EI

TK

ESSENCEOFI NDI
AN
TRADI
TIONAL
KNOWLEDGE
COMPI
LEDBYREHANASULTANA

DECCANCOLLEGEOFENGI
NEERI
NGAND
TECHNOLOGY
 ESSENCEOFI
NDI
ANTRADI
TIONALKNOWLEDGE

Uni
t-
3
Rel
igi
onandPhi
losophy
Rel
igi
oni
nAnci
entI
ndi
a
I
ndiainancientIndiahadt hreeoldestreli
gions,
Hindui
sm andBuddhism,as
wellasJaini
sm.Al lthreeev ol
vedf r
om sharedbeli
efsandtradi
ti
ons,
suchas
r
eincarnat
ion,karma, andliberat
ionandachi evi
ngnir
vana.Thesebel
ief
sand
t
raditi
onsevolvedint heIndusRiv erVal
leyaround3500BCE.

HI
NDUI
SM
1.Hindui
sm istheoldestreli
gioninIndi
a.Infact
,someoftheHindugods
weremostl i
kelywor shi
ppedbyt hepeopleofanci
entHarappa.Whenthe
Aryanscamei ntoIndia,
theybroughtthei
rbeli
efs,
andthestori
esofthei
r
godsintheirholybook,theRigVeda.

2.Thefundament alt
eachi
ngsofHinduism,whichfor
mt hefoundat
ionofall
i
tsdiff
erentsects,ar
econtai
nedintheconcludi
ngporti
onoftheVedas,
andarethereforeknownastheVedanta(the"endorconcludi
ngport
ion
oftheVedas").Thispar
toftheVedasisalsoknownast heUpani
shads.

3.Hindusbeli
eveintheprinci
plesofsamsar a(
thecontinuouscycl
eofli
fe,
death,andrei
ncarnat
ion)andkar ma(theuni
versall
awofcauseand
effect
).Oneofthekeythought sofHindui
sm i
s“ at
man, ”ort
hebeli
efi
n
soul..
..Hi
nduism i
scloselyrel
atedtootherI
ndianrel
igions,
incl
udi
ng
Buddhism,Sikhi
sm andJai ni
sm.

4.4.Pominentthemesi nHindubeliefsincludethefourPuruṣārt
has,t
he
propergoalsoraimsofhumanl ife;namel y
, 
dharma (
ethics/
duti
es),
art
ha
(prosper
it
y/wor k)
,kama( desi
res/passions)
and moksha (l
iberat
ion/
freedom from thecy cl
eofdeathand

REHANASULTANA,
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NDI
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r
ebi
rt
h/sal
vat
ion)
,aswel
las 
kar
ma 
(act
ion,
int
entandconsequences

5.5.
Hindusbeliev
einauniv
ersalsoulorGodcal
ledBr
ahman.TheBrahman
i
sneitheraheorsheandcant akefor
msonEar t
hinmanyways,whichi
s
whyHi ndusbel
iev
einvar
iousgodsandgoddesses.
 

6.

BUDDHI
SM

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NDI
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NDI
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JAI
NISM

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NDI
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Rel
igi
onandPhi
losophyI
nMedi
evalPer
iod
TheSuf
iMov
ement
:
1.I
tisgener
all
ybel
i
evedt
hatSuf
ism i
sder
ivedf
rom t
woAr
abi
cwor
dsi
.
e.
‘
Saf’and‘
Suf.Theword‘Safmeansacar pet
.SincetheSufi
smedi t
ated
uponGodonacar pet,
Sufism t
ooki t
sbir
thi
.e.purepeopl
ewhomedi t
ated
onacarpet
.Thewor d‘Suf
i’der
ivesit
snamef rom anot
herArabi
cwor d‘Suf
whichmeanswool.TheMusl i
m saintswhowor egarment
sofcoarsewool
begantobecall
edSufisai
nts.

2.Suf
imov
ementwasasoci
o-r
eli
giousmov
ementf
rom f
our
teent
hto
si
xteent
hcentur
y.TheSufi
swerespir
it
ualandpi
ousmen. Suf
is 
regard
MuhammadMust af
a(PBUH)asal-I
nsānal-
Kāmil
,thepr
imaryperfectman
andseeHim asthei
rsupr
emeleader.

