the forces bent on oppressing women. Reform: Characteristics and
3. The English East India Company did not take interest in the education of the Indians. The need for cheap but efficient clerks forced the British to lay the foundation of several schools. In 1800, Lord Wellesly established the Fort William College in Calcutta, the primary aim of which was to provide training to the young civilians.
4. The Christian missionaries played an important role in spreading western education. Efforts of Rammohan Roy, David Hare and Radhakanta Deb created an environment conducive to the development of western education. A humble beginning was made in the Charter Act of 1813, which provided that the Company should spend one lakh in rupees for educational development of India.
5. Anglicist-Orientalist controversy developed as to how this amount of money was to be spent. Ultimately, the controversy was settled in 1835 under Bentinck who advocated the policy of English education.
6. In 1835, the Calcutta Medical College was established and in 1854 appeared the famous Education Despatch of Charles Wood which laid down the principle of graded educational system from the primary to the university’. In 1857, the Calcutta University was established. As per Wood’s Despatch, a commission was constituted in 1882, under the chairmanship of WW Hunter which marked an important stage in the growth of western education in India.
7. Efforts were also made for the promotion of female education. In 1849, J D Bethune, along with Vidyasagar, founded an institution for women’s education in Calcutta, which later became famous as Bethune College. The Brahmo Balika Shikshalaya was established later in 1890.
8. During the 19th century, Bengal was suffering from various religious and social evils like idol worship, casteism, untouchability, child marriage, polygamy, female infanticide, sati, etc.
9. Social and religious reform movements started in the second half of the 19th century, the aim of which was to wipe off the evils of the society. Rammohan Roy, Derozio, Keshab Chandra Sen, Vidyasagar and several others played important roles in the social and religious reform movements. They openly criticised the evil customs and practices of the society.
10. Due to the constant opposition of the Brahmo Samaj against these evil customs that prevailed in society, different Acts were passed to put an end to these evils. The Young Bengal, under the leadership of Derozio, created the awareness that social and religious reforms were necessary.
11. 19th century Bengal witnessed intellectual awakening that is in some way similar to the renaissance in Europe which took place during the 16th century. The major expressions of the renaissance in Bengal were the the appearance of a large number of newspapers, periodicals and literary works, spread of western education and ideas.
12. The annals of Bengali literature were crowded with bright names such as those of Rammohan Roy, Akshay Kumar Dutta, Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, Madhusudan Dutta, Hem Chandra Banerjee, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Dinabandhu Mitra etc. Science also advanced under the initiative of several Bengali scientists such as Satyendranath Bose, Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis and Jagadish Chandra Bose.
13. The role played by Bengal in the modern awakening is comparable to the position occupied by Italy in the stage of European Renaissance.

TOPIC – A

Answer in 15 to 16 sentences

1. ‘Bamabodhini Partika’, first published in 1863, was a Bengali periodical of colonial Bengal with a strong emphasis on women’s issues. Every issue of the periodical began with the caption “nurture the girl and educate her with care”.
2. All the articles were aimed at the development of women. The available issues of the patrika point to the concern of the journal to adequately deal with women’s social upliftment, with special reference to women’s education.
3. The essays pointed out the backward condition of women in social and educational matters and suggested remedies to bring about women’s educational progress.
4. ‘Bamabodhini’ recorded in its pages the role of women in a changing society and family. Some of the essays pointed out the responsibilities of the educated women and a few essays also dealt with the notion of ‘ideal women’ in Bengali society.
5. Other issues included women’s role in the family, the significance of girls’ school, . domestic work, qualities of good motherhood, the institution of marriage, the position of widows in the society and widow remarriage.
6. It raised its voice against all forces that were bent on oppressing women. The patrika played a great role in bringing about a radical change in the society.

1. The ‘Hindoo Patriot’ was an English weekly published from Calcutta in the latter half of the 19th century.
2. Under the editorship of Harish Chandra Mukherjee, it became the mouthpiece of protest against imperial injustices. It was known for its active role in exposing the oppressions by the indigo planters in Bengal. Regular editorials against the tyranny on the poor hapless indigo ryots. attracted public attention and evoked condemnation from the educated Indians.
3. In the late 1875, when one Jagadananda Mukherjee invited Prince of Wales to his residence, the ‘Hindoo Patriot’ commented that the national feeling was outraged.
4. Harish Chandra also opposed imperial laws like the Immigration Bill, the Vernacular Press Act and the Ilbert Bill through his paper. He protested against the oppression on the tea workers and termed the Immigration Bill as the Slave Law of India.

1. Condition of the indigo farmers: The Indigo Planters used to force the farmers to cultivate Indigo, instead of any other crop. This was the background to the rise of the Indigo Revolt (1858). ‘Nil Darpan’ portrayed the condition of the farmers and their reasons to rise against the planters.
2. Role of the educated community: The educated Bengali community came to know about the tortures faced by the indigo farmers. ‘Nil Darpan’ was instrumental in gathering public reaction of the farmers and the revolters.
3. Translation to English: ‘Nil Darpan’ was the first Bengali drama to be translated to English. This translation was published under the name of Rev. James Long, though most of the people suspected that it was Michael Madhusudhan Dutta who wrote under the pseudonym of James Long. The government was furious with James Long and he was sentenced to one month prison and a fine of 1000 rupees.
4. Popularity in Europe: Despite the reactions of the government towards ‘Nil Darpan’, the drama became very popular in several countries of Europe. This drama became so popular, that it was translated in several other European languages. This drama was instrumental in informing the European population about the plights of the Indian people.
5. Love for motherland: ‘Nil Darpan’ portrayed the tortures and the inhuman treatments meted out by the colonial ruler. This drama was instrumental in the creating an awareness among the educated Bengali middle class about the condition that their countrymen were in.

1. Early life: Harinath Majumdar was born in 1833, at Kumarkhali in undivided Nadia. His father was Harochandra Majumdar. Due to financial crisis in the family, he could not continue his schooling.
2. Publication of Grambarta Prakashika: In 1863, Harinath began publishing Grambarta Prakashika. Initially the magazine was monthly, however later in 1870, it was transformed into a weekly magazine. Grambarta Prakashika contained regular news and articles about social conditions, literature, philosophy, science etc.
3. Stand against oppression: Kangal Harinath published news about the oppression of the zamindars on the farmers, the indigo planters on the ryots, the torture faced by the farmers in the hands of the moneylenders etc., in his paper. This was instrumental in bringing these incidents to the forefront and making the people aware of the oppression of the British Raj.
4. Spreading education: Via his paper, Harinath kept spreading his vision of educating the rural masses. With help of a few friends, he established a school in his village in 1855. He even helped in the establishment of a girls’ school in the village in 1865.
5. Literature and songs: Harinath had written several books. A few of them like ‘Bijoy Bosonto’, ‘Charu-Charitra’, ‘Kobita Kaumodi’ etc., deserve special mention. When Grambarta Prakashika had been stopped due to financial crisis, Harinath devoted his time to reading scriptures and in search of the divine. He even formed a folk group which came to known as ‘Kangal Fakirer Chander Dol’. He was involved in composing Bengali folk songs for a period of time. ‘Hari din to gelo sondhe holo’, a very popular Bengali folk song is one of Harinath’s most popular baul songs.

