Swadeshi Movement : Constructive Swadeshi

Swadeshi movement of Bengal was an important movement in the history of India. It originated
from partition of Bengal in 1905 and continued up to 1908. There were two kinds of trends of
swadeshi movement. One was called constructive swadeshi and another was political
extremism.

Swadeshi movement generated from Anti Partition movement which was for British decision of
partition Bengal. The decision of partition of Bengal was announced on 18th July 1905. The
reason behind partition was political. During that time Bengal had 78 million people so British
decided to partition Bengal for reducing administration problem. But the motive behind partition
was to weaken Indian nationalism and people started to realize that. Within the announcement
many more protests were held in different parts of Bengal. In these meetings it was decided to
boycott foreign goods and use of Indian goods. Thus the swadeshi movement began.

The motive of constructive movement was to boycott foreign things, boycott of government
schools and colleges,courts,titles, organization and government sevices. They felt to make
advancement of Bengal with their ownself apart from British help.So people thought to develop
Bengal through idustrilisation,education etc.Its aim was to build Swadeshi industries,mills and
factories,schools and colleges, to improve organization and village infrastructure .this movement
later became national movement and spreaded all over India.

Boycott of foreign goods, burning of foreign clothes all were happened in many parts of
Bengal,rural and urban areas of IndiaWOMEN THAT TIME refused to wear foreign
bengales,even washerman refused to wash foreign clothes.Most prominient part was priests
stopped offerings which contained foreign sugar.

Through Swadeshi movement idian industries, factories, miils,match factories,hanloom weaving

concerns, national banks and compines opened to promote modern industries in India.It brought
significant starting in handloom,silk weaving and some other traditional crafts.The Banga
Lakshmi Cotton Mills was established in 1906 and porcelain, chrome,soap,mathes and cigarettes
were successfully produced there. Bengal Swadeshi store was opened at that time organizing by
Archarya P.C. Ray. His Bengal Chemicals Factory became successful and famous. Even
Rabindranath Tagore opened four Swadeshi stores.

There was another swadeshi influence in culture. There was flourishment of nationalist poetry
and journalism. Many patriotic songs were written in that time by poets like Rabindranath
Tagore, Rajani Kant Sen, Dwijendralal Ray, Syed Abu Mohammed, Mukunda Sen and others.
Rabindranaths Amar Sonar Bangla, written during that time. In Bengali folk music and India