Among the greatest sons of Bengal and of Bharat Mata, one name evokes instinctive reverence across the nation, that is Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. His life symbolised sacrifice, courage, and uncompromising devotion to India’s freedom. Yet, paradoxically, at a time when civilisational self-reflection has returned to the national discourse; be it through the consecration of Shri Ram Lalla at Ayodhya after a long struggle, or the renewed discussion around the history of the Somnath temple, a certain section appears deeply unsettled. What is this fear about? At its core, it is a fear of Hindu civilisational assertion.
To counter this resurgence, these voices repeatedly invoke selective interpretations of the thoughts and lives of great national figures to validate a narrow, ideological version of “secularism.” In doing so, they often present distorted quotations or half-truths, deliberately misleading the public. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose has been one of their frequent targets. By cherry-picking fragments from his writings, sustained attempts have been made to portray him as anti-Hindu or even irreligious. This is not a recent phenomenon; the narrative has been carefully cultivated for decades. In this context, it becomes urgently necessary to examine through Netaji’s own words, what his thoughts on Hindu Dharma and spirituality truly were.
A common claim is that Netaji was an atheist. But after hearing such a claim one question came to my mind that, how a person, who idealised people like Swami Vivekananda became an atheist! In May 6, 1932, he wrote to Mr. A.R Bhatt of the Mahratta, from Seoni sub jail, about his impressions on Swamiji. He wrote, “If he had been alive, I would have been at his feet.” Now the question is that assertion borne out by evidence? The most authentic answer lies in his own letters. In 1912, writing to his mother Prabhavati Devi, the young Subhas posed profound spiritual questions: “Why has the merciful God given us the priceless gifts of human birth, a healthy body, and intellect? Surely it is for His worship and service. But what do we do, Mother? Not even once in the whole day can we call upon Him with an open heart… The One who does so much for us, who remains our friend in joy and sorrow, in home or forest, who dwells in the temple of our hearts—we do not even remember Him once.”
In the same letter, he lamented: “Shame on that education in which there is no place for God; fruitless is the human birth from whose lips the name of God is never heard.” Such words hardly belong to an atheist.
Netaji’s faith was not abstract; it was lived and practiced, even under the harshest conditions of colonial imprisonment. From Mandalay Jail in 1926, he wrote to his sister Vibhabati Bose about organising Saraswati Puja, mentioning disputes with authorities over funding for Durga Puja and Saraswati Puja. It’s very clear evidence of his insistence on preserving Hindu religious practices even in incarceration. Months later, he wrote enthusiastically about Durga Puja preparations, describing the festival as a source of beauty, joy, cultural enrichment, and deep religious inspiration. On Vijayadashami, he reflected on how Durga Puja united all of Bengal family, relatives, friends, and even enemies; through the shared embrace of fraternity.
Netaji did not hesitate to assert Hindu rights before colonial authorities. In 1925, he formally wrote to the Chief Secretary of Bengal requesting government grants for Durga Puja celebrations in jail, describing it as the most important Hindu festival requiring extensive preparation. In another powerful letter to the Chief Secretary of the Burma Government in 1926, he protested discrimination: while Christian prisoners received funds for religious observances, educated Hindu political prisoners were denied even a single paisa. He sharply questioned whether this was justice or ethical governance.
His intellectual and spiritual worldview was deeply shaped by the Bhagavad Gita. Netaji openly stated his belief in Krishna’s words: “Swadharme nidhanam shreyah, paradharmo bhayavahah”. Which means, it is better to die performing one’s own duty than to follow another’s path. His constant companion during his years as Supreme Commander of the Azad Hind Fauj, Bhaskaran, noted that Netaji always carried three items: a pocket edition of the Gita, an extra pair of spectacles, and a rudraksha rosary. During his stay in Singapore, Netaji would often visit the Ramakrishna Mission, change out of his military uniform, and wear a saffron silk dhoti; an image far removed from the caricature of a faithless revolutionary.
The Gita, for Netaji, was not merely scripture but a guide to inner resilience. Writing from Mandalay Jail in 1925, he observed how Lokmanya Tilak, during his own imprisonment, found mental happiness through his study of the Gita. Netaji himself believed that spiritual wisdom enabled one to endure suffering with serenity. He was equally inspired by Adi Shankaracharya’s ideal of renunciation and compassion, praising the ability to absorb the world’s suffering within oneself in the pursuit of truth. Such reflections reveal a thinker deeply rooted in India’s philosophical traditions. Netaji’s reverence extended to Bhagwan Shri Ram as well. In a youthful letter to his mother, written before he became the Netaji of history, he described the Godavari River and vividly recalled Panchavati from the Ramayana, envisioning Ram, Lakshman, and Sita joyfully living in renunciation—contrasting their divine peace with humanity’s self-inflicted worldly misery.
Taken together, these writings decisively refute the attempt to portray Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose as anti-Hindu or detached from India’s spiritual heritage. His devotion to Bharat Mata was inseparable from his grounding in Hindu philosophy, culture, and dharma. A close and contextual study of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s life and historical milieu indicates that his nationalism was firmly rooted in Hindutva and cultural consciousness. A committed Hindu in civilizational terms, Bose drew profound inspiration from Vedantic philosophy and the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in shaping his resistance against British imperialism. Throughout his lifelong struggle to free India from colonial chains, Hindu civilisational ideals were not obstacles but sources of strength and inspiration. To distort Netaji’s legacy is not merely an academic error; it is an injustice to history. His own words stand as the strongest testimony that his nationalism was deeply spiritual, firmly rooted in Hindu thought, and unapologetically Indian.