3.Manybegant
oleadar
eti
redascet
icl
i
fe,
TheSuf
isl
aidemphasi
suponf
ree
t
houghtandl
i
ber
ali
deas.Theywer
eagai
nstr
igi
dit
yinr
eli
gion.

4.TheSuf
ist
urnedt
omedi
tat
ioni
nor
dert
oachi
ever
eli
gioussat
isf
act
ion.
Li
ket heBhakt
isai
nts,
theSuf
ist
ooi
nter
pret
edr
eli
gionas‘
l
oveofgod’
and
ser
viceofhumanit
y.

5.The 
fourpr
inci
ples 
ofSuf
ism:
Repent
ance(
regr
et)
,Si
ncer
it
y,
Remembr ance,
andLove,i
ttracest
he 
fundament
al 
stagesofthespi
ri
tual
l
earnerandhisjour
ney,
most l
yemphasizi
ngthei
mpor t
anceofhuman
act
ionsandGod' sl
imi
tl
esslove.

6.I
nthebegi
nni
ng,
themai
ncent
resoft
heSuf
iswer
eMul
tanandPunj
ab.By
thethi
rteent
handfour
teent
hcent
uri
es,
theSuf
ishadspr
eadt
oKashmi
r,
Bihar,
Bengalandt
heDeccan.

REHANASULTANA,
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Mai
nFeat
uresofSuf
ism:

1.Suf
ism doesnotbel
i
evei
ncast
esy
stem.

2.Suf
ism emphasi
zesuponl
eadi
ngasi
mpl
eli
fe.

3.Suf
isai
ntspr
eachedi
nAr
abi
c,Per
sianandUr
duet
c.

4.Theeffor
tsofSuf
isai
ntshel
pedtopr
omot eequali
tyandl
essent
heevi
l
sof
cast
eism.Theyal
sotr
iedtoi
nsti
l
laspir
itofgoodnessandmoral
i
ty.

5.Someoft
herenownedSuf
isai
ntsonaccountoft
hei
rvi
rt
uousandsai
ntl
y
l
if
emoti
vat
edsomeoftheDelhiSul
tanst
ofoll
owali
ber
alpol
icy
.

6.TheSuf
imovementencour
agedequal
it
yandbrot
herhood.I
tfact,
The
I
slami
cemphasi
suponequali
tywasrespect
edmorebytheSufis.

7.TheSufi
saint
scont
ri
butedgreat
lyt
othegrowt
hofari
chregi
onall
it
erat
ure.
MostoftheSufi
sai
ntswerepoetswhochoset
owri
tei
nlocall
anguages.

Khawj
aMoi
n-ud-
DinChi
sti(
1143-
1234A.
D.)
:

8.Hecamet
oIndi
atowar
dst
hecl
oseoft
he12t
hcent
ury
.Ini
ti
all
yhest
ayed
atLahor
e.Thenhemov
edt
oDel
hiandf
inal
l
yset
tl
edatAj
mer
.Onaccount
ofhi
spi
ousandsi
mpl
eli
fe,
peopl
eofdi
ff
erentf
ait
hsl
ookeduponhi
m as
t
hei
rspi
ri
tual
teacher
.

Ni
zam-
ud-
DinAul
ia(
14t
hcent
ury
):

9.Dur
inghi
sli
fet
imehewashel
dingr
eatest
eem bysev
eral
Sul
tansofDel
hi
aswel
last
hegener
alpubl
i
c.Heal
sousedHi
ndi
inhi
steachi
ngs.

