An interesting book by Bankim babu

I recently came across a rare English book. Name of the original book in Bengali
is 'Anusilan.'In English it is translated as' Essentials of Dharma' by Manomohan
Ghosh.

It is written originally in Bengali and the author is none other than Bankim. Yes!
It is the same Bankim Chandra Chatterji who wrote the novel‘Anandmath' which
embrace the inspiring song Vandemataram.

You may ask what is special about it? I am a Kannadiga and my mother tongue is
Kannada.Over 150 years Kannada has developed a cultural contact with Bengal.
Important novels of Bankim, Rabindranath Tagore and Sharashandra Chatterji are
translated to Kannada, way back in 1930's-70's.Even now the serious readers of
literature from Karnataka read Mahaswetadevi's 'Hajar chowrwsi ki maa', 'Prachin
Sahitya' of Tagore.'

Senior Kannada professors like A.R.Krishnashastry, T.S.Venkanniah and K.V.Puttappa

learnt Bengali out of interest. Indian renaissance, the influence of Ramakrishna
Paramahamsa, Vivekananda and Aurobindo made Bengali culture near and dear to
Kannada culture.'Prachin Sahitya' of Tagore was translated by T.S.Venkanniah and
K.V.Puttappa , visionary poet of Kannada wrote inspiring biographies namely, 'Sri
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa', 'Swami Vivekananda'.

A.R.Krishnashastry's Kannada book 'Bankimachandra' is perhaps one of the best book

written on Bankim in any of the Indian languages.It narrates the life mission,
vision and contribution of Bankim to Indian culture.

Now let me tell you the importance of the book 'Anusilan'.If 'Hind Swaraj'of
M.K.Gandhi influenced the swadeshi movement, 'Anusilan' inspired the
revolutionaries
of Bengal and central India. They founded an organization based on 'Anusilan'of
Bankim and called their organization, Anusilan Samithi.

But alas....the official Indian historians and text book writers and so called
Hindu organization have no time to peep in to the neglected real sources and write
the history of the people during the independence struggle.

'Essentials of Dharma' by Manmohan Ghosh(English translation).

Sribhumi Publishing Company,
79, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Calcutta-9