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Q4 (IAS/2021) History & Culture › National Movement (1857–1947) › Nationalist ideology and thought Official Key

Who among the following is associated with 'Songs from Prison', a translation of ancient Indian religious lyrics in English?

Result
Your answer:  ·  Correct: C
Explanation

The correct answer is Option 3: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.

Songs from Prison is a collection of translations of ancient Indian religious hymns and lyrics, primarily from the Sanskrit tradition (including the Upanishads and Bhakti poets). M.K. Gandhi undertook this literary work during his imprisonment in the Yerwada Jail, Pune, in 1930.

  • Why Option 3 is correct: Gandhi translated these texts into English to share the spiritual heritage of India with the Western world. The work was later edited and published in 1934 by his close associate, John S. Hoyland.
  • Why other options are incorrect: While Tilak wrote Gita Rahasya and Nehru wrote Discovery of India in prison, neither is associated with this specific translation. Sarojini Naidu, though a poet, did not author this compilation.

This work highlights Gandhi’s deep engagement with Indian philosophy and his efforts to bridge cultural gaps through spiritual literature during the Indian National Movement.

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Q. Who among the following is associated with 'Songs from Prison', a translation of ancient Indian religious lyrics in English? [A] Bal Gan…
At a glance
Origin: Mixed / unclear origin Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 0/10
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This is a 'Peripheral Literature' question. It is NOT found in standard sources like Spectrum or NCERT. It tests your knowledge of the 'Prison Literature' genre of freedom fighters, specifically the spiritual/literary output of Gandhi beyond his political treatises.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Was Bal Gangadhar Tilak associated with the book "Songs from Prison", a translation into English of ancient Indian religious lyrics?
Origin: Weak / unclear Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 29: Development of Indian Press > Development of Indian Press ✫ 561 > p. 561
Strength: 4/5
“Tilak's defence of Shivaji's killing of Afzal Khan was portrayed by the prosecution as an incitement to kill British officials. Tilak was held guilty and awarded rigorous imprisonment of eighteen months. Simultaneously several other editors in Bombay presidency were tried and given similar harsh sentences. There were widespread protests against these measures. Overnight Tilak became a national hero and was given the title of 'Lokmanya' (respected and honoured by the people)—a new leader who preached with his deeds. In 1898, the government amended Section 124A and added another Section 153A which made it a criminal offence for anyone to bring into contempt the Government of India or to create hatred among different classes, that is, vis-avis the English in India.”
Why relevant

States Tilak was tried, convicted and awarded rigorous imprisonment — establishing he spent time in prison (relevant because the book title refers to 'Prison').

How to extend

A student could check lists of writings produced by prominent nationalist leaders during prison terms to see if Tilak authored or translated a prison-linked work.

History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 6: Communalism in Nationalist Politics > g) Weak-kneed Policy of the Congress > p. 75
Strength: 4/5
“Tilak, Aurobindo Gosh and Lala Lajpat Rai aroused anti-colonial consciousness by using religious symbols, festivals and platforms. The most aggravating factor was Tilak's effort to mobilise Hindus through the Ganapati festival.”
Why relevant

Notes Tilak's use of religious symbols and festivals to mobilise Hindus, showing he engaged with religious material and publicised it.

How to extend

One could investigate whether his publications or prison writings included translations or commentary on religious lyrics.

History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 1: Rise of Nationalism in India > d) Contributions of Early Nationalists (1885–1915) > p. 11
Strength: 3/5
“Most stalwarts of the early freedom movement Surendranath Banerjea were involved in journalism. Dadabhai Naoroji founded and edited two journals called Voice of India and RastGoftar. Surendranath Banerjea edited the newspaper called Bengalee. Bal Gangadhar Tilak edited Kesari and Mahratta. This is the means that they used to educate the common people about the colonial oppression and spread nationalist ideas. News regarding the initiatives taken by the INC were taken to the masses through these newspapers. Bal Gangadhar Tilak was a firm believer that the lower middle classes, peasants, artisans and workers could play a very important role in the national movement, He used his newspapers to Bal Gangadhar Tilak articulate the discontent among this section of the people against the oppressive colonial rule.”
Why relevant

Records that Tilak edited newspapers (Kesari and Mahratta), indicating he had publishing experience and means to produce or disseminate translations.

How to extend

A student might search bibliographies of Tilak's published works or the archives of his newspapers for evidence of translations like 'Songs from Prison'.

Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.). > Chapter 34: HOW THE CONSTITUTION HAS WORKED > Disrespect for the Motherland . > p. 489
Strength: 4/5
“Chandra's Vande Mataram, which was adopted by the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress, seeks to deify the motherland, while any kind of imputation of personality to God smacks of idolatry, as condemned by Islam. On this point, the reader may at once refer to page 18 of India, 7987, where the translation of the first stanza of this song (by Sri Aurobindo) has been reproduced. To express gratitude to the soil from which you sprang and which sustains you with milk and honey every ·”
Why relevant

Mentions Sri Aurobindo's English translation of a religious song; demonstrates that nationalist/religious leaders translated religious lyrics into English.

How to extend

Use this pattern (leaders translating religious songs) to plausibly include Tilak as a candidate and then check catalogs/author attributions for 'Songs from Prison'.

Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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