1. Government oppression: The condition of the society and its citizens, due to the severe social and economic oppression of the British Raj was portrayed by ‘Grambarta Prakashika’.
2. Oppression by the zamindars: The British were supported in their oppression of the civilians by the Zamindars and the moneylenders. These were the people who oppressed and tortured the people the most. The condition created in Bengal due to these oppressions was vividly portrayed by ‘Grambarta Prakashika’.
3. Support towards the common masses: In 1873, a revolt of the common masses began at Sirajganj. ‘Grambarta Prakashika’ spoke on behalf of these grieved masses. Even during the famines of 1876, ‘Grambarta Prakashika’ played a vital role by publishing news about the conditions of the people.
4. Oppression by the indigo planters: Harinath Majumdar had briefly worked at an indigo plantation. While working there, he had himself seen the torture that the indigo planters meted out on the ryots and farmers. Harinath regularly published news of such oppression and torture in ‘Grambarta Prakashika’.
5. Spreading awareness: The inhuman treatment and the endless torture faced by the common people of rural Bengal and the condition of their lives due to the oppression of the British Raj was vividly portrayed by ‘Grambarta Prakashika’.
6. Others: Apart from portraying the oppression and tortures of the British Raj, ‘Grambarta Prakashika’ also had articles and pieces about literature, philosophy, science, news about revolutionary activities, etc. Even the songs of Lalon Fakir were first published in ‘Grambarta Prakashika’.

1. Formation of the Bidyautsahini Sabha: At the age of 15, Kaliprasanna formed the Bidyautsahini Sabha in 1855. The members. of this sabha meet every week and discussed contemporary literature. This sabha even openly placed its opinions about widow remarriage and other contemporary social issues. In 1861, this sabha felicitated Michael Madhusudhan Dutta.
2. Fine on James Long: When Michael Madhusudhan Dutta translated Dinabandhu Mitra’s satirical work ‘Nil Darpan’ under the alias of James Long, and was fined one thousand rupees, Kaliprasanna immediately paid the money on behalf of Long.
3. Literary work: One of Kaliprasanna’s famous literary works was ‘Hutom Pyanchar Naksha’. Through this novel Kaliprasanna gave a vivid picture of the mental downfall of the Bengali middle class ‘Babu’. Kaliprasanna was critical about this attitude of the ‘Babus’. By writing ‘Hutom Pyanchar Naksha’ in the local Bengali, Kaliprasanna opened up a new path in the literary field. He even translated the whole seventeen volumes of Mahabharata in Bengali. His other famous works include the ‘Puransongroho’.
4. Welfare works: Although Kaliprasanna himself was a zamindar, he cared about the condition of his subjects. He often donated profusely to charity. When the Widow Remarriage Act was passed, Kaliprasanna announced that he would give 1000 rupees to every man who willfully married a widow.
5. Financial crisis: Due to his continuous donations to charity, and his expenditure in social welfare works, Kaliprasanna was soon encompassed by huge debts. Due to debts he was forced to sell off his zamindari in Orissa and Kolkata. He was cheated by his relatives and friends.
6. Death: Kaliprasanna died at a very young age. His death at the age of 29, in the year 1870 was a shock for many of his fellow compadres.

Analytical Answer (AA) Type Questions

Answer in 7 to 8 sentences

1. ‘Grambarta Prakashika’, an influential journal was first published in 1863 under the editorship of Kangal Harinath Majumder.
2. This journal was devoted primarily to issues vital to the rural world. It led a relentless struggle to promote education in Bengal and create public opinion against expliotation. It published articles exposing social and political vices.
3. It was particularly uncompromising against the oppression of British planters and moneylenders. The journal ventilated the grievances of the indigo ryots and other ordinary tillers.
4. It raised questions concerning the pitiful condition of peasants and their confrontations with the local zamindars.

1. First published: ‘Grambarta Prakashika’ was first published from Calcutta (now Kolkata) in the year 1863. Later, the Mathura Nath Press (M N Press) was established in Comilla district of the then undivided Bengal for the publication of ‘Grambarta Prakashika’.
2. Progress: ‘Grambarta Prakashika’ was first brought out as a monthly paper. Later on however, it was published weekly from the year 1870.
3. Editor: The editor of ‘Grambarta Prakashika’ was Harinath Majumdar (1833-1896), who was popularly known as Kangal Harinath. Harinath Majumdar was all in all of ‘Grambarta Prakashika’, from a reporter for the paper, to the vendor.
4. Aims of Grambarta Prakashika: The main aims of Harinath Majumdar or Kangal Harinath, behind publishing the ‘Grambarta Prakashika’ was to bring out the conditions of rural Bengal in front of everyone.
5. Economic crisis: ‘Grambarta Prakashika’ was never an economically affluent newspaper. Harinath did not run the paper for profit. The paper was run by the help from several affluent and helping people who had come forward to help Harinath. However, in the end, publishing of ‘Grambarta Prakashika’ stopped due to a debt of only 7 rupees.

1. Early life: Dutta was born in 1840, in Majilpur village in the present South 24 Parganas in Calcutta. He was the son of Haramohan Dutta. He completed his education from a Christian missionary school in Bhowanipore. Even though he got. admitted in the Calcutta Medical College, but could not continue his studies due to financial difficulties.
2. Leadership of Brahmo Samaj: Umesh Chandra joined Brahmo Samaj in 1859 and very soon came close to Keshab Chandra Sen. He even established a branch of Brahmo Samaj in his hometown, Harinavi. When the Brahmo Samaj was divided into two sections, Umesh Chandra became one of the popular activists of the section under Keshab Chandra Sen.
3. Bamabodhini Sabha: In 1863, Umesh Chandra alongwith a few other young Brahmos established the Bamabodhini Sabha. The main objective of this Sabha was to educate and uplift the condition of ‘bama’ or ‘women’ in the society. The Sabha also fought for the rights of womenfolk in the society.
4. Bamabodhini Patrika: The Bamabodhini Patrika was brought out under the supervision of Umesh Chandra in 1863. This magazine aimed at bringing forward the views of women. The Bamabodhini Patrika continued till 1922.
5. Other contributions! Umesh Chandra had taught in several schools. He was the Head Master of the City School and later became the Principal of City College. In 1893, he opened a school for the deaf and dumb at Manicktala in Kolkata.
6. Death: Umesh Chandra led a very simple life, and hence he was called an ascetic by people. He died in 1907.