REHANASULTANA,
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BabaFar
id-
ud-
DinGanj
-i
-Shakar(
13t
hcent
ury
):

10. Hi
sout
lookwasbr
oadandhumane.Someofhi
sdev
oti
onal
ver
sesar
e
f
oundi
n‘Adi
-Gr
ant
h’oft
heSi
khs.
 

TheBhakt
iMov
ement
1.Thedevel
opmentofBhakt
imov
ementt
ookpl
acei
nTami
lNadubet
ween
thesev enthandtwel f
thcenturi
es.
2.I
ncour seoft ime,theideasoftheSout hmov edupt otheNorthbuti
twasa
veryslowpr ocess.
3.I
tisconsi dered themostchar act
eristi
cfeatureoftherel
igi
ous
developmentdur i
ngt hemedi ev
alperiod
4.I
twast hemov ementt hatemphasizedsingle-mindedint
ensedevoti
ont
o
God.Itwasacompl etesurr
enderofoneselftoGod.
Mai
nFeat
uresoft
heBhakt
iMov
ement
:
1.UnityofGodoroneGodt houghknownbydi ff
erentnames.
2.Bhakt i,
intensel ov eanddev otion,theonl ywayt osal vati
on.
3.Condemnat ionofr it
ual s,cer emoni esandbl i
ndfaith.
4.Rejectionofi dol wor shipbymanysai nts
5.Open-mi ndednessaboutdeci dingr el
igi
ousmat ters.
6.Nodi stinctionofdi f
ferentcast es,higherorl ow.
7.Preachi ng’st hroughl ocal orr egionallanguagesandt r
avell
ingf r
om pl ace
toplacef orspr eadi ngt her eligiousmessage.
8.TheBhakt isaintsbel iev edi nequal i
tyofman, Accor dingtot hem therewas
nodi sti
nct ionandconsi derat i
onofhi ghandl owont hebasi sofbirt
h. 
9.TheBhakt isaintst ri
edt ogener ateanenv i
ronmentofgoodwi l
lbetween
theHi ndusandt heMusl i
ms.
10. Theymadenodi stinctionofcast e,creedorr eli
gionbef oreGod.They
themsel vescamef r
om di versebackgr ounds.Ramananda, whosedi sciples
i
ncludedHi ndusandMusl ims, camef rom aconser vativebrahmanf ami ly.
Hisdi sciple,Kabi r,
wasaweav er.GuruNanakwasav il
l
ageaccount ant ’
s
son.Namdevwasat ai l
or.
11. TheBhakt isai ntswer esoci alreformer salso.Theycondemnedsev eral

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socialevil
s.
12. Thesai nt
sdi dnotconf i
nethemsel vest opurelyreligiousideas.They
supportedsoci alref
ormst oo.Theyopposedsat iandf emal einfantici
de
13. Someoft herulersadoptedli
beral r
eligiouspoliciesundert hei mpactof
theBhakt imov ement .
Themov
14. ementat temptedt oimpartaspi r
itofpietyint hedailyl
ifeoft he
people.Itemphasi zedearningofweal tht hroughhar dwor kandhonest
means.  
15. Itencour agedt hevalueofsocialserv i
cet othepoorandt heneedy .It
developedahumani t
ari
anat t
it
ude.Itpoi ntedoutt hev i
rtuesofsat isfaction
andsel fcontrol.
16. TheBhakt imov ementsucceededt oav erysmal lextentinrealizingi t
s
two-fol
dobj ectiv
ei .
e.bri
ngingaboutr eformsi nHi nduism anddev eloping
harmoni ousrelati
onsbet weentheHi ndusandt heMusl ims.
Kabi
r
1. Kabi
r(1440-
1518)i
ssai
dtohav
ebeent
hesonofabr
ahmanwi
dow,
who
abandonedhi
m.Hewasbr
oughtupi
nthehouseofaMusl
i
m weav
er.

2. Hebel
i
evedt
hatt
heCr
eat
ori
sOne.
Hisbel
i
efsandi
deaswer
eref
lect
edi
n
t
hedohas composedbyhi
m.

3. Kabi
remphasi
sedsi
mpl
i
cit
yinr
eli
gionHeat
tempt
edt
ochanget
henar
row
thi
nki
ngofsoci
ety
.Hispoetr
ywasf or
cefulanddi
rect
.Itwaseasily
under
stoodandmuchofithaspassedintoourev
erydaylanguage.

Gur
uNanak(
1469-
1539)
.
4. Hewasbor
natTal
wandi
(NakanaSahi
b).Fr
om anear
lyage,
heshowed
l
eani
ngstowardsaspi
ri
tual
li
fe.Hewashel
pful
tot
hepoorandneedy
.Hi
s
di
sci
plescal
l
edthemsel
vesSikh.

