education, there was spread of new
thoughts, new ideas, new philosophy.
Indians were also introduced to western
thoughts and culture. Due to it, there were
changes in social, religious, economic and
cultural aspects of Indian society.
The modern educated Indians became
aware that the backwardness of India
was due to superstitions, casteism, old
customs, class system and lack of critical
outlook. It was necessary to eradicate the
flaws and undesirable tendency for
progress of the country. And to create a
new society based on the principles of
Humanity, Equality, and Fraternity. The
educated thinkers started social awareness
through writings to solve the various
problems in the society. The intellectual
awakening in the contemporary society is
called ‘Indian Rennaissance’.
Era of Religious and Social Reforms
Brahmo Samaj :
In 1828, Raja
Rammohan Roy
established the
Brahmo Samaj in
Bengal. He had
studied many
languages and
religions. Through
it his ideology of
Advaita philosophy
was developed. Monotheism, caste and
class equality, protest against rituals and
following the way of prayers were the
principles of Brahmo Samaj. He opposed
Sati practice, child marriage, Purdah
system. He promoted widow remarriage
and female education. He founded Hindu
College in Kolkata. He created public
awareness through the newspaper ‘Samvad
Kaumudi’.
Prarthana Samaj :
Dadoba Pandurang
Tarkhadkar established
Paramhansa Sabha in
Mumbai in 1848. Later
Paramhansa Sabha was
dissolved and some of
its members founded
the Prarthana Samaj.
Dadoba’s brother,
Dr.Atmaram Pandurang,
was the first President of Prarthana
Samaj. The prestige of the institution
increased due to the enrollment of young
graduates from Mumbai University.
Justice Ranade, Dr. R. G. Bhandarkar
carried forward the work of Prarthana
Samaj. The opposition to idol worship,
monotheism, opposition to rituals were
the principles of Prarthana Samaj. They
stressed on devotion and prayers. For
reforming the society, Prarthana Samaj
started orphanage, women’s education
institutes, night schools for workers and
society for dalits. Maharshi Vitthal Ramji
Shinde, a member of Prarthana Samaj,
established ‘Depressed Classes Mission’.
Through the mission an attempt was made
to solve the social problems.
Satyashodhak Samaj : Mahatma
Jyotirao Phule started the Satyashodhak
Samaj in 1873. Satyashodhak Samaj
worked on the principle of formation of
society on basis of equality. They protested
against untouchability. They advocated
education among the depressed classes
and women. Mahatma Phule reformed the
society through the medium of books like
‘Brahmananche Kasab’, ‘Gulamgiri’, Shetkaryacha Asud’
and ‘Sarvajanik Satya
Dharma’. He severly
criticised the traditions
and customs that made
discrimination
between man and
woman, or rather
human being himself.
Arya Samaj :
Arya Samaj was
founded by Swami
Dayanand Saraswati
in 1875. He wrote
the book ‘Satyarth
Prakash’ as a
commentary on
Vedas. Ancient vedic
religion is true
religion which had
no place for casteism and there existed
gender equality. ‘Go Back to the Vedas’
was the slogan of Arya Samaj. The
branches of Arya Samaj were opened all
over India. Many education institutions
were established through the medium of
Arya Samaj.
Ramkrishna Mission : Ramkrishna
Mission was established by Swami
Vivekananda, a close disciple of
Ramkrishna Paramhansa, in 1897.
Ramkrishna Mission worked for service to
the society. The
mission worked
for providing help
to the famine
striken people,
patients, medical
help to the poor,
female education
and spiritual
growth. Swami
Vivekananda was
an excellent orator. He attended the
Parliament of Religions at Chicago in
1893 as representative of Hinduism.
‘Arise, Awake and stop not till the
goal is achieved’ was the message given
by him to the Indian youth.