1. It is a compilation of about 140 pages of satirical prose. Here Kaliprasanna criticised the activities of the then urban society in a humorous manner under the pseudonym ‘Hutom Pyancha’.
2. It portrays the picture of the 19th century ‘babu’ culture in Calcutta.
3. It consists of descriptions of religious festivals, false saints, babus, sahibs etc. The traditional Hindu festivals, like Charak, Rathayatra, Snanyatra and Durgapuja were celebrated along with Christmas. This comical mixture of the Eastern and Western mode of life is the object of ridicule in the book. The ‘hutom pyancha’, or barn owl, is supposed to have shrewd eyes and a sharp beak. Nobody escapes his shrewd eyes and he harshly criticises all the social evils.

The book is full of character sketches like those of the station master, booking clerk, drunkards, the newly rich zaminders, etc.

1. Background: Due to the heavy demand of indigo in the European cloth industry, the European merchants and planters forced the Indian farmers to plant indigo. This was the reason behind the problems in the lives of the farmers. ‘Nil Darpan’ portrayed the condition of the farmers and the oppression of the farmers and the share croppers.
2. Condition of the farmers and indigo ryots: The European planters forced the farmers to cultivate indigo instead of wheat. This was the prime reason behind the food shortage that was seen in this period. On the other hand the farmers were not given the right price of the crops cultivated by them. On top of the food shortage, the farmers now faced acute financial crisis as well. This condition of the farmers was vividly portrayed in Nil Darpan.
3. Torture: ‘Nil Darpan’ portrayed the condition of the ryots and the tortures they faced by ryots in the hands of the indigo planters. The planters not only forced the farmers to plant indigo but also evicted them from their lands and took away their properties.
4. Indigo Revolt: Due to the inhuman torture faced by the Indigo farmers in the hands of the European planters, the farmers rose in revolt against this forceful cultivation of Indigo. This uprising of the farmers was known as Indigo Revolt. This revolt was portrayed by ‘Nil Darpan’.

1. Early life: Dinabandhu Mitra was born in 1829 in Chouberia village of the present North 24 Parganas. His father was Kalichand Mitra. He fled from home at a very early age and lived at his uncle’s house in Calcutta.
2. Career: Dinabandhu Mitra studied in Hindoo College, Calcutta. After completion of studies he went on to join the postal services in Patna. While working for the postal department, Dinabandhu Mitra came to gather first hand knowledge about the oppression on the farmers.
3. Exemplary work: Dinabandhu Mitra’s famous work was ‘Nil Darpan’. The drama ‘Nil Darpan’ portrayed the condition of the poor farmers and the tortures they faced in the hands of the European planters. The drama also played an important role in gathering public opinion about the Indigo Revolt.
   
4. Sketch of torture and inhuman treatment: After the release of ‘Nil Darpan’, the Bengali educated society became aware of these tortures going on in rural Bengal. Even in Europe when ‘Nil Darpan’ was performed, the European community was shocked at the inhuman attitude that their fellow countrymen were showing in India.
5. Translation into other languages: ‘Nil Darpan’ was the first Bengali drama which was translated into English. This English translation was published under the name of Rev. James Long. Apart from English, this drama was also translated into several other European languages.
6. Literary works: Other than ‘Nil Darpan’, other literary works of Dinabandhu Mitra include, ‘Sodhobar Ekadashi’, ‘Nabin Tapasshyi’, ‘Biye Pagla Buro’ etc.

Short Answer (SA) Type Questions

Answer in 2 to 3 sentences

Very Short Answer (VSA) Type Questions

Answer in one sentence

Fill in the blanks

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)

Answer in 15 to 16 sentences

1. The introduction of western education was perhaps the most important single factor behind the Indian awakening. The English East India Company did not take interest in educating the Indians.
2. Efforts of Rammohan Roy and David Hare created an environment conducive to the development of western education. In 1882, Rammohan Roy founded the Anglo-Hindu School. He joined hands with David Hare for the foundation of Hindu College in 1817. David Hare, along with some missionaries, also founded the School Book Society. The humanitarians among the British and the Indians were pressing for modern education. It gradually became impossible for the government to continue its policy of indifference to education.
3. A humble beginning was made in the Charter Act of 1813 which provided that the company should spend one lakh rupees for the educational development of India.
4. But as there was a controversy among the Anglicists and the Orientalists as to how this amount was to be spent, nothing could be done in this regard.
5. The controversy was settled in 1835 under the Governor-Generalship of William Bentinck who advocated the policy of spending the money for promotion of western education. Bentinck’s resolution gave a great impetus to the progress of western education. As a result, The Calcutta Medical College and Elphinstone Institution of Bombay were established in 1835.
6. A marked shift in the government’s policy can be noticed in 1854. In this year the Education Dispatch of Sir Charles Wood laid down the principle of graded educational system from the primary school to the university’. In 1857, three universities were set up at Calcutta, Bombay and Madras.

1. It was the first institution in Asia to be established as a multidisciplinary and secular Western style University.
2. A four member senate was formed as the policy-making body of the University. On June 30, 1858 the syndicate of the University started functioning.
3. The first entrance examination for admission to the University was held in 1857. The first BA examination was held in 1858 and the MA examination was held in the year 1861.
4. The first Chancellor of the University was Lord Canning and the first Vice-Chancellor was Sir James William Colvile. The Honourable Justice Gurudas Banarjee became the first Indian Vice-Chancellor of the University in 1890.
5. Jadunath Bose and Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay achieved a milestone by becoming the first graduates of the University. Incidently they were also the first male graduates.
6. Kadambini Ganguly and Chandramukhi Basu were the first female graduates of the University.
7. Four nobel laureates-Ronald Ross, Rabindranath Tagore, CV Raman and Amartya Sen were associated with this University.