5. Gur
uNanak’
sobj
ect
ivewast
oremov
etheexi
sti
ngcor
rupt
ionand
degr
adi
ngpr
act
icesi
nsoci
ety
.

6. Nanakwasasmuchasoci
alr
efor
merashewasar
eli
gioust
eacher
.He
cal
l
edf
orani
mpr
ovementi
nthest
atusofwomen.

7. Hi
svani
(wor
ds)al
ongwi
tht
hoseofot
herSi
khGur
ushav
ebeenbr
ought

REHANASULTANA,
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NDI
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t
oget
heri
ntheGur
uGr
ant
hSahi
b,t
hehol
ybookoft
heSi
khs.

Rel
igi
ousRef
orm Mov
ementI
nIndi
a:

1.Rel
i
giousr
efor
mer
smadeanat
temptt
oref
ormt
hesoci
etyt
othe
r
equi
rement
soft
hemoder
nwor
ldofsci
ence,
democr
acyandnat
ional
i
sm.

2.Theydet
ermi
nedt
oletnoobst
acl
est
andi
ntheway
,few t
hought
ful
I
ndi
anssetoutt
oref
ormt
hei
rtr
adi
ti
onal
rel
i
gions.Theyt
ri
edt
oremai
n
t
ruet
othef
oundat
ionsoft
hei
rrel
i
gions,
theyr
emodel
edt
hemsel
vest
o
sui
tthenewneedsoft
heI
ndi
anpeopl
e.

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Raj
aRam MohanRoy:
1.Amongthegreatr
efor
mer
soft
hisper
iod,
Raj
aRammohanRoyi
sthe
gr
eat
estref
ormer.

2.Amanofgr eatl
it
erar
yt alentandwellver
sedi
nI ndi
ancul
tur
e,heal
so
madespecialef
for
ttost udyChr i
sti
ani
tyandI
slam sot
hathecoul
ddeal
wi
ththem wit
hunderstandi ng.

3.Hefel
tgreatrev
oltf
ormanypract
icespr
evai
l
ingi
nIndi
athatwer
e
pr
acti
cedinthenameofrel
igi
on.

4.RajaRammohanRoywasnotmer el
yarel
igi
ousref
ormerbutasocial
ref
ormeral
so.Hi
sgreatestachievementwastheabol
it
ionofSati
in1929.
RajaRammohanRoyrealiz
edt hatthepr
acti
ceofSati
wasduet othe
ext
remelyl
owposit
ionofHinduwomen.

5.Heworkedveryhardforyear
stostopthi
spr
acti
ceof‘Sat
i’
.I
ntheearl
y
1818hesetouttoawakenpeopleaboutSat
i.Ontheonehandheshowed
byci
ti
ngtheoldestsacredbookst
hattheHi
ndurel
igi
onneverencour
aged

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suchpr
acti
ceandont
heother,
heappeal
edont
hebasi
sofhumani
tyand
compassi
ontowar
dsgoodsoci
ety.

6.Hevi
sit
edtheburni
ngGhatsofCalcutt
at otr
ytopersuadetherel
ati
vesof
wi
dowst ogi
veupthei
rplanofsel
f-i
mmol ati
on.Hiscampaignagai
nstSat
i
mademanyor t
hodoxpeopl
eangryandt heybit
ter
lyatt
ackedhi
m.

7.RajaRam MohanRoywasalsodeepl
yopposedtothecastesyst
em that
prevai
l
edinI
ndiansoci
ety
.Hewroteandtal
kedagainstt
hecastesy
st em.

8.Hewr ot
einBengal
iandEngli
sh.Hewasanar dentpromoterofEngl
ish
educati
on.Hewasalsowellver
sedi
nthePersianlanguageandsomeof
hismostli
beral
andrati
onal
ideaswereexpr
essedi nhisear
lywri
ti
ngsin
thatl
anguage.

9.Headv ocat
edtheabol
iti
onofpol ygamy(
apracti
ceofmanhavi
ngmore
thanonewi f
e)andchi
l
dmar r
iage.Hewantedwomentobeeducat
edand
givent
her i
ghttoi
nher
itpropert
y.Headvocatedt
heri
ght
sofwidowst
o
remarr
y .

