Reforms Movt
Reforms Movt
Reforms Movt
Features
• Scope of reform – they were socio-religious movt
o Social –
▪ emancipation of women includes sati, child & widow marriage,
infanticides
▪ casteism & untouchability
▪ education for enlightenment
o religious
▪ idol worship
▪ polytheism
▪ superstitious & rituals
▪ exploitation by priest
• Methods of reform
o from within
o through legislation
o through symbol of change
o through social work
• Middle path between, tradition & westernization –
o use tradition of past as instrument of reform for present, but not
idealize past for future vision
• Rationalism
o Support or reject any reform or custom on basis of social utility to
replace faith with rationality
o Instead of only scripture reference, use medical opinion on child
marriage
• Universalism
o Belief that basic truth of all religion is same
Raja Rammohun Roy
• Accept positive values of Sufism, Islam, Christianity & rationalism &
humanism of EU
• Believe that religious reforms will lead to social & pol modernization
• To discover rationalism in India past & to reform traditions in the light of
reason
• Found Amitya Sabha & Brahmo Sabha
Brahmo samaj
• Main principle
o Emphasis on worship of one God, who is omnipresent
o It was not separate religion
o Aim to purify Hinduism
o Advocate Hinduism by reinterpreting the Vedas
o Stress on chanting of Vedic hymns & Upanishads
o Reject idol worship, animal sacrifice, ritualism
• Contribution
o It works to improve women condition – force state for legislation on it
▪ Denounce sati, child marriage, polygamy, dowry sys
▪ favour widow remarriage, inter-caste marriages, women
education, wife share in property
• Not set up new religion, but inspire universal brotherhood through nobility
Contribution
• Blame priest for misled Hindus by discourage reading of Veda’s &
encourage rituals & superstitions
• It opposes idol worship, priesthood, rituals, caste practice, restriction on
foreign travel
• Indv need to go back to the Veda’s to live Vedic life
• Indv need to interpret Vedas rationally
• Social reform for Hindu nation
o Favour equal rights & respect to women, female education
o Hindi as national language for national integration
o Aspire for Gave call for sawraj (self govt), nationalism
• Use swadeshi & harijan word for Dalits & outcasts
• Its teachings recognise universalisms for all, not for particular sect
• Stress on Suddhi/reconversion
• It split on issue on English versus Sanskrit bases education
• Aim
o It stresses on worship of one God
o Proclaim theistic worship & social reform
o Oppose caste sys
o Focus on female education, widow remarriage, abolish of sati
• Activities includes
o Study grps, a journal, night school for working people, free libraries,
orphanage, female & student association
• Objectives
o To free shudras from long slavery under brahmins
o To spread education among shudras to make them aware about their
rights & free them from influence of scared books of brahmins
o Ideology to unite all shudras & Ati shudras masses
o It dreams to establish ideal society on basis of
▪ Equality & freedom
▪ Faith on one God
▪ Rejection of any intermediary btw God & man
▪ Rejection of caste sys, division of society & believe in man’s
supremacy & brotherhood
Contribution
• Insist simple & inexpensive marriage & favour widow remarriage & inter-
caste marriage, oppose child marriage
• Set up schools, collages – so low caste child can rise & have low caste
teachers, staff
• It organises essay, debate competition to break their shyness of speaking in
front of high caste person
• Oppose opening of liquor shop & encourage to prefer books
• It opposes exploitation of peasant masses by moneylender & priest