1. Early life: David Hare was born in 1775 in Scotland. He came to Calcutta in 1800 and started a watch business. This business became his source of wealth. He was aggrieved to see the condition of the people due to the colonial rule.
2. Advancement of modern education: David Hare was one of the people who believed that the miseries of the Indian people could be removed, if the Indians could be educated in Western ideas and ideals. He helped establish the Hindu College with this’ aim in mind. He also established the School Book Society in the same year with the aim of providing books in both English and Bengali for the students of the colleges and schools.
3. Advancement of women’s education: For the advancement of Women’s education and to encourage more and more girls to get educated, David Hare opened several girls’ schools and colleges.
4. Opposition to colonial oppression: Hare was opposed to the colonial oppression on the poor Indian by the colonial officers. He vehemently protested against this kind of oppression. He rose in protest against the inhuman laws passed by the British.
5. Love for the country: Even though David Hare was from Scotland, to him India had become his homeland. His love for India made him remain in India until his death. He had transformed into a full fledged Indian in his years in India.

1. The Charter Act of 1813 formulated the education policy of the English East India Company which provided that the company should spend one lakh rupees for the promotion of education among the Indians.
2. Controversy arose between the Orientalists and the Anglicists regarding the type of education to be introduced in India.
3. The Anglicists, consisting of Lord Macaulay-the Law Member of Governor- General’s Legislative Council, Alexander Duff and Rammohan Roy, advocated the cause of English education. Lord Macaulay remarked that the knowledge derived from the books of English literature packed in a single shelf was more valuable than the knowledge which the whole range of Oriental literature would give.
4. The other faction, known as the Orientalists, that included Princep, Colebrook etc., advocated the cause of oriental languages like Persian and Sanskrit instead of English. They pointed out that students would be good job hunters but they would fail to deliver to their countrymen if they studied only English.
5. Ultimately, the controversy was settled in 1835 under the Governor-Generalship of William Bentinck. He strongly advocated the policy of spending the money for promotion of English education in India.
                                 Anglicist-Orientalist Controversy

   Anglicist members	Orientalist members
   1. Rev. Alexander Duff	1. H T Princep/James Princep
   2. Rammohan Roy	2. H T Colebrooke
   3. Lord Macaulay	3. Alexander Johnston
   4. Charles Trevelyan	4. Mountstuart Elphinstone
   5. Halt Mackenzie	5. H H Wilson

1. Spread of western education roused the Indians from medieval slumber and gave birth to a new awakening in India.
2. western education proved a great blessing in disguise as the Indians began to come under the influence of Western thoughts and political concepts like democracy, freedom, equality, secularism, nationalism etc.
3. It set up a high standard of rational thinking; reason and judgement took the place of faith and belief and superstition yielded to science.
4. As a result, many reform movements like the Brahmo Samaj, the Prarthana Samaj, the Arya Samaj and such others started in the 19th century.
5. A great urge for knowing the history and heritage of India developed among the Indians. Research on India’s past and heritage received a great impetus.
6. Spread of western education gave rise to the middle class and it was the awakening of political consciousness of this class that spread national unity.
7. The spread of western education had unfortunate consequences too. The educated youths began to look down upon. their own culture and a big gap now separated educated Indians and illiterate masses.
8. Indian languages were neglected and as vernacular education was of little help in securing jobs, many pathasalas and maktabs had to be closed down.

1. David Hare, a Scottish philanthropist, devoted his life to the furtherance of modern education in Bengal.
2. He was instrumental in establishing the School Book Society in 1817, which took the initiative to print and publish text books in both English and Bengali.
3. His name is associated with the foundation of prestigious educational institutions in Calcutta such as Hindu School and Hare School. He felt that English education was essential for the country. He was also the founder of the Hindu College in 1817.
4. In 1818, he established the Calcutta School Society. He also supported Ladies Society for Native Female Education.

1. Early life: Bethune was born in 1801 in an affluent family in England. He completed his education from Westminster School, Trinity College and then Cambridge University in London. He came to India as an officer of the East India Company in 1848.
2. Progress of education: After coming to India on official purpose, Bethune was grieved by the condition of the Indian masses. Apart from working for the government, he also worked on his own initiative for the betterment of the people.
3. Establishment of educational institutions: For the upliftment and progress of women’s education, he established the Hindu Mahila Vidyalay in Mirzapur, Calcutta. Vidyasagar was the first president of the working committee of this school. He even established a college for women’s studies. At present, the school and the college are known as Bethune School and Bethune College respectively.
   
4. Other works: Bethune was closely related with the Calcutta Public Library. He was specially interested in translating literary works into Bengali language since he was fond of this language.

1. Suggestions: The suggestions offered by the Woods Despatch were: [i] Division of each and every educational institution into 5 sets. [ii] Opening more primary and secondary schools in India. More colleges were also to be opened so as to give the students a chance to complete their studies in their homeland. [iii] Establish- ment of a university in each of the three Presidencies. [iv] Establishment of a separate education department. [v] Appointment of an officer to govern the Higher Education departments. [vi] Begin the process of teacher training. [vii] Allow, the use of one’s mother tongue in education institutions. [viii] Increase teaching of English in higher education. [ix] Growth in female education.
2. Bible of western education: Indian education system came to be built on the basis of western education institutions due to Wood’s Despatch.

1. Vidyasagar is remembered for his role as an educationist, with the support of Lord Hardinge, he established schools in the rural localities of Bengal. He established 20 model schools in different districts of Bengal. He also realised the need to establish schools for the education of women. He established 35 girls’ schools in the rural localities of Bengal. He was one of the founders of the Metropolitan Institution.
   
2. He wrote ‘Varnamala’, ‘Kathamala’ and ‘Bodhodaya’ to train children in Bengali language and grammar. He supported study of Sanskrit grammar through the medium of Bengali for which he composed ‘Sanskrit Byakaran Upakramanika’ and ‘Byakaran Kaumudi’.

1. Condition of women: After coming to India for official purpose, Bethune was grieved by the condition of the Indian women and he took initiative to introduce female education in the country.
2. Establishment of schools: For the upliftment and progress of women’s education, he established the Hindu Mahila Vidyalay in Mirzapur, Calcutta. Vidyasagar was the president of the working committee of the school. He took the support of people, such as Dakshinaranjan Mukherjee, Ramgopal Ghosh and Madan Mohan Tarkalankar and donated all his movable and immovable property to the school.
3. Establishment of college: To promote higher education among the women Bethune established a women’s college which is at present known as the Bethune College. The institution was started with the vision of producing successful enlightened generations of women. Pritilata Waddedar, the famous freedom fighter, was a student of this college.

