Aurobindo Ghose

Aurobindo Ghose was a revolutionary of the extreme kind. In the Alipore Bomb case, Ghose and his companions were arrested. They were secretly making bombs. Ghose and his type believed in direct fight and arms confrontation with the British. However, Ghose's guilt could not be proved and he was acquitted.

Aurobindo Ghose was born in 1872 in a very modern and up to date family of Bengal. His father Dr. K.D. Ghose was fully anglicised and adopted the English culture and measures in every way. Aurobindo was his third son. His mother's father was saintlike. That is, Aurobindo's mother's background was totally different.

However, Aurobindo's father wanted his sons to be fully English-oriented. The boys were first educated in the Loreto Convent school in Darjeeling in their childhood. After two years, the father went to England, took the sons with him and left them in Manchester, England. The boys studied in the Saint Paul school in Manchester. Aurobindo learnt here "Latin" besides "English" and "French".

Aurobindo was exceptionally brilliant. At the age of ten he composed poems in English. His poems got published in "Fax Family Magazine."

Aurobindo's father did not bear the expenses of the boy's studies. But Aurobindo paid for his own education. He got admission into King's College, Cambridge. At this time he passed all the written tests of Junior Civil Service, meritoriously. But he purposely failed in 'horse-riding' because he did not want to take the service under the British.

At that time there was a secret students' organisation called "Lotus and Dagger". Aurobindo became its member. He used to deliver fiery and revolutionary speeches at the meetings of the member students known as "Indian Majlis". Also, he went on writing very lively poems.

The Maharaja of Baroda came to England in those days. He met Aurobindo, was much impressed by his intellect and offered him a job at Baroda. Aurobindo came to Baroda and started teaching English and French to the Maharaja. Afterwards, he became the Principal of Maharaja College, Baroda.

In 1905, Bengal was divided. Aurobindo toured the whole of Bengal, joined the Congress in 1907, was arrested in 1908 in connection with Alipore Bomb Case and freed. Later on he turned spiritual and set up a big Ashram at Pondicherry. Aurobindo passed away in 1950. His body remained intact even for a few days after his death.

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