Anandmath is considered as one of the classics in the annals of Indian literature. Written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee who gave us the immortal “Bande Mataram” or “Vande Mataram”, this novel transports the reader to Bengal of a different era with more existential crisis. I capture my experiences of reading this book from a literary perspective and sometimes the metaphorical ones.
The prologue is short, yet cryptic. It sets the context for the story in the book to unfold and as one traverses the pages, we can relate to the metaphors captured in the prologue. The poems in the book including the famous “Bande Mataram” are exquisitely translated by Sri Aurobindo. The story is about a couple, a group of sanyasis who take up the struggle against the oppressing rulers to establish a new rule of land and how their achievements paves the path to establishment of British rule in Bengal.
Personally for me, I find a lot of metaphysical concepts hidden in the narrative. For example, when Kalyani describes her dream, one can draw parallels with “Tvameva Mate Pita Tvameva, Tvameva Bandhu ….” However, the writing is very powerful to evoke strong emotions within. When things take a tragic turn, the words are bound to impact the reader. The conversation between Jeevanand and Shanti where the former expresses his desire and deep seated love is absolutely beautiful. Similarly in the reflections of Bhavanand in solitude, the tenets of Indriya-Nigraha is beautifully woven into the narrative.
As a story, there is some conclusion with dharmic concepts forming the major narrative in the last couple of pages, but many ends that are not completely closed. For example, does Mahendra meet Kalyani and his daughter? What exactly happens to Jeevanand and Shanti? The author leaves us with these questions to ponder upon.
Rarely does a book leave this review thoughtful. What is the essence of this book? Is the book about spirituality? Is the book about nationalism? What did the author imply in the concluding pages of the book? Of course, it is quite easy to reflect back in hindsight and be judgemental of the phrases where the author implies that British rule was for the better. However, even considering the context of the era in which the book is set, I am unable to comprehend the rationale or the depth of the author’s viewpoints. Irrespective of these open points, I still find the book an invigorating read. Highly RECOMMENDED READ.
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