Short Answer (SA) Type Questions

Answer in 2 to 3 sentences

1. Three universities were to be opened in the three presidency towns of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras.
2. In each of the five provinces-Bengal, Bombay, Madras, the North West Frontier Province and the Punjab-a director of public instruction was to be appointed for a systematic supervision of the education system. The Directors were to be assisted by a number of inspectors.

Answer in one sentence

Fill in the blanks

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)

TOPIC – C

4. Bring out in brief Swami Vivekananda’s thoughts on the ideal of service to mankind.

Ans. Swami Vivekananda believed in the welfare of human beings. He laid emphasis on social services and on efforts to obviate the sufferings of the people. He once said, “The poor, the ignorant, the illiterate, the afflicted-let these be your God-know that service to these is the highest religion” He further remarked, “So long as the millions live in hunger and ignorance, I hold every man a traitor who having been educated at their expense pay not the least heed to them.” He spread the meassage of ‘Jatra Jiva Tatra Shiva’ (God is present in every human being) and his words were ‘Shivajnane Jibseba’ (serve living beings considering them the incarnation of God).

5. What do you mean by ‘Sarva Dharma Sama Bhava’?

Ans. The concept of ‘Sarva Dharma Sama Bhava’ can be discussed as follows-

1. ‘Sarva Dharma Sama Bhava is an Indian concept, embodying the equality of all religions. The concept was embraced by Ramkrishna Paramhansa.
2. He recognised the difference among religions but realised that in spite of these differences, all religions lead to the same ultimate goal and hence they are all valid and true. By studying different religions, he came to the conclusion that all religions are essentially the same. He believed that all paths led to the same goal. He saw God in everything and in everyone. It is like the Hindus, the Muslims and the Christians calling the same substance by different names, for example, jal, water and pani. His famous doctrine was ‘Yato mata tata patha’ (i.e., as many opinions, as many ways).

6. What do you mean by Neo-Vedanta?

Ans. The concept of Neo-Vedanta can be discussed as follows-

1. Neo-Vedanta is a modern interpretation of selected aspects of Hinduism in line with Western esoteric traditions, especially transcendentalism, new thought and Theosophy. Vivekananda was of the main representatives of Neo-Vedanta. His reinterpretation was, and is, very successful, creating a new understanding and appreciation of Hinduism.
2. Neo-Vedanta, also called Neo-Hinduism, Hindu-modernism, Global Hinduism and Hindu Universalism, are terms used to characterise interpretations of Hinduism that developed in the 19th century.
3. These modern interpretations incorporate Western ideas into traditional Indian religion, especially Adviata Vedanta, which is considered fundamental or central to Hindu culture.

7. Assess the role of the Brahmo Samaj in the social reforn: movements of the 19th Century.

Ans. The vital role played by the Brahmo Samaj in the social reform movements of the 19th century can be discussed as follows-

1. The Brahmo Samaj, founded in 1828 by Rammohan Roy, played an important role in the social reform movements of the 19th century.
2. During that time, evils like sati, female infanticide, child marriage, purdah system, caste divisions and untouchability were prevalent. The Brahmo Samaj criticised these customs and traditions prevalent in the society.
3. Due to strong oppositions of the Brahmo Samaj against these customs, later different acts were passed to put an end to these evils. In 1829, an Act was passed against the sati system. Caste system, child marriage, female infanticide were also declared illegal.
4. Owing to the preachings of Rammohan Roy, widow remarriage and intercaste marriages began to take place. Intercaste marriages also reduced the rigidity of the caste system. The Brahmo Samaj did a lot for spreading education among women and common people.

8. What were the achievements of the Brahmo Samaj under the leadership of Debendranath Tagore?

Ans. The Brahmo Samaj made a lot of progress under the leadership of Debendranath Tagore. Some of its achievements were-

1. After Rammohan Roy’s death in 1833, Debendranath Tagore became the leader of the Brahmo Samaj. He joined it in 1842 and infused a new life in it.
   
2. Under his leadership, branches of the Samaj were established in different towns.
3. In 1839, he founded the Tattwabodhini Sabha which sought to popularise the ideas of Rammohan Roy. Some of the leading members of the sabha were social reformers.
4. Debendranath condemned idol worship, and discouraged pilgrimage and other ceremonials.
5. In 1840, Tattwabodhini school was founded to educate young men in the principles of the new faith.
6. Debendranath also started the famous journal Tattwabodhini Patrika’, which became the chief organ of the Brahmo Samaj.

9. Why is Derozio remembered?

Ans. Henry Louis Vivian Derozio was one of the most prominent figures of 19th century Bengal. He is still remembered today because of his various contributions for the upliftment of the society-

1. Derozio is primarily remembered as a social reformer of the 19th century. He was a teacher of the Hindu College. He encouraged his students to debate freely and question authority and was dismissed from the college on charges of propagating revolutionary ideas against Hinduism.
2. He founded the Academic Association which organised debates on different topics. He inspired his students with a deep love for their motherland.
3. The most prominent among his students were Rasik Krishna Mallick, Ramgopal Ghose, Ramtanu Lahiri etc. His students were collectively known as Young Bengal or Derozians.
4. Derozio and his followers attacked the evil practices of the society like sati, untouchability, image worship, casteism etc.
5. He wanted to apply Western ideas in India to help her progress.
6. His objectives were the emancipation of the Indians from superstitions, ignorance, illiteracy and other social evils and to remake India after the images of the West.

10. Write about the philanthropic activities of Haji Muhammad Mohsin.

Ans. Haji Muhammad Mohsin was a prominent philanthropist of Bengal. He led a holy life and spent his money in helping the poor people. He freely helped both the Hindus and the Mohammedans of Bengal. He spent much for spreading education among the Mohammedans. He made remarkable contributions to the Hooghly College and the Madrasas in Dacca, Chittagong and several other places. He deposited a large sum with the government with a view to enable the muslim youths to read in government schools and colleges in Bengal, free of charge. His most notable contribution was during the great famine of Bengal (1769-70). According to government records, he set up several ‘langarkhanas’ during the famine and had also donated liberally to the government famine fund.

11. Why is Bijoy Krishna Goswami famous?

Ans. Bijoy Krishna Goswami was a socio- religious reformer. He was thought to be the incarnation of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in India. He was a spokesman of the new Vaishnavite doctrine. He was inspired by Debendranath Tagore, the leader of the Brahmo Samaj. Being inspired by Debendranath, he joined the Brahmo Samaj. He toured different parts of India to preach Brahmoism. He followed different religious paths to attain the absolute truth. In 1888 he left Brahmoism and started to preach New Vaishnavite doctrine. This path of absolute truth was taught by him to his followers.

