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Nehru Banam Subhash: A Historical Perspective on Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhash Chandra Bose by Rudrangshu Mukherjee
सुभाष को यकीन था कि वे और जवाहरलाल साथ मिलकर इतिहास बना सकते हैं, मगर जवाहरलाल अपना भविष्य गांधी के बगैर नहीं देख पा रहे थे।
यही इन दोनों के संबंधों के द्वंद्व का सीमा-बिंदु था।
एक व्यक्ति, जिसके लिए भारत की आजादी से अधिक और कुछ मायने नहीं रखता था और दूसरा, जिसने अपने देश की आजादी को अपने हृदय में सँजोए रखा, मगर इसके लिए अपने पराक्रमपूर्ण प्रयास को अन्य चीजों से भी संबंधित रखा और कभी-कभी तो द्वंद्व-युक्त निष्ठा से भी।
सुभाष और जवाहरलाल की मित्रता में लक्ष्यों की प्रतिद्वंद्विता की इस दरार ने एक तनाव उत्पन्न कर दिया और उनके जीवन का कभी भी मिलन न हो सका।
यही इन दोनों के संबंधों के द्वंद्व का सीमा-बिंदु था।
एक व्यक्ति, जिसके लिए भारत की आजादी से अधिक और कुछ मायने नहीं रखता था और दूसरा, जिसने अपने देश की आजादी को अपने हृदय में सँजोए रखा, मगर इसके लिए अपने पराक्रमपूर्ण प्रयास को अन्य चीजों से भी संबंधित रखा और कभी-कभी तो द्वंद्व-युक्त निष्ठा से भी।
सुभाष और जवाहरलाल की मित्रता में लक्ष्यों की प्रतिद्वंद्विता की इस दरार ने एक तनाव उत्पन्न कर दिया और उनके जीवन का कभी भी मिलन न हो सका।
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2014
102 people are currently reading
1196 people want to read
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January 19, 2015
A remarkably well researched comparison of two domineering personalities of India's freedom movement. The analyses is fairly objective and is based on what emerges from contemporary literature and communications. The book and the facts mentioned therein also challenge the perceived understanding of the animosity between these two protagonists. They were indeed similar in certain ways as also in their understanding of the Mahatama. There were huge differences as well. One an admirer of Mussolini and the other of the socialist tradition. Both charismatic and popular, similar in their approach to freedom struggle (at least in the beginning of their political life)yet evolved differently and parted ways.
An extremely engrossing read for those that are fascinated with such personalities that carved out a niche for themselves in the struggle for India's freedom.
An extremely engrossing read for those that are fascinated with such personalities that carved out a niche for themselves in the struggle for India's freedom.
July 24, 2021
This academic take on the lives, ideals, principles and actions of Nehru and Bose is extremely enlightening. Should be a mandatory read for everyone in India.
May 5, 2015
Nehru and Bose parallel lives Rudranghu Mukherjee
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भारत के आजादी के संघर्ष को सबसे ज्यादा प्रभावित करने वाले महात्मा गांधी थे। उनके बाद जिनकी सबसे ज्यादा चर्चा होती है वो है सुभाष बोस बाबू। सुभाष बाबू जो अब एक किवंदती बन चुके हैं। उनके बारे मे बहुत सी कहानियाँ किस्से प्रचलित हैं। उनके गांधी जी के अहिंसा आंदोलन के विरोध, गांधी जी एवं उनके अन्य अनुयायी से मतभेद, आईएनए का गठन, जर्मनी, जापान की यात्रा, हिटलर और मुसोलिनी से मुलाक़ात, सभी आज लिजेंड बन चुके हैं। इसके विपरीत नेहरू जी के प्रधानमंत्री बनने के बाद का जीवन ज्यादा प्रसिद्ध है। आजादी के संघर्ष के समय का उनका जीवन कैसे और किस तरह बीता इसके बारे मे चर्चाये कम हैं।
सुभाष बाबू और नेहरू जी दोनों ही समकालीन कांग्रेस नेता रहे। दोनों ही आभिजात्य परिवार मे पैदा हुए। लगभग एक ही समय भारत के आजादी आंदोलन और कांग्रेस मे प्रवेश किया। दोनों ही विदेश मे पढे। दोनों विचारों से वाम या समाजवादी थे। और सबसे बड़ी बात दोनों ही गांधी जी के रास्ते के सबसे बड़े आलोचक थे, ये मानते हुए भी की भारत की जनता के सबसे बड़े लीडर गांधी जी ही हैं। जहां नेहरू गांधी जी से आध्यात्मिक रूप से, भावनात्मक रूप से जुड़े थे, अपने पिता की मृत्यु के बाद गांधी जी मे ही अपने पिता को देखते थे। लेकिन गांधी जी की नीतियों के सख्त आलोचक थे। लेकिन प्रकट रूप मे उन्होने गांधी जी की आलोचना से परहेज किया। उनसे अलग होकर राजनीति की नयी दिशा देने की कभी कोशिश न की वही सुभाष खुले तौर पर गांधी जी के आलोचक रहे। यहाँ तक की 1939 मे उन्होने कांग्रेस को गांधी जी के वैकल्पिक नेतृत्व को भी देने की कोशिश की। लेकिन कांग्रेस सोशलिस्ट पार्टी के एन मौके पर पीछे हट जाने की वजह से नाकामयाब रहे।
रुद्रान्शु मुखर्जी साहब अशोका यूनिवरसिटि के वाइस चांसलर है। इतिहास के देश और विदेश के प्रसिद्ध विश्व विद्यालयों मे प्रोफेसर रहे हैं। उनके द्वारा लिखित इस किताब मे नेहरू जी और बोस बाबू के जीवन का समानान्तर चित्रण किया गया है। सुभाष बाबू और नेहरू जी दोनों एक ही विचार धारा से प्रभावित, एक ही उद्देश्य से संचालित, एक जैसे सोच वाले, जो मित्र बने, फिर रास्ते अलग हुए। लेकिन एक दूसरे का सामान मन से न गया। हालांकि ऐसे पल भी आए जब दोनों ने खुले तौर पर एक दूसरे को भला बुरा भी कहा। जैसे सुभाष बाबू ने अपने भतीजे को 1939 मे लिखे पत्र मे लिखा " No body has done more harm to me .. than Jawaharlal Nehru. " इसी तरह नेहरू जी ने भी सुभाष बाबू के पब्लिकली लगाए इल्जामों के बाद एक पत्रकार को लिखी चिट्ठी मे सुभाष बाबू को बहुत बुरा भला लिखा। और जैसा किताब मे मुखर्जी साहब ने जिक्र किया है। की कहीं और कोई रिकार्ड नहीं मिलता जहां नेहरू जी जैसे मृदुभाषी व्यक्ति ने ऐसी भाषा का किसी और व्यक्ति के लिए इस्तेमाल किया हो।
हालांकि ये किताब इतिहास के ऊपर है। लेकिन जिस विषय वस्तु को लेकर ये चलती है और कभी अपने रास्ते से भटकती नहीं वो पूरी किताब को बेहद रोचक बना देती है। जिसे आप एक बार मे ही पढ़ना चाहेंगे लेकिन इतनी सारी बातें दिमाग मे बसा पाना नामुमकिन होता जाता है।
सुभाष बाबू और नेहरू जी दोनों के बचपन से शुरू हुई कहानी, बोस की मृत्यु पर जाकर खतम होती है। दोनों ही नेताओं के जीवन की महत्वपूर्ण घटनाओं, उनके अपने चरित्र के आधार पर उनका विश्लेषण करती किताब चलती है, बिलकुल एक कहानी के तौर पर।
लेकिन सबसे खास बात इस किताब की ये है की दोनों ही नेताओं का समानान्तर चित्रण करने के बाद भी ये किताब किसी एक नेता को नीचे गिरा कर दूसरे को उठाने का उसके चरित्र को उजला दिखाने का कोई प्रयास नहीं करती। दोनों व्यक्तियों के समान विचार, समान सोच, समान पृष्ठभूमि दिखाने के बाद बताती है की दोनों कैसे अलग अलग थे। किन परस्थितियों का दोनों ने कैसे सामना किया। और उसकी वजहें भी।
ये किताब सुभाष बाबू और नेहरू जी दोनों को ही समझने मे बहुत मदद करती है और कांग्रेस की अंदरूनी राजनीति समझने मे भी। जो इस किताब का बोनस है।
अगर आप इतिहास पढ़ने के उसे समझने के शौकीन हैं तो ये किताब आपके लिए बेहद जरूरी है। ये किताब हमेशा मेरी पसंदीदा किताबों मे एक रहेगी।