Br
ahmosamaj:
1. Tobr
inghi
sideasi
ntopr
act
ice,
Raj
aRammohanRoyf
oundedt
heBr
ahmo
Sabhai
n1828whi
chl
atercamet
obeknownasBr
ahmoSamaj
.

2..I
twasopent
oal
lper
sonsr
egar
dlessoft
hei
rcol
our
,conv
ict
ions,
cast
e,
nat
ional
it
y,andr
eli
gion.I
temphasi
sedhumandignit
y,opposedi
dol
worshi
pandcondemnedsocialevi
l
sli
kesat
ipratha.

3. Thust
heBr
ahmoswer
ebasi
cal
l
yopposedt
oidol
atr
yandsuper
sti
ti
ous
pr
acticesandr
it
ual
s,i
nfactt
otheenti
reBr
ahmani
calsy
stem.Theycoul
d
worshiponeGodwi
thoutt
hemediat
ionoft
hepri
est
s.

4. TheBr
ahmosamaj
peopl
ewer
eal
sogr
eatsoci
alr
efor
mer
s.Theyact
ivel
y
opposedthecast
esyst
em andchi
ld-
marri
ageandsupport
edthegener
al
upl
iftofwomen,i
ncl
udi
ngwidowremarr
iage,
andthespreadofmodern
educati
ontomenandwomen.

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5. Debendr
aNat
hTagor
e(l
817-
1905)
,thesonofDwar
kanat
hTagor
e,f
ounder
memberofBr
ahmoSamaj ,
succeededRajaRammohanRoyasthel
eader
oft
heBrahmoSamaj.Heputnewlif
eintheSamaj
andpropagat
edRaj
a
RammohanRoy’
sideas.

6. TheBr
ahmoSamaj
stoodf
ort
hepr
inci
plesofi
ndi
vi
dual
freedom,
nat
ional
uni
ty,sol
idar
it
yandcoll
abor
ati
onandt
hedemocr
ati
sat
ionofal
lsoci
al
i
nsti
tuti
onsandrel
ati
ons.

7. I
tthusbecamet
hef
ir
stor
gani
sedv
ehi
clef
ort
heexpr
essi
onofnat
ional
awakeni
ngandi
naugur
atedanewer
afort
hepeopl
eofI
ndi
a.

SWAMIDAYANANDSARASWATI(
1824-
1883)ANDARYA
SAMAJ:
1.DayanandSar
aswati
star
tedthemostinfl
uenti
almovementofr
eli
gious
andsocial
ref
orminnort
her
nI ndi
a.HefoundedtheAry
aSamajin1875in
Bombay

2.Hewasopposedt
oidolat
ry,
rit
ual
andpr
iest
hood,
par
ti
cul
arl
ytot
he
pr
eval
entcast
epr
act
ices.

3.Hef
avor
edt
hest
udyofwest
ernsci
ence.

4.AryaSamaji
sopposedchi
ldmarr
iagesandencour
agedremarri
ageof
widows.I
tmaderapidpr
ogressi
nPunjab,
UttarPr
adesh,Raj
ast
hanand
Gujar
at.

5.ANet workofschool sandcol l

egesforboysandgirl
swasest abli
shed
thr
oughoutnor ther
nI ndiatopromotethespreadofeducat
ion.Day anand
Anglo-Vedi
cSchool ofLahor e,whi
chsoondev el
opedintoapr emiercoll
ege
ofPunjab,setthepatt ernf
orsuchinsti
tut
ions.I
nst
ruct
ionwasi mpar t
ed
thr
oughHi ndiandEngl i
sh

6.Ary
aSamajt
ri
edtoi
nculcat
ethespi
ri
tofsel
f-
respectandsel
f-
rel
i
ance
amongt
hepeopl
eofIndi
a.Thi
spromotednat
ional
ism.

