Social and Religious Reform Movements

• The 19th century witnessed a series of reform movements undertaken in various parts in India. The socio-religious reform movements aimed to support social justice in India and curb social evils and promote women's education in society.

Introduction

•  The British conquest of India in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries exposed significant weaknesses and deficiencies in Indian social institutions. Consequently, numerous individuals and movements emerged, seeking to reform and revitalize society by bringing about changes in social and religious practices.

• The conquest of India, a vast country, by a small number of British and the influence of Western culture, highlighted serious flaws in Indian society, sparking a new awakening
•  While a considerable number of Indians initially rejected Western ideas, a gradual shift occurred, with some coming to believe that India had fallen behind in the race for civilization. Many saw the adoption of Western knowledge as essential for the regeneration of Indian society. Thus, the British conquest elicited diverse reactions in Indian society, as outlined below.
•  Revulsion against Hindu Religion and Culture: The Derozians, English-educated Bengali youth, exemplified this trend by abandoning old religious ideas and traditions. Instead, they embraced practices considered offensive to Hindu sentiments, such as drinking wine and eating beef.
• According to the Best of the East and the west Individuals, led by Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Keshub Chunder Sen, exhibited a more nuanced response to Western ideas. While they were drawn to Western values, they adamantly refused to sever ties with their own religion. Instead, they aimed to reform their religion and society, mirroring the transformations undertaken by Europeans.
• Another response manifested in the emergence of Neo-Hinduism, denying Western superiority and emphasizing India's spiritual past, which held valuable lessons for the West. Consequently, numerous individuals and groups endeavored to reform and revitalize society along modern lines, collectively termed the Indian Renaissance. The 19th century in India witnessed various socio-cultural reform movements across the country.

Prevalent Social Issues of the Early 19th Century

• The Social Reform Movement encompassed various agendas, with a primary focus on improving the status of women in society and eliminating untouchability.

The fight for the betterment of women's status stemmed from issues such as:

• The low status of women in society.
• The purdah system.
• Early marriage of girls.
• Prohibition of widow remarriage.
• Sati practice.
• Economic and social dependency of women.
• Denied access to education.
• Lack of inheritance rights.
• Termination of marriages.
• Prevalence of polygamy among Hindus and Muslims.
• Gender inequality.
• Female infanticide.
• The fight against untouchability aimed to eradicate caste-based exploitation, as the caste system determined a person's loyalties even before birth. 
• Caste coefficients regulated various aspects of life, including dress, food, residence, access to temples, and the sources of drinking and irrigation water.

Causes of Socio-Religious Reform Movement

• The examination of the background and prevailing circumstances related to the Socio-Religious Reform Movements in 19th-century India indicates the following as the primary causes for these movements:

Establishment of British Rule

• One significant factor contributing to the social and cultural awakening in the 19th century was the establishment of British Rule in India. 

Emergence of Middle Class

• The middle class emerged in India under British rule, with industrialization and mass education playing crucial roles in its formation.
• Western education produced early leaders of social-religious reforms, benefiting the entire Indian system.
•  Since the middle class predominantly resided in urban areas, the earliest manifestations of these movements were observed in urban settings.

Role of Modern Western Education

• The introduction of Western education led to the growth of intelligentsia and fueled concepts of liberalism and rationalism. The educated intelligentsia integrated Indian masses into a modern nation, organizing various Socio-Religious Reform Movements in the country.

Socio-Cultural Awakening

• Virtually every major modern Indian political or social figure contributed to the popular Indian language press for social and cultural awakening.
• Newspapers such as Amrit Bazaar Patrika, Som Prakash, and Sanjivani in Bengali; Rast Goftar and Gujarat Samachar in Gujarati; Indu Prakash, Dhvan Prakash, Kesari, and Sudharak in Marathi; Swadesmitra in Tamil; Andhra Prakasika and Andhra Patrika in Telugu; Matrubhoomi in Malayalam; Hindi Pradeep, Hindustani, Aaj, and Pratap in Hindi; and Azad, Akhbar-i-Am, and Koh-i-Noor in Urdu, along with Utkal Dipika in Odia, were among the major newspapers of that time.

Press Growth and its Role

• The press served as a crucial medium of communication and functioned as a tool for shaping opinions. From Raja Ram Mohan Roy to Gandhiji, individuals utilized the press to form and propagate their opinions.