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भारत के आजादी के संघर्ष को सबसे ज्यादा प्रभावित करने वाले महात्मा गांधी थे। उनके बाद जिनकी सबसे ज्यादा चर्चा होती है वो है सुभाष बोस बाबू। सुभाष बाबू जो अब एक किवंदती बन चुके हैं। उनके बारे मे बहुत सी कहानियाँ किस्से प्रचलित हैं। उनके गांधी जी के अहिंसा आंदोलन के विरोध, गांधी जी एवं उनके अन्य अनुयायी से मतभेद, आईएनए का गठन, जर्मनी, जापान की यात्रा, हिटलर और मुसोलिनी से मुलाक़ात, सभी आज लिजेंड बन चुके हैं। इसके विपरीत नेहरू जी के प्रधानमंत्री बनने के बाद का जीवन ज्यादा प्रसिद्ध है। आजादी के संघर्ष के समय का उनका जीवन कैसे और किस तरह बीता इसके बारे मे चर्चाये कम हैं।
सुभाष बाबू और नेहरू जी दोनों ही समकालीन कांग्रेस नेता रहे। दोनों ही आभिजात्य परिवार मे पैदा हुए। लगभग एक ही समय भारत के आजादी आंदोलन और कांग्रेस मे प्रवेश किया। दोनों ही विदेश मे पढे। दोनों विचारों से वाम या समाजवादी थे। और सबसे बड़ी बात दोनों ही गांधी जी के रास्ते के सबसे बड़े आलोचक थे, ये मानते हुए भी की भारत की जनता के सबसे बड़े लीडर गांधी जी ही हैं। जहां नेहरू गांधी जी से आध्यात्मिक रूप से, भावनात्मक रूप से जुड़े थे, अपने पिता की मृत्यु के बाद गांधी जी मे ही अपने पिता को देखते थे। लेकिन गांधी जी की नीतियों के सख्त आलोचक थे। लेकिन प्रकट रूप मे उन्होने गांधी जी की आलोचना से परहेज किया। उनसे अलग होकर राजनीति की नयी दिशा देने की कभी कोशिश न की वही सुभाष खुले तौर पर गांधी जी के आलोचक रहे। यहाँ तक की 1939 मे उन्होने कांग्रेस को गांधी जी के वैकल्पिक नेतृत्व को भी देने की कोशिश की। लेकिन कांग्रेस सोशलिस्ट पार्टी के एन मौके पर पीछे हट जाने की वजह से नाकामयाब रहे।
रुद्रान्शु मुखर्जी साहब अशोका यूनिवरसिटि के वाइस चांसलर है। इतिहास के देश और विदेश के प्रसिद्ध विश्व विद्यालयों मे प्रोफेसर रहे हैं। उनके द्वारा लिखित इस किताब मे नेहरू जी और बोस बाबू के जीवन का समानान्तर चित्रण किया गया है। सुभाष बाबू और नेहरू जी दोनों एक ही विचार धारा से प्रभावित, एक ही उद्देश्य से संचालित, एक जैसे सोच वाले, जो मित्र बने, फिर रास्ते अलग हुए। लेकिन एक दूसरे का सामान मन से न गया। हालांकि ऐसे पल भी आए जब दोनों ने खुले तौर पर एक दूसरे को भला बुरा भी कहा। जैसे सुभाष बाबू ने अपने भतीजे को 1939 मे लिखे पत्र मे लिखा " No body has done more harm to me .. than Jawaharlal Nehru. " इसी तरह नेहरू जी ने भी सुभाष बाबू के पब्लिकली लगाए इल्जामों के बाद एक पत्रकार को लिखी चिट्ठी मे सुभाष बाबू को बहुत बुरा भला लिखा। और जैसा किताब मे मुखर्जी साहब ने जिक्र किया है। की कहीं और कोई रिकार्ड नहीं मिलता जहां नेहरू जी जैसे मृदुभाषी व्यक्ति ने ऐसी भाषा का किसी और व्यक्ति के लिए इस्तेमाल किया हो।
हालांकि ये किताब इतिहास के ऊपर है। लेकिन जिस विषय वस्तु को लेकर ये चलती है और कभी अपने रास्ते से भटकती नहीं वो पूरी किताब को बेहद रोचक बना देती है। जिसे आप एक बार मे ही पढ़ना चाहेंगे लेकिन इतनी सारी बातें दिमाग मे बसा पाना नामुमकिन होता जाता है।
सुभाष बाबू और नेहरू जी दोनों के बचपन से शुरू हुई कहानी, बोस की मृत्यु पर जाकर खतम होती है। दोनों ही नेताओं के जीवन की महत्वपूर्ण घटनाओं, उनके अपने चरित्र के आधार पर उनका विश्लेषण करती किताब चलती है, बिलकुल एक कहानी के तौर पर।
लेकिन सबसे खास बात इस किताब की ये है की दोनों ही नेताओं का समानान्तर चित्रण करने के बाद भी ये किताब किसी एक नेता को नीचे गिरा कर दूसरे को उठाने का उसके चरित्र को उजला दिखाने का कोई प्रयास नहीं करती। दोनों व्यक्तियों के समान विचार, समान सोच, समान पृष्ठभूमि दिखाने के बाद बताती है की दोनों कैसे अलग अलग थे। किन परस्थितियों का दोनों ने कैसे सामना किया। और उसकी वजहें भी।
ये किताब सुभाष बाबू और नेहरू जी दोनों को ही समझने मे बहुत मदद करती है और कांग्रेस की अंदरूनी राजनीति समझने मे भी। जो इस किताब का बोनस है।
अगर आप इतिहास पढ़ने के उसे समझने के शौकीन हैं तो ये किताब आपके लिए बेहद जरूरी है। ये किताब हमेशा मेरी पसंदीदा किताबों मे एक रहेगी।
January 3, 2016
Suhas Chandra Bose is one of the least written of our national pre-independent India’s leaders. Even in school where we all read about our glorious Gandhian quest for Independence, he makes a fleeting appearance. And therein lies a story.
The establishment lords who fed us history in school had a simple narrative. There was this almost Godlike Mahatma and his faithful bunch of followers…..first and foremost being his anointed son and successor – Pandit Nehru (and all the wonderful things about him…sacrificing his flourishing legal career, wealth etc. for the cause of independence) and his great father (and later his wonderful daughter) and his loyal and dedicated band…Tilak, Patel, Azad, Rajagopala Chari, Patthabhi Sitaramayya. The bravery stories of Bhagat Singh and Chandra Sekhar Azad make cameo appearances. This was the popular narrative of Indian independent history fed to us thru text books, Amar Chitra Katha comics and the establishment lorded over by the Nehru Khandaan.
Bose made a fleeting appearance somewhere in our studies / school books on the independent struggle – and the one paragraph ( and a photograph in military fatigues – this also helped color our perceptions)that we would have read about him in school mentions his fascination with violent methods, his hobnobbing with the Nazis and the fascist forces (a bit misdirected but he did schmooze with them for accelerating our Independence and nothing else) , a foreign wife – and from the Nazi Germany ( in those days…it was useful trivia which helped alter our perceptions before foreign wives became popular in our nation) and a mysterious death somewhere in Japan. (For the record, he died in a plane crash after taking off from Taipei). Almost like a fringe character and in that fateful one paragraph (not even a chapter), his contributions to the Indian independent struggle and his role in mobilizing people in the Eastern region has been consigned to the foot notes and dust-bins of history.
Indian independence history therefore is not a factual account of what happened in the past but what has been dished out to us by our Congress government.
Normally I am wary about books written by Indian historians. While their factual accuracy and research can never be doubted – their ability to write in an interesting manner was always suspect and we have a whole load of serious scholarly books which are eminently unreadable. The favorable reviews for this book in the Indian press drew me to this book. Not to know about Nehru (all of us have read enough about him….two generation of authors and historians made a living writing about him) but to get to know about Suhas Chandra Bose, the unsung hero of India’s independence (and if we have to take a Mahabharata allegory…the Karna of Indian politics….smarter, wiser and more patriotic and self-sacrificing than a lot of other contemporaries but fate did not deal him the right cards…like it was for Karna).
