19th century SOCIO-RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS

19th Century India:- period of turmoil. why ? because of purdah system - child marriage - sati pratha - female infanticide etc.

#. society is directly proportional to religion.

Basically, there were two kinds of reform movements in the 19th century in India:

1. Reformist :- These movements responded with the time and scientific temper of the modern era.

2. Revivalist :-These movements started reviving ancient Indian traditions and thoughts and believed that the western thinking ruined Indian culture and ethos.

• Opposed the Idolatry{worship of idol}, denounced Sati pratha, polygamy{multi-marriages} & abuse of the caste system.

• favored remarriages of Hindu widows.

Started ''Amitya sabha'' in 1815.

• carried a consistent struggle against the religious& social malpractices.

• scientific approach, principles of human dignity& social equality.

In his 1st philosophical work ''tuhfat-ul-muwahhidin'', he analyzed major religious of the world in light of reasons& social comfort.

He put his faith in ''Monotheism''.

He wrote ''Gift to the monotheists'' & translate vedas and the 5 upnishads into Bengali to prove his conviction that ancient hindu texts support monotheism.

In ''percepts of jesus''(1820), he tried to separate the moral& philosophical message of new testaments, which he praised, from its miracle stories.

''SAMBADKAUMUDI'' {founded in 1821} was a bengali weekly newspaper published from koklata in the 1st half of 19th century. It was the main weapon of Ram mohan roy's campaign against ''Sati''.

In august 1828, Roy founded the "Brahmo sabha", which was later renamed '' Brahmo samaj''{the society of god}[REFORMIST].

• objection of the Brahmo samaj was the worship & adoration of the eternal, unreachable, Immutable god.

• It opposed ''Idol worship''& stayed away from ''practice of priesthood'' & sacrifice[mainly animals].

• great emphasis was laid on ''promotion of charity, morality, benevolence & strengthening of the bonds of union b/w men of all religions, persuasion& creeds.''

#. It should be clearly understood that Raja ram mohan roy never intended to establish a new religion. He only wanted to purge Hinduism of the evil practices that has crept into it. Roy remained a devote hindu till the end of his life and always wore the sacred thread {jenau}.

Product of best in traditional Indian learning & western thoughts.

• Gave new life to the ''Brahmo samaj''.

• 2 fronts:- Reform + opposing missionaries.

• Supported:- widow marriages, women's education, abolition of Polygamy.

Established ''Tatvabodhini sabha'':- study of India's past.

• New wave of energy to ''Brahma samaj'' and popularized it on national level by establishing branches outside Bengal.

• Radical Ideas, eg; Inclusion of teachings of other religions, strong views against caste system.

• Founded ''Brahmo samaj of India'' in 1866 after Debendra nath tagore out him from Brahmo samaj for his extreme radicalism. but it collapsed. why ??

Maharaja marriage episode :- He married his minor daughter to the king of kuchbihar which was also minor and its raised question on keshub chandra sen.

#. His followers established ''Sadharan Brahmo samaj'' as a result of schism in brahmo samaj of India.

During the 1820s &early 1830s, this emerged a radical intellectual trend among the youth in Bengal which came to be known as ''young bengal movement''.

• drawing inspiration from the ''french revolution''. Derozio inspired his pupils to think:- free &rationally ; question all authority.

• love, liberty & equity freedom.

• opposed decadent customs & tradition.

• the movement also supported women's right & education.

#.The movement, however, failed to have long term impact, reasons for which are:-

• Prevailing social condition at that time were not ripe for the adaptation of radical ideas.

• the movement lacked any real link with masses.

It was started by Mehtaji durgaram, dadoba pandurang and a group of his friends.

• The movement believe in one God.{ monotheism }

• Primarily focused on breaking the caste barriers.

• they also advocated widow re-marriage &women's education.

• Branches of Paramhansa mandali existed in Poona, Satara & other town of Maharashtra.

It's leadership came primarily from the backward classes like ; malis, telis, kunbis, saris & dhangars.

Main aim :-

• social services.

• spread of education among women & lower classes.

• Phule aimed at the complete abolition of the ''caste system & socio-economic equalities''.

#. Movement gave a sense of identity to the deprived communities as a class against Brahmins who were seen as the exploiters.

The ''Brahmo samaj'' appealed more to the intellectual elite in Bengal, while the average Bengali found more emotional satisfaction in the cult of Bhakti & yoga. hence, failed to attract local masses. but, Ramakrishna paramhansa devotion towards ''kali, tantra &bhakti'' attracted local masses.

Objective of Ramakrishna movement :-

• To bring into existence, a band of monks dedicated to a life of renunciation & practical spirituality. Started ''Ramakrishna ashram'' by Paramhansa to achieve this.

• In conjunction with lay disciples to carry on preaching, philanthropic & charitable works, looking upon all men, women & children, irrespective of caste, creed or color, as veritable manifestation of the divine. Started Ramakrishna mission{1897} by ''Swami Vivekanand'' to achieve this after death of 'Ramakrishna paramhansa'.

#. Jeeva is Shiva {human is God} - Swami vivekanand.

#. Paramhansa sought salvation through traditional ways of renunciation, meditation & bhakti amidst increasing westernization and modernization.

Gokhale was a member in I.N.C but still he found this because I.N.C is all about politics not the society.

Aim of Servants of India society:-

• To train national missionaries for the service of India.

• To promote, by all constitutional means {because Gokhale was moderate leader}, the true interest of the Indian people.

• To prepare a cadre of selfless workers who were to devote their lives to the cause of the country in a religion spirit.

#. Servants of India society choose to remain aloof from the political activities & organization like I.N.C.

• He subscribed to the vedic notion of chaturvarna system in which a person was not born in any caste but was identified according to the occupation the person followed.

• The Arya samaj fixed the minimum marriageable age at 25 years for Boys & 16 years for the Girls.

• Inter-caste marriages & widow re-marriages were also encouraged.

• Equal status for women was the demand of the Arya samaj, both in letter & in spirit.