In Bengal, revolutionary terrorism had developed even earlier; around the 1870s, when the Akharas or gymnasiums were setup in various places to develop what Swami Vivekananda had described as strong muscles and nerves of steel.
Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s novel, Anandmath was widely read by the revolutionaries in Bengal.
The Bande Mataram song, which is part of the novel, became the anthem of the Swadeshi movement.
Around 1908, the decline of the militant nationalists and the rise of revolutionary activities marked an important shift from non-violent methods to violent action.
Such actions, however, did not lead to any organised revolutionary movement as was the case in Russia.
The revolutionary actions were mostly attempts to assassinate specific oppressive British officers.
Revolutionary organisations in Bengal
In Bengal, the story of revolutionary terrorism begins in 1902 with the formation of many secret societies.
Anushilan Samityof Calcutta
Founders– Jatindernath Banerjee and Barindarkumar Ghose brother of Aurobindo Ghose.
The Calcutta Anushilan Samity soon started its activities and the first Swadeshi dacoity, to raise funds, was organised in Rangpur in August 1906.
The Dhaka Anushilan Samiti 1906
Setup by Pulin BehariDas
He released a revolutionary weekly Yugantar.
Bomb factory 1908
Established by Hemchandra Kanungo
He went abroad to get military training in Paris after his return to India he started Bomb Factory
He established a religious school at a garden house in Maniktala.
In the same garden house, young inmates underwent various forms of physical training, reading classic Hindu text, and reading literature on revolutionary movement across the world.