Book starts off on parallel lines of the two protagonists…towering figures of India's independence struggle…. the story of Nehru born into wealth and a father who tried to make his shy son into a man….private European tutors, his education in England, return to India, getting absorbed into the struggle for Independence and the greatest guru-shishya relationship that we ever know of….of the Mahatma and his acolyte. Between a rooted in the ground Indian leader and his wannabe-western chela.
On a parallel plane, it traces the life of Suhas Chandra Bose, also born to wealthy parents, his fascination with all things military, education in UK, refusal to get into ICS as that would mean serving the British cause, return to India, his early tutelage under BC Roy (one more unsung hero. Poor man…he has almost been obliterated from Indian history), his total immersion into Indian politics and his success thereof in the Indian National Congress.
The parallel lives converge in the Congress party of pre-independent Indian National Congress of the late 1930s. Nehru the president of Congress and his two terms and then the term of Bose, his quest for a second term (which he wins. By the way) and the sabotage by Gandhi-ji (yes, our dear Mahatma was also human and had his own failings ) during the second term of Bose….the mild one up-man ship between the various leaders and their at times different objectives is well covered in the book…..
Political patronage was as important in those days as it is now. This is wonderfully covered thru the relationship of both Nehru and Bose with the Mahatma….For Nehru, Gandhiji was the Mahatma, unconditional love and his personal views and objectives (at times significantly different from the way Bapuji looked at the world) were subsumed under the towering personality of Gandhiji. Bose – possibly had a more rational and objective relationship. He looked unto him, acknowledged his leadership and his importance in the scheme of things then, but he begged to differ…when he had to. Considering Mohandas Karam Chand Gandhi a.k.a Bapuji / Mahatma was also human, he tilted the scales in favour of Nehru…and therein lies a tale.
The few interactions that Bose and Nehru had (Nehru was slight older than Bose) – were off course warm and each had a healthy respect for the other – their abilities, wisdom and personal commitment to the cause of independence. Their misunderstandings and Nehru’s inability to endorse Bose’s views (lest he upset…his guru…the Mahatma) make fascinating reading.
The later part of Bose’s life…post 1940….when he had to shift to Europe due to reasons of ill-health, his dalliances with the Nazi Germany of Hitler and later with the Japanese – is something I cannot really comment on. Did Bose get frustrated with the protracted, slow progress of Gandhiji’s quest for Independence – and Bose had slightly out of the box ideas of aligning with enemies of Britain (Germany in this case) and swing the long cherished independence thru external forces and pressure – one does not know. I am not so well read on that part of Bose’s life and the book also does not cover it in detail.
Overall, a fascinating book and I am sure that this will encourage me to read some more on Bose – as smart ( if not smarter) than Nehru but unfortunately did not have the boss’s (Gandhi) hand on him fully and took to different means and methods – but with the same objective. Fate cut short this brilliant man’s life in a plane-crash…and the innuendoes of sabotage and Nehru’s hand in it .Recommended to all who want to understand one of India’s greatest but unacknowledged leaders.
The establishment lords who fed us history in school had a simple narrative. There was this almost Godlike Mahatma and his faithful bunch of followers…..first and foremost being his anointed son and successor – Pandit Nehru (and all the wonderful things about him…sacrificing his flourishing legal career, wealth etc. for the cause of independence) and his great father (and later his wonderful daughter) and his loyal and dedicated band…Tilak, Patel, Azad, Rajagopala Chari, Patthabhi Sitaramayya. The bravery stories of Bhagat Singh and Chandra Sekhar Azad make cameo appearances. This was the popular narrative of Indian independent history fed to us thru text books, Amar Chitra Katha comics and the establishment lorded over by the Nehru Khandaan.
Bose made a fleeting appearance somewhere in our studies / school books on the independent struggle – and the one paragraph ( and a photograph in military fatigues – this also helped color our perceptions)that we would have read about him in school mentions his fascination with violent methods, his hobnobbing with the Nazis and the fascist forces (a bit misdirected but he did schmooze with them for accelerating our Independence and nothing else) , a foreign wife – and from the Nazi Germany ( in those days…it was useful trivia which helped alter our perceptions before foreign wives became popular in our nation) and a mysterious death somewhere in Japan. (For the record, he died in a plane crash after taking off from Taipei). Almost like a fringe character and in that fateful one paragraph (not even a chapter), his contributions to the Indian independent struggle and his role in mobilizing people in the Eastern region has been consigned to the foot notes and dust-bins of history.
Indian independence history therefore is not a factual account of what happened in the past but what has been dished out to us by our Congress government.
Normally I am wary about books written by Indian historians. While their factual accuracy and research can never be doubted – their ability to write in an interesting manner was always suspect and we have a whole load of serious scholarly books which are eminently unreadable. The favorable reviews for this book in the Indian press drew me to this book. Not to know about Nehru (all of us have read enough about him….two generation of authors and historians made a living writing about him) but to get to know about Suhas Chandra Bose, the unsung hero of India’s independence (and if we have to take a Mahabharata allegory…the Karna of Indian politics….smarter, wiser and more patriotic and self-sacrificing than a lot of other contemporaries but fate did not deal him the right cards…like it was for Karna).
Book starts off on parallel lines of the two protagonists…towering figures of India's independence struggle…. the story of Nehru born into wealth and a father who tried to make his shy son into a man….private European tutors, his education in England, return to India, getting absorbed into the struggle for Independence and the greatest guru-shishya relationship that we ever know of….of the Mahatma and his acolyte. Between a rooted in the ground Indian leader and his wannabe-western chela.
On a parallel plane, it traces the life of Suhas Chandra Bose, also born to wealthy parents, his fascination with all things military, education in UK, refusal to get into ICS as that would mean serving the British cause, return to India, his early tutelage under BC Roy (one more unsung hero. Poor man…he has almost been obliterated from Indian history), his total immersion into Indian politics and his success thereof in the Indian National Congress.
The parallel lives converge in the Congress party of pre-independent Indian National Congress of the late 1930s. Nehru the president of Congress and his two terms and then the term of Bose, his quest for a second term (which he wins. By the way) and the sabotage by Gandhi-ji (yes, our dear Mahatma was also human and had his own failings ) during the second term of Bose….the mild one up-man ship between the various leaders and their at times different objectives is well covered in the book…..
Political patronage was as important in those days as it is now. This is wonderfully covered thru the relationship of both Nehru and Bose with the Mahatma….For Nehru, Gandhiji was the Mahatma, unconditional love and his personal views and objectives (at times significantly different from the way Bapuji looked at the world) were subsumed under the towering personality of Gandhiji. Bose – possibly had a more rational and objective relationship. He looked unto him, acknowledged his leadership and his importance in the scheme of things then, but he begged to differ…when he had to. Considering Mohandas Karam Chand Gandhi a.k.a Bapuji / Mahatma was also human, he tilted the scales in favour of Nehru…and therein lies a tale.
The few interactions that Bose and Nehru had (Nehru was slight older than Bose) – were off course warm and each had a healthy respect for the other – their abilities, wisdom and personal commitment to the cause of independence. Their misunderstandings and Nehru’s inability to endorse Bose’s views (lest he upset…his guru…the Mahatma) make fascinating reading.
The later part of Bose’s life…post 1940….when he had to shift to Europe due to reasons of ill-health, his dalliances with the Nazi Germany of Hitler and later with the Japanese – is something I cannot really comment on. Did Bose get frustrated with the protracted, slow progress of Gandhiji’s quest for Independence – and Bose had slightly out of the box ideas of aligning with enemies of Britain (Germany in this case) and swing the long cherished independence thru external forces and pressure – one does not know. I am not so well read on that part of Bose’s life and the book also does not cover it in detail.
Overall, a fascinating book and I am sure that this will encourage me to read some more on Bose – as smart ( if not smarter) than Nehru but unfortunately did not have the boss’s (Gandhi) hand on him fully and took to different means and methods – but with the same objective. Fate cut short this brilliant man’s life in a plane-crash…and the innuendoes of sabotage and Nehru’s hand in it .Recommended to all who want to understand one of India’s greatest but unacknowledged leaders.
August 20, 2019
History is mainly about narratives. It's not like maths....always predictable and straight. History is more nuanced.
We have heard a lot about relationship between two most loved young leaders of national struggle - Nehru and Bose and the relationship between the two. Many would have us believe that there was an unbridgeable animosity between the two.
This book presents a more nuanced picture of complex relationship the duo shared and tries to understand and explain to the readers why the two acted the way they did. The work is majorly based on contemporary documents and letters shared between leaders at the time and thus carries objectivity. The conclusions drawn are natural and logical.
