Women of Worthies A Study on Bengali Women in Revolutionary Struggle from 1905 to 1935

Abstract

This thesis delves into the unsung history of revolutionary women in Bengal and their invaluable contributions to the freedom struggle. In the Indian anti-colonial freedom struggle two broad trends can be found. The first is the non-violent challenge through prayer and petitions especially led by the Indian National Congress while the second trend is represented by the extremist or violent methods of arm struggle adopted by the revolutionaries of various secret societies. Women joined in both of these trends. This research especially focussed on the women who joined the later trend, i.e., the revolutionary struggle. newlineThe title of my thesis is Women of Worthies, A Study on Bengali Women in Revolutionary Struggle from 1905 to 1935. Here Women of Worthies suggests the women who played various roles in the Bengali revolutionary anti-British struggle while defying the scripts of the non-violent Gandhian Movement. Such women as secret agents of militant revolution carried secret messages, hid absconding revolutionaries, smuggled and hid weapons, wrote and delivered proscribed literature, and assisted in the manufacture of bombs. Yet these women failed to find mention in the mainstem narrative of the Indian Historical texts. newlineThe research area of this thesis is limited to Bengal as a whole, i.e., undivided Bengal before independence, which includes modern-day West Bengal and Bangladesh. According to the available sources, the number of women in Bengal Revolutionary groups increased mostly after 1905 and subsequently declined after the 1930s. Considering the availability of data and sources, I limited my study period to 30 years, from 1905 to 1935. newlineWith the launch of the Swadeshi Movement in 1905, in the backdrop of Bengal s anti-partition struggle, the Indian National Movement took a significant step forward, ushering in the politics of extremism and revolutionary means of militant nationalism. A number of secret revolutionary groups were developed, such as Anushilan, Jugantar, Sri Sangha, Bengal newlineii newlineVolunteers,