The
Bengal Renaissance refers to a social reform movement during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in the
Bengal region of
India during the period of
British rule. The
Bengal renaissance can be said to have started with
Raja Ram Mohan Roy (1772-1833) and ended with
Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941), although there have been many stalwarts thereafter embodying particular aspects of the unique intellectual and creative output. Nineteenth century Bengal was a unique blend of religious and social reformers, scholars, literary giants, journalists, patriotic orators and scientists, all merging to form the image of a renaissance, and marked the transition from the 'medieval' to the 'modern'.