Bring out the changes that took place after the Revolt of 1857 in the administration and army of the British colonial government in India. (250 Words, 15 Marks) (GS-3 Ancient History )

Introduction

• The Swadeshi movement of 1905 was a nationalist movement sparked by the announcement of partition of Bengal by the colonial government.
• The partition divided Bengal into two administrative units and was seen by many Indians as a ploy to weaken the nationalist movement.

Body

Innovative Methods Used in the Swadeshi Movement

• There was boycott of foreign goods, public burning of foreign cloth, boycott of foreign-made salt, refusal by priests to ritualise marriages involving exchange of foreign goods, etc.
• Public meetings and processions emerged as major methods of mass mobilisation.
• Corps of Volunteers or Samitis such as the Swadesh Bandhab Samiti of Ashwini Kumar Dutta emerged as a very popular and powerful means of mass mobilisation.
• The movement witnessed imaginative use of traditional popular festivals and melas for reaching out to the masses and spreading political messages. For example, Shivaji and Ganapati festivals in Maharashtra were organized by Lokmanya Tilak.
• Emphasis was given to self-reliance or ‘atma shakti’ through social reform and campaigns against caste oppression, dowry system, consumption of alcohol, etc.
• Further, the swadeshi spirit also found expression in the establishment of swadeshi textile mills, soap and match factories, etc.

Achievements of the Swadeshi Movement

• The social base of the anti-British struggle widened significantly with the participation of women and students.
• Further, it was the first pan-India freedom movement, as it moved beyond Bengal. For instance, it was led by Lala Lajpat Rai in Punjab, H.S. Rao in Madras, and Tilak in Maharashtra.
• All the major trends of the national movement, from conservative moderation to political extremism, from revolutionary activities to incipient socialism, from petitions and prayers to passive resistance and non-cooperation, emerged during the Swadeshi Movement.
• The movement encompassed art, literature, science and industry. For instance, artists like Abanindranath Tagore broke the domination of Victorian naturalism over Indian art and took inspiration from Mughal, Ajanta and Rajput paintings.
• Boycott of British-controlled schools and colleges led to the establishment of Bengal Technical Institute in 1906 as well as many national schools and colleges in various parts of the country.
• The National Council of Education was set up to organize a system of education—literary, scientific and technical—on national lines and under national control.

Challenges Faced by the Swadeshi Movement

• It led to a divide within the Congress between the Moderates and Extremists, which eventually led to the Surat Split in 1907.
• Many Indians, particularly the upper classes, were still attached to British products and lifestyles.
• The movement largely remained confined to the upper and middle classes and Zamindars, and failed to reach the masses, especially the peasantry.
• Further, non-cooperation and passive resistance remained mere ideas.
• Evoking Hindu festivals and mythology for inspiration led to the exclusion of Muslims.

Conclusion

• Overall, the Swadeshi movement played an important role in shaping India’s struggle for independence.
• Further, though annulment of the partition of Bengal in 1911 was not a direct result of the Swadeshi movement, the movement played a significant role in creating the conditions that led to the decision.