Short Answer (SA) Type Questions

Answer in 2 to 3 sentences

1. What led to the socio-religious reform movements in the 19th Century?

Ans. The introduction of western education made a section of Indians well acquainted with progressive and liberal ideas of the West. Their faiths and beliefs were replaced by reason and judgement. This change in ideas and beliefs led to the rise of socio-religious reform movements in the 19th century.

2. Who were known as Young Bengal? What were the objectives of Young Bengal?

Ans. In the 20s of the 19th century, some students of the Hindu College started a strong rationalist reform movement under the inspiration of their teacher, Henry Louis Vivian Derozio. The most favourite students of Derozio-Krishna Mohan Banerjee, Rasik Krishna Mallick, Radhanath Sikdar, Ramtanu Lahiri etc.-were collectively known as Young Bengal.

They attacked the evil practices of the society like sati, untouchability, image worship, casteism etc. They wanted to apply Western ideas in India to pave her path to progress. Their objective was to emancipate the Indians from ignorance, illiteracy, superstitions and all social evils and to remake India after the images of the West.

3. By what name were Derozio’s followers known? What was the ideal followed by this group?

Ans. Derozio’s followers were collectively known as Young Bengal.

The members of this group took keen interest in social reforms and were against conservatism, old traditions and superstitious practices of the society. They wanted emancipation of India from ignorance, illiteracy and followed the ideals of liberty and democracy.

4. In which year and by whom was the Academic Association established? Why was it established?

Ans. The Academic Association was established in 1827 by Henry Louis Vivian Derozio.

Derozio protested against the existing evils of the society like untouchability, caste system, sati system, idol worship and established the Academic Association.

5. Mention one social reform movement of the 19th century and its founder.

Ans. The Brahmo movement was one of the social reform movements of the 19th century. Its founder was Raja Rammohan Roy.

6. Who founded the Brahmo Samaj? What goals of social reforms did it pursue?

Ans. The Brahmo Samaj was founded by Raja Rammohan Roy.

The goals of social reform pursued by the Brahmo Samaj were-to promote among the people of different religions, a faith in the unity of the divine and of man and also a spirit of tolerance.

7. Name some famous leaders of the Brahmo Samaj.

Ans. Some famous leaders of the Brahmo Samaj were Debendranath Tagore, Sivnath Sastri, Keshab Chandra Sen, Rammohan Roy, Ananda Mohon Basu, Bijoy Krishna Goswami etc.

8. What is meant by ‘Nababidhan’?

Ans. Keshab Chandra Sen was a great social reformer of 19th century. Bengal. He came under the influence of Ramkrishna Paramhansa. He established a syncretic school of spiritualism called the ‘Nababidhan’ or New Dispensation which attempted to incorporate the best principles of Christianity within the framework of Hindu thought. This syncretic religious philosophy promoted fraternity and love and also chastised the evils that persisted in the society. It enunciated the ideology ‘God is conscience’.

9. Give some examples of social movements of the Brahmo Samaj under the initiative of Keshab Chandra Sen.

Ans. Under the initiative of Keshab Chandra Sen the Brahmo Samaj carried movement in favour of widow remarriage, women’s education and against untouchability, caste system, purdah system etc.

10. Write about two social reform movements of the Brahmo Samaj.

Ans. Two social reform movements of the Brahmo Samaj are as follows:

1. The Brahmo Samaj compelled the government to enact Regulation III prohibiting child marriage and polygamy and sanctioning widow remarriage and intercaste marriage.
2. The Brahmo Samaj created.public opinion in favour of women’s education and anticipation of women.

11. Why was the Atmiya Sabha established?

Ans. The Atmiya Sabha was established in 1815 by Raja Rammohan Roy to discuss about the religious and social problems of the society, to challenge and denounce orthodox religious views and to promote free and collective thinking.

12. When and by whom was the Widow Remarriage Act passed?

Ans. The Widow Remarriage Act was passed by Lord Dalhousie in 1856 with the help of the Bengali social reformer Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar.

13. What doctrine did Swami Vivekananda expound at the Parliament of Religions in Chicago?

Ans. Swami Vivekananda, at the Parliament of Religions (1893) in Chicago, propounded the true meaning of Hinduism. He proclaimed Vedanta as a great universal religion of the world. He expounded the universalism of Indian culture, its capacity to embrace friends and foes as brothers. He said, “As different streams mingle their waters in the ocean, so different paths which men take lead to the lord.”

14. What was the contribution of Swami Vivekananda to the social movement of the 19th century?

Ans. Swami Vivekananda was a great social reformer. He gave a call for building up a new India by struggling against untouchability, poverty, social evils and injustices. He condemned caste system, rituals, ceremonies and superstitions. He urged the people to imbibe the spirit of liberty, equality and free thinking. He remarked, “I do not believe in religion that cannot wipe out a widow’s tears or bring a piece of bread to an orphan’s mouth.”

15. Who was Haji Muhammad Mohsin?

Ans. Haji Muhammad Mohsin was a prominent philanthropist of Bengal. He made pilgrimage to Mecca and visited Medina, Kufa, Karbala and other holy places. After he performed the Hajj, he was given the title ‘Haji’. He spent much for spreading education among the Mohammedans. He also spent his money in helping the poor people.

16. Where is the Hooghly Mohsin college located? When and under whose initiative was it established?

Ans. The Hooghly Mohsin College is located in Chinsura in the district of Hooghly.

Muhammad Mohsin made a remarkable contribution to the cause of education. He deposited a large sum with the government and the Hooghly Mohsin College was established in 1836 under the initiative of Metcalfe.

17. Who was Lalon Fakir?

Ans. Lalon Fakir was a Bengali baul saint, mystic, song-writer, thinker and social reformer. He is considered to be an icon of religious tolerance whose songs inspired and influenced many poets, social and religious thinkers like Rabindranath Tagore, Nazrul Islam etc. He rejected all distinctions of caste and creed and his songs spoke of day to day problems in a simple yet moving language.

Very Short Answer (VSA) Type Questions

Answer in one sentence

1. Name a journal published by the Brahmo Samaj.

Ans. A journal published by the Brahmo Samaj was ‘Sulabh Samachar’.

2. Who was the founder of the Bharat Varshiya Brahmo Samaj?

Ans. Keshab Chandra Sen was the founder of the Bharat Varshiya Brahmo Samaj.

3. Name two newspapers published by Rammohan Roy.

Ans. Two newspapers published by Rammohan Roy were ‘Sambad Kaumudi’ and ‘Mirat-ul-Akhbar’.

