Overview

This book elaborates the politico-ideological viewpoints of Aurobindo, as displayed when he reigned as one of the major nationalist leaders defining Indian nationalism. Bidyut Chakrabarty examines Aurobindo’s politico-ideological ideas during the period (1893-1910) when he was an active participant in the ‘New Nationalist’ or ‘Democratic Nationalist’ campaign, which started with the bifurcation of the Indian National Congress between the Moderates and Extremists (also known as the Revolutionary Nationalists) in its 1907 annual session, held at Surat. Chapters cover Aurobindo’s distinctive ideas of nationalism, which he evolved in collaboration with his colleagues, especially Lal-Bal-Pal (Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Bipin Chandra Pal), and how he redefined the practice of nationalism. The book also demonstrates that unlike his predecessors, the Moderates, Aurobindo set out many strategies — including boycott and passive resistance — to execute the distinctive plan he designed to attain his politico-ideological goal. Other topics include the relatively less discussed aspect of Aurobindo’s socio-political ideas, namely his unique model of education as an antidote to many of the crippling socio-cultural prejudices, and the importance of Bhagavad Gita in shaping Aurobindo’s politico-ideological priorities.

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This new study of Aurobindo’s ideology of nationalism comes as an indispensable contribution to analysis of modern Indian political thought. It is imperative for two reasons. First, Bidyut Chakrabarty is a world renowned scholar whose range is truly extraordinary. Evidence of this is found in his Confluence of Thought. Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. (2013), where Claiyborne Carson, a leading King scholar, praised it in a Foreword as of inestimable value for western audiences. Since then, professor Chakrabarty has provided a steady stream of crucial publications. Now comes a brilliant gem about the early philosophy of Sri Aurobindo, arguably the most underrated yet profound thinker of the nationalist period. An important analysis is Aurobindo’s vital argument for Hindu-Muslim unity, introduced in the first chapter and then astutely reiterated in the Conclusion. This controverts any interpretation of Aurobindo as an exclusivist advocate of Hindu chauvinism. The nexus of ideas formulated by Aurobindo is scrupulously examined here as “dialectically connected”, including his theories of swaraj as related to boycott, education and the Gita. All of this demonstrates the systematic web of thought that Aurobindo ingeniously developed until 1910. While other books on Aurobindo tend to focus on his later writings in Pondicherry, Chakrabarty shows how the foundations were firmly laid before Aurobindo’s departure. The use of original sources, particularly a close examination of Aurobindo’s works, is a distinctive feature that strengthens the study immeasurably. For these reasons of distinguished authorship combined with choice of a subject essential to our understanding of modern ideology, east or west, this work should rank at the top of “must reads. -- Dennis Dalton, Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Barnard College, Columbia University, New York

This new study of Aurobindo’s ideology of nationalism comes as an indispensable contribution to analysis of modern Indian political thought. It is imperative for two reasons. First, Bidyut Chakrabarty is a world renowned scholar whose range is truly extraordinary. Evidence of this is found in his Confluence of Thought: Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. (2013), where Clayborne Carson, a leading King scholar, praised it in a Foreword as of inestimable value for western audiences. Since then, Professor Chakrabarty has provided a steady stream of crucial publications. Now comes a brilliant gem about the early philosophy of Sri Aurobindo, arguably the most underrated yet profound thinker of the nationalist period. An important analysis is Aurobindo’s vital argument for Hindu–Muslim unity, introduced in the first chapter and then astutely reiterated in the Conclusion. This controverts any interpretation of Aurobindo as an exclusivist advocate of Hindu chauvinism. The nexus of ideas formulated by Aurobindo is scrupulously examined here as ‘dialectically connected’, including his theories of swaraj as related to boycott, education and the Gita. All of this demonstrates the systematic web of thought that Aurobindo ingeniously developed until 1910. While other books on Aurobindo tend to focus on his later writings in Pondicherry, Chakrabarty shows how the foundations were firmly laid before Aurobindo’s departure. The use of original sources, particularly a close examination of Aurobindo’s works, is a distinctive feature that strengthens the study immeasurably. For these reasons of distinguished authorship combined with choice of a subject essential to our understanding of modern ideology, east or west, this work should rank at the top of ‘must-reads’. -- Dennis Dalton, Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Barnard College, Columbia University, New York

Author Information

Bidyut Chakrabarty was Vice-Chancellor, Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan, West Bengal, India from 2018 till 2023.

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