This is the correct way to approach history and major Historical figures. Every major player is driven by some idea and the circumstances either strengthen or weaken this idea. Personal traits also play important role in the sense that they decide how certain person would react to certain situation.
While subhash was impulsive, enjoyed things military and looked at Gandhi with respect but from a pragmatic PoV; Nehru was emotional, hated authoritarianism and was firm believer in Gandhian leadership. These differences paved the way for their future. The book is praiseworthy effort to understand this process.
We have heard a lot about relationship between two most loved young leaders of national struggle - Nehru and Bose and the relationship between the two. Many would have us believe that there was an unbridgeable animosity between the two.
This book presents a more nuanced picture of complex relationship the duo shared and tries to understand and explain to the readers why the two acted the way they did. The work is majorly based on contemporary documents and letters shared between leaders at the time and thus carries objectivity. The conclusions drawn are natural and logical.
This is the correct way to approach history and major Historical figures. Every major player is driven by some idea and the circumstances either strengthen or weaken this idea. Personal traits also play important role in the sense that they decide how certain person would react to certain situation.
While subhash was impulsive, enjoyed things military and looked at Gandhi with respect but from a pragmatic PoV; Nehru was emotional, hated authoritarianism and was firm believer in Gandhian leadership. These differences paved the way for their future. The book is praiseworthy effort to understand this process.
May 20, 2020
Nehru biased book. But still, despite so much of bias on Nehru, Subhash Bose manages to steal the show.
Exact Rating should be : 3.5/5 stars :)
Exact Rating should be : 3.5/5 stars :)
May 16, 2021
Published in 2014 , A nicely structured book written by renowned historian.
As I am not a Student of History but just curious enough to know more about these great personalities of our country ...
This book has beautifully compared the life both in parallel ...
Studded with a lots of references and some very interesting facts which are not there in public knowledge like...
Both have successfully headed the Municipal Boards in 20's , many serious disagreements with Gandhi ji etc
Bose Endeavours in Europe :
1. His resentment for being called Nigger in Berlin
2. His meeting with Mussolini to whom he called The Big Boss
3. His desire to meet Hitler in 1933
4. His requests to Nazi Germany to support India against Britain .
5. His meeting with Hitler in 1942 and clear NO of Hitler for declaration on India and his advice to Bose ji to ask Japan for help.
The book itself doesn't give any verdict , but at the end of the book you will somehow feel that Nehru ji was a bit better leader then Subhash ji .... I hope this book is not biased ( I can't judge this as I am not expert in indian history )
As I am not a Student of History but just curious enough to know more about these great personalities of our country ...
This book has beautifully compared the life both in parallel ...
Studded with a lots of references and some very interesting facts which are not there in public knowledge like...
Both have successfully headed the Municipal Boards in 20's , many serious disagreements with Gandhi ji etc
Bose Endeavours in Europe :
1. His resentment for being called Nigger in Berlin
2. His meeting with Mussolini to whom he called The Big Boss
3. His desire to meet Hitler in 1933
4. His requests to Nazi Germany to support India against Britain .
5. His meeting with Hitler in 1942 and clear NO of Hitler for declaration on India and his advice to Bose ji to ask Japan for help.
The book itself doesn't give any verdict , but at the end of the book you will somehow feel that Nehru ji was a bit better leader then Subhash ji .... I hope this book is not biased ( I can't judge this as I am not expert in indian history )
August 22, 2021
I enjoy the talks and writings of Mr.Mukerjee. A historian par excellence, and an even better storyteller, i loved how he looked at 19th and early 20th century Indian history through the lens of two towering leaders. Popular opinion has often pitted Nehru and Bose as rivals, however history is more layered and nuanced. Tracing their journeys - both personal and professional - against the backdrop of India's freedom movement was fascinating. The book has insights on leadership, leaders, Indian history and the telling of it.
April 8, 2022
History as it should be written! Outstanding - meticulously researched, insightful, considerate and yet bluntly honest in confronting facts, nuanced, and with no attempt at sensationalism. Gives a wonderful perspective on aspects of India's freedom struggle and the personalities involved, which are usually glossed over by the halo surrounding them. These leaders were extraordinary people but all too human. Our tendency to deify them clouds our understanding of our own history.
April 3, 2021
Really good book. It’s very interesting to understand the two greatest leaders and their relationship with Gandhi.
August 21, 2021
To begin with, the best thing I liked about reading this book is the chronological structure the author utilized, portraying the story of two protagonists of the Indian freedom movement simultaneously. Historians often tend to pick sides. But, what makes this book a good read is how balanced Rudrangdhu Mukherjee approached the two contemporaries in depicting their ideological, philosophical, political, and personal maneuvers, without defending them, but by merely documenting the stories of two towering personalities.
To have a clearer understanding of how western thoughts and philosophies have influenced our leaders of the 20th century, the chapters in this book on the early life and formative years in politics explain how Jawaharlal Nehru was in contrast to Subash Chandra Bose in viewing religion and philosophy. While Nehru’s agnosticism or atheism was deeply entrenched by his preliminary exposure to the theosophical society and Western philosophy, Subash Bose's admiration for mysticism and spirituality was deep-rooted in his admiration towards Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Swami Vivekananda.
Tracking voluminous correspondence and archival records, the author’s effort to establish a concrete document on how Nehru and Bose viewed each other is commendable and needs to be preserved and reread. It has to be preserved and reread for the obvious reason that, in public discourse and informal conversations, the two leaders are often seen as political rivals, and many Bengalis are convinced that Bose, the most revered icon of Bengal’s political pantheon, was deliberately eclipsed in national politics by Nehru who always acted at the behest of Gandhi. But this book is evidence that Nehru having shared mutual affection and friendship with Bose for more than a decade, his difference with the latter was purely political and ideological.
Nehru held a moderate approach while Bose held on to a revolutionary approach. Between them, means differed for the same desired end, while Bose had little idea what could be the aftermath of his means. With Germany surrendering and Japan withdrawing her troops, Bose was isolated in his military approach as well, in the same way how he was isolated by the Congress. The leaders of the right-wing within the Congress detested Bose and then there was Gandhi who pulled all the strings he possibly could, to make Bose understand that his means and methods were too radical and that his pace of contention and reproach was expeditious. If Gandhi was a reformist who believed that progress would always come in installments and not as a whole, Subash Bose was an impatient revolutionary who cultivated a tunnel vision and through that tunnel, he could only see India’s freedom, nothing more and nothing less. According to the author, that vision was both noble and myopic at the same time. Though Subash sought an alliance with the most oppressive regimes in human history, lest we forget the ideal of Democracy and Secularism he stood for when he was in Congress.
To summarize, the political differences between Nehru and Bose revolved around their radically different attitudes towards Fascism and Nazism, represented in the early 1940s by the Axis Powers. Nehru saw fascism as the greatest threat to hard-won democratic liberties, while Bose did not share this antipathy. Nehru saw Gandhi as a father figure and compromised on multiple disagreements and often showed private dissent, while Bose was public in his dissent and had his admiration towards Mussolini, saw fascism as a movement that represented discipline and efficiency, further arguing that the future of India would have to be fashioned through a mixture of Fascism and Communism.
I always felt that the sensibility of our historians has not served our purpose of documenting the freedom struggle in a much wider sense, often ignoring the fact that the struggle for independence was not an overnight endeavor, but the product of series of continuous negotiations, agreements, and compromises, which were carried out both internally and internationally and were predominantly determined by other events which were happening outside India. Often, history is written as a battleground between two groups or a power struggle between two leaders. This book defies that and rises above the lazy labeling of our founding fathers in ideological terms, or terms of good or bad and establishes a benevolence in viewing history.
To have a clearer understanding of how western thoughts and philosophies have influenced our leaders of the 20th century, the chapters in this book on the early life and formative years in politics explain how Jawaharlal Nehru was in contrast to Subash Chandra Bose in viewing religion and philosophy. While Nehru’s agnosticism or atheism was deeply entrenched by his preliminary exposure to the theosophical society and Western philosophy, Subash Bose's admiration for mysticism and spirituality was deep-rooted in his admiration towards Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Swami Vivekananda.
