‘Discovery of India’ Phenomenon in the Bengal Renaissance’s Social Thought

Abstract

‘Discovery of native land’ phenomenon is described in the article on the example of Modern
Indian thought. ‘Discovery of India’ (Jawaharlal Nehru’s term) is the knowing by intellectuals of
own country, her spiritual traditions, culture, history, people, present state and future perspectives,
her place in the world. Discovery had the goal of creating of India’s image for integration in
Modern world. The phenomenon originates from XIX century Bengal, viz. social thought of the
Bengal Renaissance. Bengal thinkers from Rammohun Roy to Rabindranath Tagore discover
India for themselves and others, based on double-vision approach and dialogue-intercourse
methods. The process of discovery is depicted as movement of thought from the core (discovery
of traditional texts) to six vectors – discoveries of spiritual traditions, culture, history, people,
place of India in the world and meaning of her being. The result of this process is creating of
India’s image for her justifi cation and opening perspectives of development. Indigenous image
of India combines ideal and real components and works for main idea of her renaissance.