MODERN HISTORY

13 May 2020 08:17

➢ SOCIO-CULTURAL REFORMS:
Raja Ram Mohan Roy • Father of Indian Renaissance;
(1772-1833) • also Maker of Modern India
• Faith in Monotheism
• Strongly influenced by Rationalist ideas
• Declared Vedanta is based on reason
• If reason demanded , departure from scriptures is justified
• Did not want to establish new religion
• Advocated Ideals of Equality, liberty and Fraternity
• Faced strong opposition from Raja Radhakant Deb who organised
Dharma Sabha
➢ Social Reformist:
 Women's Rights:
• Crusader against Sati: Government Regulation in 1829 declared
Sati practice crime
• Attacked Polygamy and degraded state of widows
• Demanded right of inheritance and property for women
 Education:
• Supported David Hare's effort to found Hindu College in 1817
• Established Vedanta College in 1825
• Compiled Bengali grammar book
 Press Movement:
• Bold supporter of press freedom and pioneer in Indian Journalism
➢ Political Activist :
• Condemned oppressive practices of Zamindars and demanded
fixation of max. Rents
• Demanded abolition of taxes on free lands
• Called for reduction of taxes on export duties on Indian goods and
abolition of East India Company's trading rights
• Demanded Indianisation of superior services and separation of
executive from Judiciary
• Demanded judicial equality between Indians and Europeans and
that trial be held by jury
 Gift to Monotheism (1809)
• Translated Vedas and Upanishad into Bengali from
Sanskrit
 1814: Amitya Sabha :
• Propagate monotheistic ideals of Vedanta
• To campaign against idolatries, caste rigidities,
meaningless rituals and other social ills
 1820: Percepts of Jesus
 1828: Brahmo Sabha ----> Renamed Brahmo Samaj
- Agenda: To Purify Hinduism and to preach Monotheism
based on reason and Vedas &Upanishads
- Features :
• Emphasis on human dignity
• Criticism of social evils such as Sati
• Denounced polytheism and idol worship
• Discarded faith in divine Avataras
• Critised Caste System
➢ Given title 'RAJA' by Akbar II
➢ Co-founded Calcutta Unitarian Society
➢ Published Samvad Kaumudi (Bengali Newspaper) in
1821
➢ Persian Paper: Mirat-Ul-Akbar (1822)

Debendra Nath Tagore ➢ Headed Tattvabodhini Sabha( founded in 1839)

➢ Joined Brahmo Samaj in 1842
Keshab Chandra Sen ➢ Made Acharya by D. Tagore in 1858 ➢ Opened new branches of B.Samajh outside Bengal in
➢ Against caste rigidities and supported inter caste marriages Punjab, UP, Bombay, Madras etc.
➢ Founded Brahmo Samaj of India in 1866 (D. Tagore's
Samaj came to be known as Adi Brahmo Samaj)
➢ Break in Brahmo Samaj of India due to child marriage od
Sen's daughter
➢ 1878- Disgusted followers setup new organisation
Sadharan Brahmo Samaj(by Anand Mohan Bose)

Prarthana Samaj ➢ 1867: Founded by Atmaram Panduram in Bombay (helped by

Kesab Chandra Sen)
➢ To spread Liberal ideas and encourage breakdown of Caste and
Communal barriers
➢ Attached to Bhakti cult of Maharashtra
➢ M.G. Ranade joined it in 1870 and gave it an all India character
Young Bengal ➢ Headed by Henry Vivian Derozio (taught at Hindu College )
Movement ➢ Radical, intellectual trend among Bengal students
(1820-1830) ➢ Inspiration from French Revolution
➢ Supported Women rights and education
➢ No long term impact
Ishwar Chandra ➢ Great Scholar and Reformer
Vidyasagar ➢ Believed in blending of Indian and Western thoughts
➢ Deep humanist, and generous to poor
➢ Social Reforms:
• 1850: Became prinicipal of Sanskrit College
• Determined to break the priestly monopoly of scriptural knowledge
and hence opened Sanskrit College to non-Brahmins
• Started movement in support of Widow Remarriage ------>
Legalisation of Widow remarriage
• Against Child marriage and polygamy
• Cause of Women Education
• Organised 35 girl's school

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 • Organised 35 girl's school
• Secretary of Bethune College

Balshastri Jambhekar ➢ Social reform through journalism in Bombay

➢ Father of Marathi journalism
➢ Attacked Brahminical Hinduism and tried to reform popular
Hinduism
➢ Newspaper : Darpan
➢ Digdarshan :Published articles on scientific subjects as well as
history
Paramhansa ➢ In Maharashtra by Dadoba Pandurang , Mehtaji Durgaram etc.
Mandali(1849) ➢ To reform Hindu religion and society
➢ Breaking caste rules
➢ Advocated widow remarriage and women's education
Jyotirao Phule ➢ Born in Satara, Mh Satyasodhak Samaj Aims:
(1827-1890) ➢ Belonged to Mali community Social service
➢ Organised powerful movement against Upper caste domination Spread of education among women and lower caste
and brahminical supremacy people
➢ Founded Satyasodhak Samaj in 1873
➢ Works: Sarvajanik Satyadharma and Gulamgiri
➢ Firm believer in Gender inequality
➢ Women's education with the help of Savitribai Phule: Opened
Girls' School at Poona
➢ Pioneer of widow remarriage movement in Maharashtra
➢ Opened Home for Widows in 1854
➢ Awarded title 'MAHATMA' for his social works
Gopalhari Deshmukh ➢ Wrote weekly 'Prabhakar' under penname Lokahitawadi on social
'Lokahitawadi' reforms
➢ Weekly 'Hitechhu'
➢ Attacked Hindu orthodoxy and supported social and religious
equality

Gopal Ganesh Agarkar ➢ First editor of Kesari

➢ Started own periodical 'Sudharak': Spoke against untouchability
and caste system
➢ Co founder of New English School, Deccan Education Society and
Fergusson College
Servants of India ➢ By Gopal krishna Gokhale in 1905 with help of M.G. Ranade
Society ➢ Aim: To train national missionaries for service of Indian people
➢ 1911: 'HITAVADA' began to be published to project views of the
society
➢ Society remained aloof from Political activities and organisations
like INC
Social Service League ➢ Founded by Narayan Malhar Joshi(also founded All India Trade
Union Congress) in Bombay
Ram Krishna ➢ Ramakrishna Paramhamsa: Founded Ramakrishna Math
Movement ➢ Swami Vivekananda: Founded Ramkrishnanan Mission in 1897
➢ Both headquarter at Belur near Calcutta
➢ Fundamental oneness of religions
➢ Vivekananda: Parliament of Religions held at Chicago in 1893
➢ Unlike Arya Samaj, Mission recognises utility and value of Image
Worship
Arya Samaj ➢ Revivalist in form ➢ Dayananda Saraswati:
➢ Result of reaction to western influences ➢ Published Satyarth Prakash
➢ By Dayananda Saraswati in Bombay in 1875 ➢ Took inspiration from Vedas and considered them
➢ HQ: Lahore infalliable
➢ Believed in infalliabilty of Vedas ➢ Gave the slogan 'Back to the Vedas':
➢ Intercaste marriages and widow remarriages were encouraged Revival of Vedic learning and Vedic purity of religion but
➢ Education: DAV College est. In 1886 at Lahore not a revival of Vedic Times
➢ Later, 2 groups over curriculum of college: ➢ Accepted modernity
➢ College party (Lala Lajpat Rai) and Mahatma Party

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