Introduction

Biography

Tilak was from a Ko­ka­nas­tha Chit­pa­van Brah­min fa­mi­ly, the son of Va­man­rao and Ja­na­ki­bai Ti­lak. His father was a gov­ern­ment re­gis­trar. His mo­ther died when he was 11 years old.

When Ti­lak was born, his ho­ro­scope pre­dict­ed that he would for­sake the faith of his fa­thers.

At age 18, pres­sured by his rel­atives, he mar­ried 11-year-old Ma­nu­bai.

Vedic schol­ar Ga­nesh Sastri Lele taught him Sans­krit, and af­ter be­ing chal­lenged by a young play­ground peer, Ti­lak be­gan to learn Eng­lish. Eager for a more thorough edu­ca­tion, he went to the near­by Na­sik High School, where the head­mas­ter had him ad­mit­ted him free of charge. A re­mark­ably gift­ed learn­er, he comp­leted five years of pri­ma­ry edu­ca­tion in two years, and ev­ent­ual­ly be­came a teach­er.

He came to Christ in 1894, was bap­tized in 1895, and worked with the Am­eri­can Ma­ra­thi Mis­sion in Ah­med­na­gar, pro­duc­ing ma­ny hymns for the Ma­ra­thi Christ­ian Church.

Works

• Metrical Life of Christ
• Abhanganjali (अभंगांजली)
• Khristayan (ख्रिस्तायन). Un­fin­ished at the time of his death; com­pleted by his wife