Tracking voluminous correspondence and archival records, the author’s effort to establish a concrete document on how Nehru and Bose viewed each other is commendable and needs to be preserved and reread. It has to be preserved and reread for the obvious reason that, in public discourse and informal conversations, the two leaders are often seen as political rivals, and many Bengalis are convinced that Bose, the most revered icon of Bengal’s political pantheon, was deliberately eclipsed in national politics by Nehru who always acted at the behest of Gandhi. But this book is evidence that Nehru having shared mutual affection and friendship with Bose for more than a decade, his difference with the latter was purely political and ideological.
Nehru held a moderate approach while Bose held on to a revolutionary approach. Between them, means differed for the same desired end, while Bose had little idea what could be the aftermath of his means. With Germany surrendering and Japan withdrawing her troops, Bose was isolated in his military approach as well, in the same way how he was isolated by the Congress. The leaders of the right-wing within the Congress detested Bose and then there was Gandhi who pulled all the strings he possibly could, to make Bose understand that his means and methods were too radical and that his pace of contention and reproach was expeditious. If Gandhi was a reformist who believed that progress would always come in installments and not as a whole, Subash Bose was an impatient revolutionary who cultivated a tunnel vision and through that tunnel, he could only see India’s freedom, nothing more and nothing less. According to the author, that vision was both noble and myopic at the same time. Though Subash sought an alliance with the most oppressive regimes in human history, lest we forget the ideal of Democracy and Secularism he stood for when he was in Congress.
To summarize, the political differences between Nehru and Bose revolved around their radically different attitudes towards Fascism and Nazism, represented in the early 1940s by the Axis Powers. Nehru saw fascism as the greatest threat to hard-won democratic liberties, while Bose did not share this antipathy. Nehru saw Gandhi as a father figure and compromised on multiple disagreements and often showed private dissent, while Bose was public in his dissent and had his admiration towards Mussolini, saw fascism as a movement that represented discipline and efficiency, further arguing that the future of India would have to be fashioned through a mixture of Fascism and Communism.
I always felt that the sensibility of our historians has not served our purpose of documenting the freedom struggle in a much wider sense, often ignoring the fact that the struggle for independence was not an overnight endeavor, but the product of series of continuous negotiations, agreements, and compromises, which were carried out both internally and internationally and were predominantly determined by other events which were happening outside India. Often, history is written as a battleground between two groups or a power struggle between two leaders. This book defies that and rises above the lazy labeling of our founding fathers in ideological terms, or terms of good or bad and establishes a benevolence in viewing history.
July 27, 2017
It is often said that sensibility of our historical writings has not served our nationalist movement well. This book defies that claim. It rises above the lazy labeling of our founding fathers in ideological terms, or in terms of good or bad.
The relationship between Pandit Nehru and Subhas Bose was extraordinary by all means. It has layers, nuances, and complexity. Both these leaders were united by 3 things. One, they shared high aspirations for India. Two, they were both socialist and shared their faith in industrialization, State-led economy and equality. And finally, despite occasional frustrations with each other, they had high personal regard for each other.
But more often than not, what united them was far outweighed by forces working against that unity. Three things repeatedly created tensions. One, though they shared the end in view- Indian Freedom, their means differed. Netaji was more radical and militaristic in his approach. His formation of INA disturbed Panditji. Two, Netaji and Panditji had different perspectives on World War Two and Nazism. Subhas Bose had Machevallian approach here and sacrificed soundness of means for nobleness of goals. And finally, there is the looming shadow of Gandhiji over the realsnship. Netaji, though respectful of Gandhi, never elevated him above criticism or fallibility. Whereas Pandit Nehru relied on Gandhiji like a son does on his father. He, at times, sacrificed consistency in his words and actions to the wishes of Gandhiji. Such submission frustrated Subhas Bose.
The relationship between these two remarkable individuals is an ode to our national movement. It shows that disagreement does not negate decency; that respect does not require submission; and that we are heir to great men, men of character, men of dignity.
The relationship between Pandit Nehru and Subhas Bose was extraordinary by all means. It has layers, nuances, and complexity. Both these leaders were united by 3 things. One, they shared high aspirations for India. Two, they were both socialist and shared their faith in industrialization, State-led economy and equality. And finally, despite occasional frustrations with each other, they had high personal regard for each other.
But more often than not, what united them was far outweighed by forces working against that unity. Three things repeatedly created tensions. One, though they shared the end in view- Indian Freedom, their means differed. Netaji was more radical and militaristic in his approach. His formation of INA disturbed Panditji. Two, Netaji and Panditji had different perspectives on World War Two and Nazism. Subhas Bose had Machevallian approach here and sacrificed soundness of means for nobleness of goals. And finally, there is the looming shadow of Gandhiji over the realsnship. Netaji, though respectful of Gandhi, never elevated him above criticism or fallibility. Whereas Pandit Nehru relied on Gandhiji like a son does on his father. He, at times, sacrificed consistency in his words and actions to the wishes of Gandhiji. Such submission frustrated Subhas Bose.
The relationship between these two remarkable individuals is an ode to our national movement. It shows that disagreement does not negate decency; that respect does not require submission; and that we are heir to great men, men of character, men of dignity.
January 31, 2022
Overall a great book. Very lucid, interesting, unbiased and well-researched book.
As a learner of modern Indian history, the most interesting part of the book for me was knowing about the tremendous amount of negotiations and communications that happened before each session. The kinds of pulls and pressures that were subjected on the presidents. The effects of the resolutions passed on the interpersonal relations of the leader.
Apart from narrating the incidents in their lives, the book gives us a sneak peek of what it was to live in those times and the internal as well as external politics of the country fighting for independence from colonial rule.
The book appears to be largely unbiased in its approach as it does not give us any opinion or judgement but tells us a story (based on well-established sources and evidence). The story where each character has their own set of dilemmas, ideologies, considerations, limitations, strengths, helplessness, emotional bondings and appeals.
As a learner of modern Indian history, the most interesting part of the book for me was knowing about the tremendous amount of negotiations and communications that happened before each session. The kinds of pulls and pressures that were subjected on the presidents. The effects of the resolutions passed on the interpersonal relations of the leader.
Apart from narrating the incidents in their lives, the book gives us a sneak peek of what it was to live in those times and the internal as well as external politics of the country fighting for independence from colonial rule.
The book appears to be largely unbiased in its approach as it does not give us any opinion or judgement but tells us a story (based on well-established sources and evidence). The story where each character has their own set of dilemmas, ideologies, considerations, limitations, strengths, helplessness, emotional bondings and appeals.
July 7, 2022
Rudrangshu Mukherjee’s ‘Nehru and Bose’ is a book most revealing in its attempt to cast some light on one of the most controversial times in the history of the Congress.
Why did Subhas cut himself adrift from the Congress wagon? Was he expelled? Did he leave by his own consent or was he bullied into doing it? Who orchestrated it and who lent a helping hand? Did somebody come to his defense or was he left utterly alone? Questions such as these and others are answered in this book with a remarkable assortment of proofs which lead to obvious deductions.
The book charts a parallel journey between Nehru and Bose. It starts right from their birth and the environment they were bred in. Their early education and inspirations show a clear divergence with one another and would later go on to contribute to the ideological differences which became the undoing of their relationship. All of it finally precipitates into their inclusion in the nationalist movement and the manner in which both of them react to the ongoing events in Gandhi’s Congress.
The book sinks deep into the reasons which led to a short period of time when the two stalwarts befriended each other. The closeness two of them shared, in their own words, was a testament to the fact that they started to crave each other’s company intellectually. Therefore, their eventual drift was bound to leave a rare and deep imprint on both their minds, and that it did.
There were reasons as to why the two men found each other’s company irresistible. Both of them subscribed to the idea of Socialism and imagined India as a Socialistic state when it achieves her independence. Their cosmopolitan approach to India’s problem and her struggle with Imperialism- a form of Capitalism, in their words- led them to seek solace in each other’s company. Moreover, the fact that there were not many buyers to their ideas in and out of the Congress also drew them together. Fashioning themselves as the new and the emerging voice of the Congress left wing and posing, at times, a hard resistance to the Congress right wing led by Gandhi and his acolytes, they demanded of Poorna swaraj as opposed to Gandhi’s acceptance of dominion status. This led to a confrontation, the likes of which no one had witnessed since the mid-1910s when Gandhi held the reins of a deeply divided Congress.
