During the 19th and early 20th century, Kolkata (earlier called Calcutta) witnessed a social reform movement that was called the Bengal Renaissance. It is believed that this period started with Raja Ram Mohan Roy (1775-1833) who was instrumental in banning the practice of Sati and encouraging remarriage of the widows.
During this period, the Bengali literature attained an unparalleled glory, depicted in the writings of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar and Saratchandra Chatterjee. The great saint, Ramakrishna Paramhansa and his disciple, Swami Vivekananda, brought a reconciliation among the conflicting religions during the Bengal Renaissance and urged the youth to fight for freedom.
Apart from religion, the field of education also got a new lease of life with many scholars, patriotic orators, literary giants, scientists and journalists bringing new ideas and path breaking concepts to this arena. The Tagore family made some important contribution towards the educational reform during the Renaissance. It is said that the Bengal Renaissance ended with Rabindranath Tagore, the first Indian to win the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913.  |
