"Prabuddha Bharat," a spiritually-oriented magazine, was founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1896 at the Advaita Ashrama in Uttarakhand. Its primary objective was to illuminate the rich spiritual heritage of our nation. Over time, the magazine began to delve into topics related to the freedom struggle, featuring contributions from prominent national figures such as Subhas Chandra Bose, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Sister Nivedita, Aurobindo and Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. Following the partition of Bengal in 1905, the magazine underwent a radical transformation.
In the October 1909 edition, the publication included some controversial advertisements. These advertisements promoted revolutionary books authored by revolutionaries like Aurobindo Ghosh and Debaprasad Mukherjee, even though many of them were under police scrutiny or arrest. Debaprasad Mukherjee was in hiding, as law enforcement agencies from various provinces were actively searching for him.
"Prabuddha Bharat" gained immense renown for featuring the writings of luminaries such as Rabindranath Tagore, Jagadish Chandra Bose, Jadunath Sarkar, Jawaharlal Nehru, the Dalai Lama and A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Even Mahatma Gandhi, the father of our nation, was a regular reader of this magazine. The publication played a crucial role in spreading a sense of patriotism throughout India. Swami Vivekananda once remarked, "If one wishes to explore Indian philosophy, they should turn to 'Prabuddha Bharat.'"
Source: Sudipta Sadhu, Contributor for CCRT