However, their personal relationship with Gandhi was much different. While Subhas was respectful to ‘Gandhiji’ as the leader of the nation, Gandhi’s charm could find no audience in Subhas. This was certainly not the case with Jawaharlal. He doted over ‘Bapu’ who was more than a father-figure to him. The saint was very much a muse to the forever bereaved and introspecting Anglophile. ‘Bapu’ was known to be the one who held the strings to his vulnerable heart. And Jawaharlal never dared to cut himself loose of this attachment for it meant the world to him. This tugging apart of his heart and mind irritated Subhas as he thought of Jawaharlal as a man who couldn’t quite make up his mind on the issues of importance. According to Subhas, His (Jawaharlal) mind was possessed of high and lofty ideas of socialism and the like but his heart still clung itself to the age-old values of the yore perpetrated by the old guard of the Congress. He never could grasp the relationship Jawaharlal shared with Gandhi. As a result, he was faced with disappointment when he ultimately chose to move against Gandhi within the Congress but couldn’t whip in Jawaharlal by his side.
The book is full of other such fascinating details. And I particularly liked the way all of it was dealt with. The narrative felt effortless and at times very effective. Since I had no prior knowledge of this part of history the book became a page turner for me as every part of it was novel to my senses. This book also comes at a crucial juncture when Jawaharlal Nehru’s repudiation has become a religious activity in his very own country. In his time, Nehru spoke of the love he received from his own countrymen, “I have received so much love and affection from the Indian people that nothing I can do can repay even a small fraction of it, and indeed there can be no repayment of so precious a thing as affection”. But the descendants of the very same countrymen have turned themselves against him in such a way that to think that he got so much love in his lifetime seems unimaginable for it does not find accordance with the events of today. The book does huge justice in quashing off pernicious allegations raised against Jawaharlal who is, today, solely blamed for Subhas’ ‘expulsion’ from the Congress.
In times as crucial as these, when there is much venom spread that it has become increasingly difficult to separate one lie from another, this book comes as a sigh of relief.
Why did Subhas cut himself adrift from the Congress wagon? Was he expelled? Did he leave by his own consent or was he bullied into doing it? Who orchestrated it and who lent a helping hand? Did somebody come to his defense or was he left utterly alone? Questions such as these and others are answered in this book with a remarkable assortment of proofs which lead to obvious deductions.
The book charts a parallel journey between Nehru and Bose. It starts right from their birth and the environment they were bred in. Their early education and inspirations show a clear divergence with one another and would later go on to contribute to the ideological differences which became the undoing of their relationship. All of it finally precipitates into their inclusion in the nationalist movement and the manner in which both of them react to the ongoing events in Gandhi’s Congress.
The book sinks deep into the reasons which led to a short period of time when the two stalwarts befriended each other. The closeness two of them shared, in their own words, was a testament to the fact that they started to crave each other’s company intellectually. Therefore, their eventual drift was bound to leave a rare and deep imprint on both their minds, and that it did.
There were reasons as to why the two men found each other’s company irresistible. Both of them subscribed to the idea of Socialism and imagined India as a Socialistic state when it achieves her independence. Their cosmopolitan approach to India’s problem and her struggle with Imperialism- a form of Capitalism, in their words- led them to seek solace in each other’s company. Moreover, the fact that there were not many buyers to their ideas in and out of the Congress also drew them together. Fashioning themselves as the new and the emerging voice of the Congress left wing and posing, at times, a hard resistance to the Congress right wing led by Gandhi and his acolytes, they demanded of Poorna swaraj as opposed to Gandhi’s acceptance of dominion status. This led to a confrontation, the likes of which no one had witnessed since the mid-1910s when Gandhi held the reins of a deeply divided Congress.
However, their personal relationship with Gandhi was much different. While Subhas was respectful to ‘Gandhiji’ as the leader of the nation, Gandhi’s charm could find no audience in Subhas. This was certainly not the case with Jawaharlal. He doted over ‘Bapu’ who was more than a father-figure to him. The saint was very much a muse to the forever bereaved and introspecting Anglophile. ‘Bapu’ was known to be the one who held the strings to his vulnerable heart. And Jawaharlal never dared to cut himself loose of this attachment for it meant the world to him. This tugging apart of his heart and mind irritated Subhas as he thought of Jawaharlal as a man who couldn’t quite make up his mind on the issues of importance. According to Subhas, His (Jawaharlal) mind was possessed of high and lofty ideas of socialism and the like but his heart still clung itself to the age-old values of the yore perpetrated by the old guard of the Congress. He never could grasp the relationship Jawaharlal shared with Gandhi. As a result, he was faced with disappointment when he ultimately chose to move against Gandhi within the Congress but couldn’t whip in Jawaharlal by his side.
The book is full of other such fascinating details. And I particularly liked the way all of it was dealt with. The narrative felt effortless and at times very effective. Since I had no prior knowledge of this part of history the book became a page turner for me as every part of it was novel to my senses. This book also comes at a crucial juncture when Jawaharlal Nehru’s repudiation has become a religious activity in his very own country. In his time, Nehru spoke of the love he received from his own countrymen, “I have received so much love and affection from the Indian people that nothing I can do can repay even a small fraction of it, and indeed there can be no repayment of so precious a thing as affection”. But the descendants of the very same countrymen have turned themselves against him in such a way that to think that he got so much love in his lifetime seems unimaginable for it does not find accordance with the events of today. The book does huge justice in quashing off pernicious allegations raised against Jawaharlal who is, today, solely blamed for Subhas’ ‘expulsion’ from the Congress.
In times as crucial as these, when there is much venom spread that it has become increasingly difficult to separate one lie from another, this book comes as a sigh of relief.
April 27, 2020
This book is such a well researched and nuanced take on the relationship between two of the tallest stalwarts of India (actually three, if you include Gandhi). It humanizes them in their brightest and darkest moments. The book succeeds in clarifying that their differences were only ideological - importantly, through their own writings. I was fascinated by how the leaders in those times expressed their differences strongly while still maintaining utmost respect for each other. It also throws ample light on why Gandhi chose Nehru as his ideological heir despite having regular differences with him.
The last page summarizes the book pretty aptly:
"Gandhi was Jawaharlal’s emotional anchor, a father figure to whom he could turn to in joy and in sorrow. This dependence was enhanced after Motilal’s death. There was something in Jawaharlal’s personality that needed Gandhi’s sheltering and loving presence. Gandhi was aware of this; he wrote to Jawaharlal at the end of 1946, ‘I claim to be like a wise father to you, having no less love towards you than Motilalji.’ In the same letter he described Jawaharlal’s affection for him to be ‘extraordinary and so natural!’ Jawaharlal was not exactly a Gandhi acolyte but he knew his life was incomplete without Gandhi. Learning of Gandhi’s fast unto death in 1932, he had cried, and seeing Gandhi’s lifeless body on 30 January 1948, he sobbed like a child. Gandhi reciprocated these feelings. He named Jawaharlal his heir, and according to Patel, he loved Jawaharlal more than anyone else.
It was Jawaharlal’s personal devotion to Gandhi that Subhas did not understand or did not appreciate. Subhas did not allow any sentiment or personal feelings to come between him and his aspiration to make his country free. Even the news of his mother’s death did not make him stop his work when he was preparing for battle in Southeast Asia. He did not hesitate to leave behind his wife and his daughter in Europe knowing that he may not see them ever again. The personal was secondary to him: the political was paramount. Thus, it was exasperating for Subhas to see again and again Jawaharlal differing with Gandhi but pulling back at the last moment from an open break. This made him lash out at Jawaharlal on occasion. Subhas believed that he and Jawaharlal could make history together. But Jawaharlal could not see his destiny without Gandhi. This was the limiting point of their relationship. One man who was certain that nothing mattered to him more than the freedom of India; and another individual who also cherished his country’s freedom but tried valiantly to link it to his other and often conflicting loyalties. In the crevasse of this rivalry of aims fell the tension-fraught and passing friendship of Subhas and Jawaharlal. Their lives could have no tryst."
The last page summarizes the book pretty aptly:
"Gandhi was Jawaharlal’s emotional anchor, a father figure to whom he could turn to in joy and in sorrow. This dependence was enhanced after Motilal’s death. There was something in Jawaharlal’s personality that needed Gandhi’s sheltering and loving presence. Gandhi was aware of this; he wrote to Jawaharlal at the end of 1946, ‘I claim to be like a wise father to you, having no less love towards you than Motilalji.’ In the same letter he described Jawaharlal’s affection for him to be ‘extraordinary and so natural!’ Jawaharlal was not exactly a Gandhi acolyte but he knew his life was incomplete without Gandhi. Learning of Gandhi’s fast unto death in 1932, he had cried, and seeing Gandhi’s lifeless body on 30 January 1948, he sobbed like a child. Gandhi reciprocated these feelings. He named Jawaharlal his heir, and according to Patel, he loved Jawaharlal more than anyone else.
