Abstract
My research examines the development of science in the regional language during colonial Bengal, emphasizing the significant role of the Bengali middle-class Bhadralok (gentry) society. They facilitated the creation of a print culture, which enabled the dissemination of scientific knowledge among the educated populace and was also an attempt to decolonize science from the clutches of Western domination. The purpose of this study is to reexamine the history of Vedic astral science from the viewpoint of Gaudiya Vaishnavism during the colonial period in Bengal, utilizing primary sources. Here we highlight the life and works of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur, the founder of the Gaudiya Math and Mission, who established the ‘Saraswat Chatuspathi’ in colonial Calcutta in 1897 to promote Vedic astral science. His expertise in science played an important role in mobilizing Gaudiya Vaishnavism in modern Bengal, thus creating a niche for scientific nationalism and religious revival. This paper explores the history of the first Bengali astronomical journals in modern India and also delves into the almanacs published by the Gaudiya Vaishnava community. It discusses the intellectual movement initiated by Bimala Prasad or Bhaktisiddhanta, which also had a secular and rational approach essential for understanding his religious philosophy.
Presenters
Tinni GoswamiAssistant Professor, History, St. Xavier's College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2026 Special Focus—Indigenous Spiritualities in Global Perspective
KEYWORDS
GAUDIYA VAISHNAVISM, ASTRAL SCIENCE, MODERN BENGAL