4. Name two leaders of the Brahmo Samaj.

Ans. Two leaders of the Brahmo Samaj were Debendranath Tagore and Keshab Chandra Sen.

5. Name two journals published by the Derozians.

Ans. Two journals published by the Derozians were ‘Parthenon’ and ‘Bengal Spectator’.

6. Who started the anti-sati movement?

Ans. The anti-sati movement was started by Rammohan Roy.

7. In which year was sati system abolished?

Ans. The sati system was abolished in 1829.

8. Name the Governor-General who abolished the sati system.

Ans. Lord William Bentinck abolished the sati system.

9. Who started the Widow Remarriage Society and when?

Ans. Vishnu Shastri Pandit started the Widow Remarriage Society in 1850.

10. Who was the founder of Tattwabodhini Sabha?

Ans. Debendranath Tagore was the founder of Tattwabodhini Sabha.

11. Who wrote the poem ‘To India-My Native Land’?

Ans. Derozio wrote the poem To India-My Native Land’.

12. Name two Derozians.

Ans. Two Derozians were Ramtanu Lahiri and Krishna Mohan Banerjee.

13. Who was the editor of the ‘Tattwabodhini Patrika’?

Ans. Debendranath Tagore was the editor of the Tattwabodhini Patrika’.

14. Who started a movement in favour of widow remarriage?

Ans. Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar started a movement in favour of widow remarriage.

15. Name two leaders of the Young Bengal Movement.

Ans. Two leader of the Young Bengal Movement were Ram Gopal Ghose and Rasik Krishna Mallick.

16. Name two social reformers who worked for the welfare of women.

Ans. Two social reformers who worked for the welfare of women were Rammohan Roy and Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar.

17. Name two books written by Swami Vivekananda.

Ans. Two books written by Swami Vivekananda were ‘Bartaman Bharat’ and ‘Prachya-O-Paschatya’.

18. Who founded the Ramkrishna Mission?

Ans. The Ramkrishna Mission was founded by Swami Vivekananda.

19. Who uttered the famous doctrine ‘Yata mata tata patha’?

Ans. Ramkrishna Paramhansa uttered the famous doctrine ‘Yata mata tata patha’.

20. In which year was the Widow Remarriage Act passed?

Ans. The Widow Remarriage Act was passed in 1856.

21. Who was Bijoy Krishna Goswami?

Ans. Bijoy Krishna Goswami was a prominent social reformer and religious figure and incarnation of Mahaprabhu Sri Chaitanya in India during the British period.

22. Name one of the main representatives of Neo-Vedanta?

Ans. Swami Vivekananda was one of the main representatives of Neo-Vedanta.

23. Who was Haji Muhammad Mohsin?

Ans. Haji Muhammad Mohsin was a prominent philanthropist of Bengal.

24. Who was Lalon Fakir?

Ans. Lalon Fakir was a Bengali baul saint, song-writer, thinker and social reformer.

Fill in the blanks

1. ……… was the founder of Atmiya Sabha.

Ans. Rammohan Roy

2. The founder of Brahmo Samaj was ……..

Ans. Rammohan Roy

3. Atmiya Sabha was founded in ………

Ans. 1815

4. The Brahmo Sabha was founded in ……….

Ans. 1828

5. The sati system was abolished in ………..

Ans. 1829

6. ………. started the movement in favour of widow remarriage.

Ans. Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar

7. ………..  was a leader of Young Bengal Movement.

Ans. Ram Gopal Ghose

8. Ramkrishna Mission was founded by ………..

Ans. Swami Vivekananda

9. ………. was a famous baul saint.

Ans. Lalon Fakir

10. The writer of the book ‘Bartaman Bharat’ is ……….

Ans. Swami Vivekananda

11. The authority of Hindu College dismissed ………

Ans. Louis Derozio

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)

1. Swami Vivekananda contributed a lot to-

A. Awakening

B. Renaissance

C. Both A and B

D. None of them

Ans. C

2. Where was the World Religious Parliament held?

A. London

B. Chicago

C. New York

D. Delhi

Ans. B

3. “In whatsoever name or form you desire to call him in that very form and name you will see Him.”-Who said this?

A. Raja Rammohan Roy

B. Swami Vivekananda

C. Ramkrishna Paramhansa

D. Dayananda Saraswati

Ans. C

4. Widow Remarrige Act was passed by-

A. Lord Canning

B. Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar

C. Lord Dalhousie

D. Rammohan Roy

Ans. C

5. Widow Remarriage Act was passed in-

A .1855

B. 1856

C. 1865

D. 1885

Ans. B

6. The first widow remarriage took place in-

A. 6 December, 1856

B. 7 December, 1856

C. 6 December 1857

D. 7 December 1857

Ans. B

7. Academic Association was established in-

A. 1825

B. 1826

C. 1827

D. 1828

Ans. D

8. Nababidhan was founded by-

A. Dayananda Saraswati

B. Keshab Chandra Sen

C. Swami Vivekananda

D. Debendranath Tagore

Ans. B

9. The person known as Brahmananda was-

A. Debendranath Tagore

B. Radhakanta Deb

C. Keshab Chandra Sen

D. Sivnath Sastri

Ans. C

10. The title Brahmananda was given to Keshab Chandra by-

A. Ramchandra Vidyabagish

B. Sivnath Sastri

C. Debendranath Tagore

D. Rammohan Roy

Ans. A

11. The mouthpiece of Ramkrishna Math and Mission was-

A. Bengalee Patrika

B. Sanjivani Patrika

C. Udbodhan Patrika

D. Amrita Bazar Patrika

Ans. C

12. ‘Fakir of Jungheera’ was composed by-

A. Keshab Chandra Sen

B. Debendranath Tagore

C. Swami Vivekananda

D. Derozio

Ans. D

13. The poem ‘To India, My Native Land’ was written by-

A. Pearychand Mitra

B. Derozio

C. Wordsworth

D. Father Gappon

Ans. B

14. The mouthpiece of Young Bengal was-

A. Bamabodhini

B. Atheneum

C. Somprakash

D. Samachar Darpan

Ans. B

TOPIC – D

Bengal Renaissance

Explanatory Answer (EA) Type Questions

Answer in 15 to 16 sentences

1. What do you mean by the Bengal Renaissance?

Ans. The concept of the renaissance in 19th century Bengal can be sketched as follows-

1. 19th century Bengal witnessed an intellectual awakening that is in some ways similar to the renaissance in Europe during the 16th century. This phenomenon was largely due to the contact with the West. Social, religious, political and literary activities flourished in Bengal during this phase.
2. Bengal witnessed the emergence of social and religious reformers, litterateurs scholars, journalists, scientists and patriots, all merging to form the image of a renaissance and marked the transition from medieval to modern.
3. The major expressions of the renaissance in Bengal were the appearance of a large number of periodicals, journals and newspapers, literary works, and growth of numerous associations and societies, spread of western education, ideas and beliefs.
   