It was Jawaharlal’s personal devotion to Gandhi that Subhas did not understand or did not appreciate. Subhas did not allow any sentiment or personal feelings to come between him and his aspiration to make his country free. Even the news of his mother’s death did not make him stop his work when he was preparing for battle in Southeast Asia. He did not hesitate to leave behind his wife and his daughter in Europe knowing that he may not see them ever again. The personal was secondary to him: the political was paramount. Thus, it was exasperating for Subhas to see again and again Jawaharlal differing with Gandhi but pulling back at the last moment from an open break. This made him lash out at Jawaharlal on occasion. Subhas believed that he and Jawaharlal could make history together. But Jawaharlal could not see his destiny without Gandhi. This was the limiting point of their relationship. One man who was certain that nothing mattered to him more than the freedom of India; and another individual who also cherished his country’s freedom but tried valiantly to link it to his other and often conflicting loyalties. In the crevasse of this rivalry of aims fell the tension-fraught and passing friendship of Subhas and Jawaharlal. Their lives could have no tryst."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2017
I've read the works of Bipin Chandra and Sekhar Bandyopadhyay on the Indian freedom struggle. What makes Mukherjee's work special is his narrow focus on two of the most eminent young personalities that shaped the process and outcome of the political movement against the British government. Their entry into the INC and rising influence from the 1930s was as much a matter of personal traits as the historic timing. One often forgets to place the person in the context of history. There is a tendency to enlarge a person's eminence without giving sufficient emphasis to the timing of historic events. Nehru reminds us that our choices are almost always a product of our circumstances.
Through the eyes and experiences of the two young leaders, one gets a glimpse into the internal politics of the INC at a critical time when India was deciding the course of the freedom movement. The book also offers a deeper study into Gandhi's intrinsic preference for Nehru over Bose, his political tactics to control the Congress (which can arguably be seen as petty and calculative at some point) and Nehru's perpetual moral dilemma as he struggled to balance his love and loyalties for Gandhi against his leftist leanings that were more in line with Bose's own philosophy. At the end, the decisions of the two leaders not only defined their individual political careers but also the fate of their mutual bond.
A surprising revelation towards the end of the book is the parallels drawn between Bose and Gandhi. Contrary to what one would expect, despite fundamental differences in political philosophies, Bose was more akin to Gandhi's nature than Nehru ever was. Neither Bose nor Gandhi were prone to the perpetual scrutiny and self-doubt that tormented Nehru's adulthood. Both Bose and Gandhi were deeply committed to their mission and remained fully confident of their path. Nehru, on the other hand, suffered from the intellectual bearings that kept him aloof and detached from the world, always feeling out-of-place and displaced from his immediate environment. It is this temperament (or weakness, as some may say) of Nehru that may have greatly contributed to his untimely demise despite emerging as India's most thoughtful, intellectually strong and visionary leaders.
Through the eyes and experiences of the two young leaders, one gets a glimpse into the internal politics of the INC at a critical time when India was deciding the course of the freedom movement. The book also offers a deeper study into Gandhi's intrinsic preference for Nehru over Bose, his political tactics to control the Congress (which can arguably be seen as petty and calculative at some point) and Nehru's perpetual moral dilemma as he struggled to balance his love and loyalties for Gandhi against his leftist leanings that were more in line with Bose's own philosophy. At the end, the decisions of the two leaders not only defined their individual political careers but also the fate of their mutual bond.
A surprising revelation towards the end of the book is the parallels drawn between Bose and Gandhi. Contrary to what one would expect, despite fundamental differences in political philosophies, Bose was more akin to Gandhi's nature than Nehru ever was. Neither Bose nor Gandhi were prone to the perpetual scrutiny and self-doubt that tormented Nehru's adulthood. Both Bose and Gandhi were deeply committed to their mission and remained fully confident of their path. Nehru, on the other hand, suffered from the intellectual bearings that kept him aloof and detached from the world, always feeling out-of-place and displaced from his immediate environment. It is this temperament (or weakness, as some may say) of Nehru that may have greatly contributed to his untimely demise despite emerging as India's most thoughtful, intellectually strong and visionary leaders.
April 25, 2022
What a fantastic book! Creates such a remarkable parallel between the lives of Nehru and Bose, two stalwarts in the Indian National movement and possible prime ministers (had Bose not died in the airplane crash). Both of them deeply reflective, but Nehru perhaps more aware of the larger context and implications of his actions compared to Subhash. The independence equally prized for both, however they both adopted different means to go about it.
Subhash''s predilection for opportunism and end justifyijt the means gets really underscored in his siding with Germany and Japan during the second war - "anyone that got India independence was worth partnering with". Also, Subhash's rather misplaced belief that an armed uprising outside India could potentially spark an uprising against the British rule in India, also underscores a political naivete.
Nehru on the other hand, the boy with the silver spoon, often unable to reconcile his personal struggles with the independence struggle, comes off as a deeply reflective leader, who truly believed in multilateralism within Indian polity and made ethical decisions to his own political detriment.
This book is a remarkable window into the leadership style of both these stalwarts and paints a picture of how India's post independence journey would have been remarkably different had Subhash been at its helm. Must read.
Subhash''s predilection for opportunism and end justifyijt the means gets really underscored in his siding with Germany and Japan during the second war - "anyone that got India independence was worth partnering with". Also, Subhash's rather misplaced belief that an armed uprising outside India could potentially spark an uprising against the British rule in India, also underscores a political naivete.
Nehru on the other hand, the boy with the silver spoon, often unable to reconcile his personal struggles with the independence struggle, comes off as a deeply reflective leader, who truly believed in multilateralism within Indian polity and made ethical decisions to his own political detriment.
This book is a remarkable window into the leadership style of both these stalwarts and paints a picture of how India's post independence journey would have been remarkably different had Subhash been at its helm. Must read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2020
The author seems to have a negative bias against Netaji. Further, he has tried to malign the image of Netaji with some out of the context calumny. On other occasions the author has tried to insinuate that Netaji has deliberately left out certain incidents from the books and accounts written by him. Mr. Mukherjee seems to be in an awe of Mr. Nehru. But you cannot blame Mr. Mukherjee of this biased reporting. He had himself mentioned this bias and reason behind it in the introductory pages of this book. His upbringing in the guardianship of a father (as he has himself mentioned in the initial pages of this book) who is extremely biased in favour of Nehrus and against Netaji seems to be responsible for this outburst of a book against netaji.
After reading this book I rather don't consider Mr. Mukherjee a historian. At most he is an author but not a historian of any caliber if he writes a book with such negative bias about a historical figure. Reporting facts is entirely different from insinuations.
After reading this book I rather don't consider Mr. Mukherjee a historian. At most he is an author but not a historian of any caliber if he writes a book with such negative bias about a historical figure. Reporting facts is entirely different from insinuations.
November 1, 2017
Brilliant!!! This book is meant to be included in mainstream history for all, though, undoubtedly, it would attract its share of criticism. Gandhians and Nehruvians will surely find this narrative myopic and flawed or at best, dismiss it without bothering to say anything. The narration will appear tilted in the favour of India's misunderstood patriot Subhas Chandra Bose. But it's a worthwhile read for the goings on in Bose's life and there will be many a places, you will be moved to tears. Any historical account I've picked up, has vindicated Bose's unwavering patriotism, even if found flaws in his politics. This is an account derived from historical documents, memoirs, letters and apocryphal jottings, and like all good books, it leaves the door open for interpretation. The author guardedly expresses admiration for all three (Nehru, Bose, Gandhi) and is honest enough to lay out the obvious flaws.
December 12, 2022
The interpretation of the facts done by the writer is the worst possible interpretation.
Bose never wrote anything about nazi's or Mussolini's atrocities because he didn't want to sacrifice realpolitik on the alter of self righteous. Only thing he was thinking of, is India's freedom. Given a choice between Nazis and British imperialism, Nazis were better for indians. Because they both were equally bad. British imperialism killed more people in India than Nazis ever even dreamt about. Nehru didn't see it like that because he was never really in touch with india. He was more European than any Indian. And from where his heart was, he saw Nazis are far worse than british imperialist. This is just one thing the writer has gotten wrong. There is just so so much. I would have given it 0 stars but two is because of the facts that's mentioned in the book, those facts do present a clear picture. I am bewildered how he has interpreted them so wrongly when they are so obvious.
