SSC
The Shivaji Festival (Shivaji Jayanti utsav), started in 1895 to promote national feeling in Maharashtra, was started by:
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Answer: Option D — Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Detailed Solution
The Shivaji Festival was started by Bal Gangadhar Tilak in 1895-1896 in Maharashtra, to promote national feeling among the people.
About the Shivaji Festival:
- Tilak organised public celebrations of the birth anniversary and coronation of Chhatrapati Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha kingdom.
- The first festival was held in 1896 at Raigad, where Shivaji had been crowned; Tilak also raised funds to repair Shivaji's samadhi at Raigad.
- The festival included speeches, songs, processions and the recitation of ballads (powadas) about Shivaji's bravery.
- Shivaji was presented as a symbol of resistance to foreign rule and of national pride.
- The festival spread to other parts of India, including Bengal.
Tilak's use of festivals:
- Tilak also transformed the Ganesh Chaturthi festival from a private household celebration into a public festival (Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav) in 1893.
- He used these festivals to bring people together, spread nationalist ideas, and organise political activity, at a time when the British restricted political meetings.
NCERT on Tilak:
NCERT notes that Tilak, along with others, urged people to rely on their own strength and to develop self-reliance, and that Tilak used popular festivals to mobilise the people.
Criticism:
Some critics felt that the use of Hindu religious festivals and symbols could alienate Muslims and other communities.
About Tilak:
- He was called "Lokmanya" and was a leading Extremist leader.
- He edited "Kesari" and "Mahratta".
- He was imprisoned several times for sedition.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Ranade, Gokhale and Phule were other leaders and reformers of Maharashtra.
Quick tip
Remember: Shivaji Festival (1895-96, Raigad) and public Ganeshotsav (1893) = Bal Gangadhar Tilak; festivals used to spread national feeling.
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Swadeshi Movement & Early Nationalism — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Swadeshi Movement & Early Nationalism, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the growth of Indian nationalism from the early 1900s to the First World War: the partition of Bengal in 1905, the Swadeshi and Boycott movement, the rise of extremist leaders such as Lal, Bal and Pal, the Surat split of 1907, and the Home Rule Leagues of Tilak and Annie Besant. Typical questions cover the year the partition of Bengal was announced and annulled (1905 and 1911), the slogans and leaders of the Swadeshi movement, and the founders of the two Home Rule Leagues (1916). Be clear about the difference between the moderates, who used petitions, and the extremists, who called for swaraj and mass action. Practise the Swadeshi movement and early nationalism questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.