Question

Read the excerpt given below and answer the question that follows:

Tagore’s ‘Banglar mati, Banglar jol’, and the sentiment of brotherhood and patriotism that it invokes In 1905, Curzon partitioned Bengal on communal lines, which Rabindranath Tagore opposed strongly, and wrote a hymn for communal harmony, brotherhood, and united Bengali identity. The TMC government has now declared ‘Banglar mati, Banglar jol’ the state anthem. The song calls for unity for all Bengalis by invoking the beauty of Bengal - its natural environs, its language, its people, and its soul. This is perhaps best expressed in the final stanza of the song, which is loosely translated as: The soil of Bengal, the water of Bengal; The air of Bengal, the fruit of Bengal; Let them be blessed; Oh my Lord. [All] Bengalis’ life, [all] Bengalis’ soul; All brothers and sisters in Bengal’s homes; may they be united; Oh my Lord - Indian Express, September 9, 2023

1. What official reason did Lord Curzon give for partitioning Bengal?
2. Name another song composed by Rabindranath Tagore during the Anti-partition agitation.

Answer 1

1. The official reason given by Lord Curzon for the partition of Bengal in 1905 was administrative convenience. The British government argued that the undivided Bengal Presidency was geographically too vast and heavily populated, with a population of around 78 million people, making it extremely difficult for a single provincial administration to govern efficiently. Curzon claimed that dividing the province would lead to better administration, improved law and order, and focused development in the neglected eastern regions. However, while this administrative necessity was the public justification, the true political motive was to weaken the growing centre of Indian nationalism by dividing the population along communal lines.
2. Rabindranath Tagore composed the National song, ‘Amar Sonar Bangla.’ ‘My Golden Bengal.’