Bose never wrote anything about nazi's or Mussolini's atrocities because he didn't want to sacrifice realpolitik on the alter of self righteous. Only thing he was thinking of, is India's freedom. Given a choice between Nazis and British imperialism, Nazis were better for indians. Because they both were equally bad. British imperialism killed more people in India than Nazis ever even dreamt about. Nehru didn't see it like that because he was never really in touch with india. He was more European than any Indian. And from where his heart was, he saw Nazis are far worse than british imperialist. This is just one thing the writer has gotten wrong. There is just so so much. I would have given it 0 stars but two is because of the facts that's mentioned in the book, those facts do present a clear picture. I am bewildered how he has interpreted them so wrongly when they are so obvious.
October 20, 2023
An outstanding book comparing the lives, politics and ideologies of Nehru and Bose as well as their relationship with Gandhi - in general and in the context of India’s freedom struggle and Congress politics. Well researched by a well-known scholar of History, the book provides and insight into the dynamics related to freedom struggle, the role of the rightists and leftists in Congress and that is Gandhi. This book provided me deeper insights into the Congress politics of that time. I would highly recommend this book to those interested in the history of India’s freedom struggle around the time of Gandhi and also interested to gain further insights into the careers of Bose and Nehru. This book is especially contextual in today’s context when the right wing Hindutva elements are tying to spread canards about Nehru-Bose differences to further their political ends. The truth is much more nuanced and nowhere near what these elements would like us to believe!
July 20, 2022
The people we put on pedestals and whitewash to the extent that they have become a myth were once human.
They were flawed and when they had to make difficult choices, they behaved as petty as today's politicians at times.
Nevertheless, the politics of the freedom struggle required immense sacrifice and bravery. The friendship and the fallout between two of India's great leaders under the immense undeniable shadow of Gandhi is a lesson for everyone. Surprisingly, the congress seems to have had been as factional and controlled by a 'high command' then, as it had been until recently.
The ideologies represented by Gandhi, Patel, Prasad, Rajaji on one side and Nehru, Subhash on the other side is very different from what we see in popular discourse today. The response each of them had to the changes in the country and the world during 1920-50 is really interesting and surprising.
They were flawed and when they had to make difficult choices, they behaved as petty as today's politicians at times.
Nevertheless, the politics of the freedom struggle required immense sacrifice and bravery. The friendship and the fallout between two of India's great leaders under the immense undeniable shadow of Gandhi is a lesson for everyone. Surprisingly, the congress seems to have had been as factional and controlled by a 'high command' then, as it had been until recently.
The ideologies represented by Gandhi, Patel, Prasad, Rajaji on one side and Nehru, Subhash on the other side is very different from what we see in popular discourse today. The response each of them had to the changes in the country and the world during 1920-50 is really interesting and surprising.
February 25, 2023
Rudrangshu Mukherjee's Nehru and Bose Parallel Lives, takes an indepth academic look into the lives of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose. Throught their years growing up in the backdrop of the Independence movement till 1945, the writer maintains a well parallel narrative of their lives and documents different reactions and similarities between these individuals. How Jawaharlal was the opposite of Bose in terms of nature, the former conservative, even silent at times to protect sentiments and relations, while the former an all out out spoken. But both equally committed towards one common goal.
Differences between the two individuals or once closest of friends is well documented, their relationship with Gandhi perhaps played the important factor in all. Yet, both of them maintained a well earned respect towards one another.
But the writer despite claiming to be completly impartial, often times bends towards Nehru in a subtle attempt of reflecting his idealogical identity.
Differences between the two individuals or once closest of friends is well documented, their relationship with Gandhi perhaps played the important factor in all. Yet, both of them maintained a well earned respect towards one another.
But the writer despite claiming to be completly impartial, often times bends towards Nehru in a subtle attempt of reflecting his idealogical identity.
January 31, 2025
This book talks about the life of both freedom fighters Nehru and Bose in brief, also at the same time covering most the historical events and assessing their personalities and ideologies in detailed way.
Everyone needs to read this book if they want the idea of this personalities and their viewpoints in a brief way, but if you want to study their lives in detail then also this book can provide a great kickstart to your research journey.
The author and tried his best to maintain a literary un-biasness which generally happens in this genre rather the author has given each and every aspects of both the sides and presented them in factual way rather then adding a bit of their own perspective.
This a must read if you want to read about Nehru and Bose.
Everyone needs to read this book if they want the idea of this personalities and their viewpoints in a brief way, but if you want to study their lives in detail then also this book can provide a great kickstart to your research journey.
The author and tried his best to maintain a literary un-biasness which generally happens in this genre rather the author has given each and every aspects of both the sides and presented them in factual way rather then adding a bit of their own perspective.
This a must read if you want to read about Nehru and Bose.
January 6, 2018
one of the best book to start the new yr reading list ...a brilliant researched book about 2 heroes of Indian national movement. Though there is a pro nehru slant in the narrative, but Mukherjee vividly brings out the contrast & brings to rest all myths & lore about the protagonists. Its a real lesson in the present day vitiated atmosphere that the differences in 1930's & 40's leaders were more about idealogies rather than personalities, which is the way it should be.
May 20, 2021
The book chronicles the journey of 2 modernist stalwarts (Nehru & Bose) during the freedom struggle starting roughly from 1920 till independence. The first chapter is about their childhood influences & after that its about their journey together in the freedom struggle. A well-researched book, it uses letters between the leaders & with Gandhi along with their memoirs & other writings including speeches to string together a story about their life & relationships with each other. The narration is quite nuanced & the personal opinions of the author have been kept to a minimum. It also brings out distinctly Gandhi's role in their lives & as Prashant Kishore said - this book answers why Gandhi picked Nehru as his successor.
For me two things were illuminating - (a) Having read quite less on Bose, it was an informational read on him & (b) The letters between the leaders are so personal & written with such frankness & openness that we don't encounter such conversations between us today even with increased modes of communication. Perhaps the limited modes then prompted them to be more open in their letters.
Overall, it's a good book for anyone interested in India's freedom struggle & the churning of different competing ideas inherent therein.
For me two things were illuminating - (a) Having read quite less on Bose, it was an informational read on him & (b) The letters between the leaders are so personal & written with such frankness & openness that we don't encounter such conversations between us today even with increased modes of communication. Perhaps the limited modes then prompted them to be more open in their letters.
Overall, it's a good book for anyone interested in India's freedom struggle & the churning of different competing ideas inherent therein.
July 3, 2021
A great and commendable wok. Certainly lifts a lot of veils from the current narrative being sown in Indian minds. They both were great heroes/role-models for millions of Indians including me with two differing ideologies and common aim of Indian freedom.
Current trend towards attacking the legacy of Nehru and twisting any evidence for political gain by downgrading Congress particularly Nehru/Gandhi the book is a great slap on their face.
Current trend towards attacking the legacy of Nehru and twisting any evidence for political gain by downgrading Congress particularly Nehru/Gandhi the book is a great slap on their face.
March 21, 2024
4.6
The bias for Nehru was cleared by the author in the intro itself. But it will still leave you in awe of the magnanimity of the love that Netaji had for the country. This is one of the best written Indian history book by an Indian. This book somewhat summarizes the contemporary Indian independence struggle. Would have loved if the book had talked about Royal Indian Navy mutiny also while mentioning about trails for INA soldiers.
The bias for Nehru was cleared by the author in the intro itself. But it will still leave you in awe of the magnanimity of the love that Netaji had for the country. This is one of the best written Indian history book by an Indian. This book somewhat summarizes the contemporary Indian independence struggle. Would have loved if the book had talked about Royal Indian Navy mutiny also while mentioning about trails for INA soldiers.
June 17, 2020
Book does justice to both the personalities and parellely describes their life. The similarities in their life and also the differences in their attitude towards life which ultimately shaped the different trajectory in politics.
However the book rushes through the events at the end of world war which was prime time for subhash. That's why giving it 4 star.
However the book rushes through the events at the end of world war which was prime time for subhash. That's why giving it 4 star.
May 24, 2021
Insightful read. Despite having a self proclaimed bias in favour of Nehru , the writer has remained objective for most of the book. Love for Nehru and respect for Bose is evident in the book. In the times when every few year one party or another tries to pit Nehru and Subash against each other, this book proves useful.
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