The colonial period in India set off an explosion of poetry, both in English and the regional languages. The poems were revolutionary, and brimming with nationalism.
In the North, the poetry of Ajit Singh, Nandal Noorpoori, and others inspired mass movements and revolutionary activities.
From Bengal, two immortal songs- Vande mataram by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and Rabindranath Tagore’s Jana Gana Mana- are just some of the works that stir our hearts and souls to this very day.
In the South, Subramania Bharati’s first collection of poems was titled ‘Songs of Freedom’ and his words consolidated the spirit of devotion and patriotism, struggle and sacrifice. The poetry of Wajid Ali Shah in Lucknow and Ghalib and Bahadur Shah Zafar in Delhi, along with many others, all lyrically ushered in the dawn of freedom.