Partition of Bengal (1905) by Lord Curzon → administrative excuse, but actually aimed at weakening nationalist politics.
Sparked mass opposition in Bengal → spread gradually across India.
Methods of agitation:
Swadeshi (use of indigenous goods).
Boycott (foreign goods esp. Manchester cloth, Liverpool salt).
Promotion of national education and indigenous industries.
Cultural expression:
Singing of Vande Mataram.
Rabindranath Tagore composed “Amar Sonar Bangla” (later Bangladesh national anthem).
16 October 1905: Day of mourning observed throughout Bengal.
Bengal: Core region of the movement.
Delhi: Led by Syed Haider Raza.
Maharashtra (Western India):
Lokmanya Tilak → used Shivaji and Ganapati festivals to spread Swadeshi doctrine.
Movement largely Bengal-based but with spillovers across India.
Extremists: Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, Lala Lajpat Rai → advocated mass agitation, boycott, swadeshi industries.
Moderates: G.K. Gokhale, Rash Behari Ghosh → preferred petitions, dialogue with govt.
Surat Split (1907):
Dispute over INC President (Lajpat Rai vs. Rash Behari Ghosh).
Extremists lacked faith in Moderates’ methods → INC split weakened the movement.
Bengal partition annulled (1911) → seen as partial success.
First mass-based political movement with economic + cultural dimensions.
Inspired later movements: Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience.
Helped spread nationalist ideas beyond elite politics to common people.