Bengal Renaissance – An Era of Progress

Referred to as the Bengal Renaissance, the 19th century is considered to have been a time of transition from medieval to modern in a number of fields, including literature, religion, social reform, political leanings and scientific discoveries. During this time Bengal formed part of undivided India under British rule, and the Renaissance is said to have begun with Indian religious, educational and social reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy (22 May 1772-27 September 1833) who pushed the boundaries of traditional Hindu culture and advocated progress for Indian society even though under the rule of the British. Together with Dwarkanath Tagore of the influential Tagore family of Kolkata, as well as other prominent Bengalis, Ram Mohan Roy established the Brahmo Sabha in 1828, which later become the societal aspect of Brahmo religion referred to as Brahmo Samaj. It is generally agreed that the Bengal Renaissance period ended with the death of Rabindranath Tagore in 1941, but it is also acknowledged that many staunch supporters of the Renaissance continued to encourage progress in different fields.

The intellectual awakening that took place during the time of the Bengal Renaissance has been compared to the 16th century European Renaissance, although it must be noted that Europeans did not face the challenges of colonialism as was the case with Bengal under British rule. In the case of the Bengal Renaissance there was a questioning of practices such as the burdensome dowry system, the unjust caste system and the constraints of some religious beliefs. It was during this time too, that one of the Bengal region's first social movements came into being, as the Young Bengals promoted atheism and rationalism as a code of conduct to level the caste system.

With Ram Mohan Roy and Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar leading the way, the Bengal Renaissance produced a wealth of Bengali literature. Prominent literary figures at the time included Bengali poet, writer and journalist Bankim Chandra Chatterjee (1838-1894), and later Saratchandra Chatterjee (1876-1938). With a specific interest in educational reform, the Tagore family was very influential and active in the Bengal Renaissance. Rabindranath Tagore became the first Asian to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, awarded to him in 1913 for his English translation of poems titled the Gitanjali.

Scientific advances during the Bengal Renaissance included pioneering work in a number of fields by Bengali physicist, biologist, archeologist, botanist and science fiction writer Jagadish Chandra Bose. Other notable Bengali and Indian scientists from this era are Satyendra Nath Bose, Meghnad Saha and Upendranath Brahmachari.

Certainly, the Bengal Renaissance was an exciting time in Bengali history, with contributions by innovative and motivated people benefiting subsequent generations.

Muzharul Islam – Designer of Enduring Landmarks

Seen as the pioneer of Bengali modernism and architecture, Bangladeshi architect Muzharul Islam has designed many notable buildings at various locations in Bangladesh. His early works include the Art Institute in Shahbag, the Public Library and National Archives, all located in Dhaka. He designed the housing at Azimpur Estate in Dhaka, and was involved with the design of other landmark buildings in the city including the Headquarters for the Agricultural Development Corporation, the BCSIR Laboratory Buildings, and the World Bank Office Buildings, as well as Chittagong University and the Jahangirnagar University. This talented and innovative Bangladeshi architect collaborated with American architect in the design of polytechnic institutes in the cities of Rangpur, Pabna, Bogra, Sylhet and Barisal.

Bhabanipur Shaktipeeth Pilgrimage Site

Located along the Karatoya River, about 28 kilometers from the Sherpur Upazila of the Bogra District in the Rajshahi Division of Bangladesh, Bhabanipur Shaktipeeth is a place of worship dedicated to the Hindu goddess Shakti, also referred to as Durga, Sati or Parvati. As one of the Shakti Peethas, Bhabanipur is historically a pilgrimage destination for adherents to this particular denomination of Hinduism which worships Shakti as their Divine Mother. The numerous temples at the site and the holy Shakha-Pukur pond are visited by devotees from all around Bangladesh and beyond its borders.