Q. ‘In 1893, he started using the traditional religious Ganapati festival to stimulate nationalism among young Maharashtrains ….’ This passage refers to
(a) Vishnu Shastri Chiplunkar
(b) V. D. Savarkar
(c) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
(d) Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
Ans: (d) Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
Explanation: The correct answer is (d) Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
The passage refers to Bal Gangadhar Tilak, who in 1893 started using the traditional religious Ganapati festival to stimulate nationalism among young Maharashtrains. Bal Gangadhar Tilak, also known as Lokmanya Tilak, was a prominent Indian nationalist leader and social reformer during the Indian independence movement.
Tilak recognized the potential of religious festivals as a platform to spread nationalist ideas and mobilize the masses. He believed that by incorporating nationalistic themes and messages into traditional festivals, he could awaken the spirit of nationalism among the people, especially the youth.
The Ganapati festival, dedicated to Lord Ganesha, was particularly popular in Maharashtra. Tilak used this festival as an opportunity to organize public processions, public meetings, and cultural performances with a strong nationalist undertone. He encouraged people to participate actively in these events, fostering a sense of pride in their culture and heritage while instilling a spirit of nationalism and resistance against British colonial rule.
Tilak’s efforts in utilizing religious festivals as a means of promoting nationalism played a significant role in mobilizing the masses and creating a sense of unity and national identity among the people of Maharashtra.
Therefore, the correct answer is (d) Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