Social reforms among the Sikhs :
The Singh Sabha was established at
Amritsar to achieve reforms in Sikh
religion. This institute worked for spread
of education among the Sikh community
and bring in modernisation among them.
Later the Akali movement continued their
tradition of reformation.
Emancipation of
Women : During the
expansion of British
rule in India, the
position of women
was very miserable.
They had no right of
education. They were
not treated equally.
Child marriage, dowry
system, sati, keshavapan, opposition to
widow remarriage such customs prevailed
in the society. The then Governor Lord
Bentinck took help of social reformers
like Raja Rammohan Roy to pass the
Sati Prohibition Act. Gopal Hari
Deshmukh, popularly known as
‘Lokhitwadi’ advocated gender equality
through his writings in ‘Shatapatre’.
In 1848, Mahatma Phule started the
first school for girls at
Bhide Wada in Pune.
His wife Savitribai
Phule supported him.
Savitribai Phule had to
face great criticism
from the Society but
she continued to work
in education. Mahatma
Phule established the Bal Hatya Pratibandhak Gruha’ in his own
house. He conducted a strike of barbers
against the custom of shaving the heads of
the widows.
For gaining permission to widow
remarriage, Pandit Ishwarchandra
Vidyasagar, Vishnushastri Pandit, and
Vireshalingam took up special efforts.
In his newspaper,
Sudharak, Gopal Ganesh
Agarkar gave his
staunch opinion about
child marriage, law of
consent. Maharshi
Vitthal Ramji Shinde
organised a conference
against the practice of
Devdasi. In her book,
‘Stri Purush Tulana’,
Tarabai Shinde very
fiercely put up her
views about women’s
rights. Maharshi
Dhondo Karve
started the ‘Anath
Balikashram’ an
orphanage for girls.
His intention was to give education
to all women and make them stand on
their own feet. Through his efforts, the
first women’s university was set up in the
20th century. Pandita Ramabai founded
the Sharada Sadan and took up the
responsibility of taking care of disabled
children and women. Ramabai Ranade,
through the medium of Seva Sadan
Institute, started the Nursing course for
women. She demanded the right to vote
for women. Through articles, Dr.Ambedkar
spoke about the injustice towards women.
Mahatma Gandhi also advocated education
of women. Women have given valuable
contribution during the freedom movement.
Women’s reform movement helped in
Just think about it ?
* If the social reformers had not started
the education of women?
* At present, what kind of transformation
is seen in the life of women due to
education?
* Do you think there is a need for taking
further efforts regarding education of
women ? If yes, then what efforts need
to be taken?
closing down many unjust practices in the
society. The voice for problems against
the women broke out. Women started
putting up their own thoughts through
their writings. Their performance in every
sectors of life flourished due to education.
Vireshlingam Pantulu
Maharshi Karve
Religious reforms among the
Muslims : Abdul Latif started the social
reform among the muslim community. He
established ‘The Mohammedan Literary
Society’ in Bengal.
Sir Sayyad Ahmad Khan founded
‘The Mohammedan Anglo Oriental
College’. It later
developed into the
‘Aligarh Muslim
University’. He
advocated western
science and
technology. He firmly
believed that Muslims
could make progress
only by studying
modern education and
science.
Movement in Hindu Society : In
1915, ‘Hindu Mahasabha’ was established
to give a respectable position to the Hindu
community. Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya
laid the foundation of ‘Banaras Hindu
University’. Dr. Keshav Baliram
Hedgewar, in 1925, established Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh at Nagpur. Its aim
was to set up a disciplinary and virtuous organisation of Hindu
youth. V.D.Savarkar
built the ‘Patit Pawan
Temple’ at Ratnagiri,
open to all castes of
Hindu religion.
Common dining
programmes were
also arranged.
In the history of Modern India, the
movement of rennaissance is very
important. On the principles of Liberty,
Equality and Nationalism, the Indian
social reformers set up a nation wide
political movement. The study of this
movement will be dealt in the next chapter
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