4. In the annals of Bengali literature, there appeared stalwarts like Rammohan Roy, Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, Akshay Kumar Dutta, Michael Madhusudan Dutta, Hem Chandra Banerjee, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Dinabandhu Mitra etc. They introduced fictions, dramas and verses for the first time in Bengali literature.
5. There were also social and religious reform movements, movements for women’s emanipation and movements against religious superstitions.
6. Science also advanced under the initiative of several Bengali scientists such as Anil Kumar Gayen, Satyendranath Bose, Jagadish Chandra Bose and Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis.
7. The role played by Bengal in the awakening of India in comparable to the position occupied by Italy in the history of European Renaissance.

2. Was there a renaissance in 19th Century Bengal?

Ans. The intellectual awakening of Bengal in the nineteenth century is known as Bengal Renaissance.

1. 19th century Bengal witnessed intellectual awakening that is in some way similar to the renaissance in Europe during the 16th century. Bengal Renaissance has been a widely debated subject among intellectuals and historians.
2. Critics point out that unlike the European Renaissance, the range of the 19th century intellectual awakening was rather limited. The break with the past was severely limited in nature and remained mainly at the intellectual level. Most of the intellectuals did not have the courage to implement, even at their own individual levels, the principles that they preached. Those like Iswar Chandra, who publicly campaigned for their ideals, failed in their attempts. This intellectual movement remained confined to upper class Hindus, and thus did not include the problems of the lower class Hindus and Muslims.
3. The British government, for fear of alienating the traditionalists who formed the greater majority, was not ready to take any radical measures. This caused disappointment among the reformers and the movement in general declined gradually.

Analytical Answer (AA) Type Questions

Answer in 7 to 8 sentences

1. Why did renaissance originate in Bengal and not in any other part of India?

Ans. 19th century Bengal witnessed an intellectual awakening that is in some way similar to the renaissance in Europe during the 16th century. The question is why did the renaissance originate in Bengal and not in any other part of India?

1. This was due to the early advent of literature and education as compared to other regions of India.
2. Bengal and its neighbourhood were the first to witness the direct impact of British rule and modernisation.
3. The nineteenth century was the high point of British-Indian mutual reciprocation, especially within Bengal. The Bengali elite group which emerged mingled with the British and they started to reside in Calcutta. The Bengal Renaissance commenced from the very group starting with Raja Rammohan Roy, the most prominent personality of the renaissance period.

2. What was the impact of renaissance on the educational system of Bengal?

Ans. The intellectual awakening of Bengal in the 19th century is known as Bengal Renaissance. Renaissance had a great impact on the educational system of Bengal. From a conventional learning of Bengali, Sanskrit and Arabic languages, the Vedas, the Bengali folklore and ballads, late 18th century and early 19th century saw the establishment of different institutions like the Fort William College, the Asiatic Society, the Serampore College, the Hindu College and others which were meant to educate the elite Bengalis according to European values and ideals of education. This change in the educational scenario gave birth to a new intellectual class’ who perceived the idea of European education as the ideal form of learning.

Short Answer (SA) Type Questions

Answer in 2 to 3 sentences

1. What were the major expressions of the renaissance in Bengal?

Ans. The major expressions of renaissance in Bengal were the appearances of a large number of newspapers, periodicals and literary works, growth of numerous associations and societies, spread of western education and ideas.

2. Name some scientists and literary personalities of the renaissance period in Bengal.

Ans. In the renaissance period the annals of Bengali literature were crowded with bright names such as those of Rammohon Roy, Akshay Kumar Dutta, Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, Madhusudan Dutta, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Dinabandhu Mitra etc.

Science also flourished under the initiative of scientists like Satyendranath Bose, Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis and Jagadish Chandra Bose.

Very short Answer (VSA) Type Questions

Answer in one sentence

1. Who wrote Anandamath?

Ans. Anandamath was written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.

2. Where did renaissance first start in Europe?

Ans. Renaissance first started in Italy.

3. Which century of Bengal is known as the ‘Century of Renaissance’?

Ans. 19th century is known as the ‘Century of Renaissance’ in Bengal.

4. Name some personalities who played important role in Bengal Renaissance.

Ans. Some personalities who played important role in Bengal Renaissance are Rammohan Roy, Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, Keshab Chandra Sen, Debendranath Tagore, etc.

5. Name some scientists of the renaissance Period in Bengal.

Ans. Some scientists of the renaissance period in Bengal were Anil Kumar Gain, Satyendranath Bose, Jagadish Chandra Bose and Prafulla Chandra Roy.

6. Name the personalities who accepted 19th century Bengal as the period of renaissance.

Ans. Some personalities who accepted 19th century as the period of Bengal Renaissance are Asok Mitra, Binoy Ghosh, Dr. Barun De, Dr. Sumit Sarkar, Suprakash Raj, etc.

Mark True or False

1. Western education played the most important part in bringing about renaissance in Bengal.

Ans. True

2. In the annals of Bengali literature there appeared stalwarts like Rammohan Roy, Vidyasagar, Madhusudan Dutta etc. in the renaissance period.

Ans. True

3. The role of Bengal in the awakening of India is comparable to the role of Germany in the history of renaissance in Europe.

Ans. False

4. Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis was a novelist.

Ans. False

Fill in the blanks

1. The book ‘Notes on Bengal Renaissance’ is composed by ………..

Ans. Sushobhan Sarkar

2. Scientist ………. belonged to the Renaissance period.

Ans. Jagadish Chandra Bose

3. ………. century Bengal witnessed an intellectual awakening.

Ans. 19th

4. Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis was a ………

Ans. Statistician

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)

1. The centre of 19th Century Bengal Renaissance was-

A. Calcutta

B. Murshidabad

C. Dacca

D. Khulna

Ans. A

2. The annals of Bengali literature was crowded with bright name such as-

A. Madhusudan Dutta

B. Jagadish Chandra Bose

C. Satyendranath Bose

D. Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis

Ans. A

3. The pioneer of Indian Renaissance was-‘

A. Swami Vivekananda

B. John Drinkwater Bethune

C. Dakshinaranjan Mukherjee

D. Rammohan Roy

Ans. D

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