•  Similarly, in Maharashtra, Gopal Hari Deshmukh, popularly known as Lokhitawadi, played a similar role.

Classification of Reform Movements

• Educated Indians were particularly drawn to the combination of rationalism and humanism. They began scrutinizing all religious and social practices based on the principles of reason, discarding anything that did not withstand the test of modern knowledge. Practices such as pollution and purity, image worship, pilgrimages, and elaborate rituals were found to be obsolete, while the knowledge in the Geeta and the Vedanta remained relevant.

This scrutiny led to the emergence of several socio-religious reform movements, often classified into two groups:

• Reformist Movements: Movements like the Brahmo Samaj, Prarthana Samaj, and the Aligarh Movement aimed at changing the fundamental systems and structures of society through gradual reforms within the existing framework.
• Revivalist Movements: Movements like the Arya Samaj, Ramakrishna Mission, and the Deoband Movement sought to revert to the societal systems of the past, considered superior to the present degenerate form.

Brahmo Samaj and Raja Ram Mohan Roy

• The Brahmo Samaj stands out as the initial and influential organization dedicated to social and religious reform. It rejected idol worship and abandoned meaningless rites and rituals. Importantly, the samaj advocated against attacking any religion.

• The Brahmo Samaj espoused the belief that God is the cause and source of all existence; thus, nature, Earth, and heaven are all His creations.
• This conception of God within the Brahmo Samaj excluded doctrines like incarnation and mediation. It did not recognize any specially privileged priestly class as intermediaries between God and humanity. Sacrifice was not permitted in the Brahmo Samaj, and the religion emphasized the love of mankind, irrespective of color, race, or creed, with service to humanity regarded as the highest rule of life.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy

• Raja Ram Mohan Roy, often described as the Father of Modern India, played a pivotal role in various aspects of national life, striving for the regeneration of the Indian nation. In 1820, he authored the book "Percepts of Jesus." Having mastered several languages, he published his first philosophical work, "Tuhfat-ul Muwahhidin" (A Gift to Monotheists), in 1805. In this work, he analyzed major world religions through the lens of reason and social comfort.
• Raja Ram Mohan Roy and his associates confronted severe enmity and ridicule from orthodox Hindus. However, the influence of Brahmo Samaj expanded, with branches opening in various parts of the country. Although the number of Brahmo Samajists was not large, they represented a new spirit of rationalism and reform.
• Raja Ram Mohan Roy adhered to the philosophy of Vedanta, grounded in the principles of reason. He vehemently campaigned against the oppressive system and, under the governance of Lord William Bentinck in 1829, successfully advocated for the abolition of the Sati system.
•  Raja Ram Mohan Roy actively opposed female infanticide, advocating for equal rights and education for women. He provided enthusiastic support to David Hars, who established the renowned Hindu College in Calcutta. Additionally, Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded Vedanta College in 1825, offering courses in both Indian and Western social and physical sciences.
• His recognition of the universal character of the principles of liberty, equality, and justice showcased his understanding of the significance of the modern age.

Adi Brahmo Samaj and Bharatiya Brahmo Samaj

• In 1866, a division occurred within the Brahmo Samaj. Debendranath Tagore established Adi Brahmo Samaj, while Keshab Chandra Sen led the formation of Bharatiya Brahmo Samaj.

• Embracing progressive practices, they promoted intercaste marriages and widow remarriages, opposed the custom of purdah, and condemned societal inequalities.
• These radical views led to the split in 1866, and Keshab Chandra Sen went on to establish the Temple of New Dispensation and the Indian Reform Association.

Dharma Sabha

• Dharma Sabha was established in 1830 in Calcutta under the leadership of Raja Radhakant Deb. 
• The primary aim of the Sabha was to counter the pro-Western, value-oriented propaganda promoted by the Brahmo Samaj.
• Additionally, Dharma Sabha strongly opposed Lord William Bentinck's legislation to ban Sati in 1829. The Sabha aimed to preserve the existing socio-religious beliefs and practices within Hinduism.

Tattwabodhini 

• Tattwabodhini Sabha, meaning Truth Searching Society, emerged in Calcutta on October 6, 1839, after a split from the Brahmo Samaj.
• Founded by Debendranath Tagore, it sought to propagate the original ideas of Ram Mohan Roy. 
• The main objective