Governors should not play up divisive images in official functions-Bharat Mata portrait controversy

Historical Origins & Evolution of Bharat Mata Iconography:

• Early Literary and Theatrical Depictions:

  • Kiran Chandra Banerjee's play "Bharat Mata" (1873): Set during the 1770 Bengal famine, showed a woman taken to a temple where she sees Bharat Mata.

  • Satirical origin: Bhudeb Mukhopadhyay’s satirical text Unabimsa Purana (1866) referenced as an early conceptual precursor.

• Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's Contribution (1882):

  • Introduced Bharat Mata and the hymn "Vande Mataram" in the novel Anandamath.

  • "Vande Mataram" became the anthem of India’s freedom movement.

Visual and Artistic Representations:

• Abanindranath Tagore (1904):

  • Painted Bharat Mata as a four-armed goddess in Bengal School of Art style.

  • Dressed in saffron robes, holding manuscripts, sheaves of rice, a mala, and white cloth.

  • Symbolised Shiksha (Education), Diksha (Initiation), Anna (Food), Vastra (Clothing).

  • Stood on green earth with blue sky, white halo, and lotus at her feet.

  • Sister Nivedita admired the painting for its spiritual and nationalist essence.

• Subramania Bharati (1909):

  • Published Bharat Mata with a map background on the cover of his Tamil magazine Vijaya.

  • Identified Bharat Mata as Mahadevi, linking her to the Ganga river.

  • Claimed to have seen Bharat Mata in a vision with Sister Nivedita.

• 1920s–30s Nationalist Iconography:

  • Bharat Mata began featuring alongside Mahatma Gandhi and Bhagat Singh.

  • Often depicted with the Tiranga (tricolour) flag.

  • Entered into religious practice as a symbol of the nation and Hindu spirituality.

Temples and Public Representation:

• Bharat Mata Temple, Varanasi (1936):

  • Inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi; built by Shiv Prashad Gupt.

  • Uniquely features a marble relief map of India on the floor.

  • No divine idol (murti); open to all castes and religions.

  • Includes a poem by Maithili Sharan Gupt inscribed on the wall.

• Other Temples:

  • Only a handful of Bharat Mata temples exist in India.

Philosophical and Political Interpretations:

• Bipin Chandra Pal: Interpreted Bharat Mata in Hindu philosophical terms—a symbol of universal Hinduism, transcendental nationhood, and spiritual essence.

• Nationalist Symbolism:

  • Bharat Mata evolved from a cultural metaphor to a nationalist icon.

  • Helped in mobilising Indian masses during the freedom movement.

  • Blended religious, cultural, and cartographic representations of the nation.