REHANASULTANA,
ASST.
PROF,
SHM ,
DCETPage14
 ESSENCEOFI
NDI
ANTRADI
TIONALKNOWLEDGE

Ramakr
ishnaandVi
vekananda:
1.GadadharChattopadhyaya(
l836-86)wasapoorBrahminpri
estwhol ater
camet obeknownasRamakr i
shnaPar amahansa:
Hiseducationdidnot
proceedbeyondtheelementarystageandhehadnof or
mal educati
onin
phil
osophyandShast r
as.Hededicatedhisl
if
etoGod.Hebel i
evedthat
thereweremanyr oadstoGodandt heservi
ceofmanwast heser v
iceof
God.

2.Narendr
aNathDatta(l
863-1902)l
aterknownasSwami Viv
ekanandawas
themostdevotedpupi
lofRamakrishnaParamahansawhocarri
edthe
messageofhisGuruRamakr i
shnaallovert
heworld,
speci
all
yinAmeri
ca
andEurope.

3.VivekanandawasproudofIndi
a’sspi
ri
tualher
it
age,Hecondemnedthe
castesystem,ri
gidr
it
ual
s,cent
uryoldsuperst
it
ionsandencour
aged
l
iberty,
freet
hinki
ngandequali
ty.

4.Vivekanandawasindeed,
apatri
otfr
om thecoreofhi
sheart
.Hehad
tremendousf ai
thi
ntheevol
uti
onofIndi
ancult
ureandanint
ensezeal
to
revi
veallthatwasgoodandgreati
nthecountr
y’scul
tur
e.

5.Swami Viv
ekanandalaidstr
essonRamakr
ishna’
steachingontheessent
ial
onenessofallr
eli
gions.Hepromotedt
heVedant
aphilosophywhichhe
consi
deredthemostr ati
onalsy
stem.

6.Thepr i
ncipalfeat
ureofVi vekananda’ssoci
alphi
losophywashi s
i
nsistenceont heuplif
tmentoft hemasses.Forhi m, servi
cetothepoor
anddownt r
oddenwast hehighestrel
igi
on.Toorgani sesuchservice,he
foundedt heRamakr i
shnaMi ssi
onin1897.ThisMi ssiontodatehaspl ayed
animpor tantrol
einprov i
dingsocialserv
icei
ntimesofnat i
onaldistr
ess
l
ikefami ne,fl
oods,andepidemi c.Manyschools,hospi t
als,or
phanagesar e
runbyi t
.

7.I
n1893hepar ti
cipatedintheAllWorl
dRel i
giousConference(Parli
ament
ofReli
gions)atChi cagointheUnit
edStatesofAmer i
ca.Hi saddresst
here
madeadeepi mpr essiononthepeopl
eofot hercountr
iesandt hushel
ped
torai
set heprest
igeofI ndi
ancult
urei
nt heey esoft
hewor l
d.Thoughhis

REHANASULTANA,
ASST.
PROF,
SHM ,
DCETPage15
 ESSENCEOFI
NDI
ANTRADI
TIONALKNOWLEDGE
missionwasmai nl
yofr el
i
giousnature,
hewaskeenl yi
nterest
edi
nthe
i
mpr ovementofallaspectsofthecountr
y‘sl
ife.Heexpressedhi
sconcer
n
f
orthemi ser
ableandpoorcondi t
ionsofthepeople.

Ramakr
ishnaMi
ssi
on
1.Ramakr i
shnaMi ssion  (
RKM)i sa Hindu rel
igiousandspi rit
ualorganizat
ion
whichformst hecor eofawor ldwidespirit
ual mov ementknownas
the 
Ramakr ishnaMov ement  
orthe Vedant aMov ement .Themi ssionis
namedaf terandi nspiredbytheI ndiansaint RamakrishnaPar amahamsa
andfoundedbyRamakr i
shna'schiefdisciple Swami Vi
v ekananda on1May
1897. 
Theor ganizationmai nl
ypr opagatest he Hi
ndu
phil
osophy  
of  
Vedant a–Advait
aVedant a and
four 
yogi
c ideals–j nana, 
bhakti,
 karma,and  rajay
oga.

2.Thef i
rstMathwasestabl
ishedatBaranagar.I
n1899, another‘math’was
start
edatBelur,
whichbecamet hecentr
al‘math’
.Itlooksafterthe
organizat
ionandworki
ngofall ‘
maths’
spreadalloverIndi
aandev en
outsi
dei t
.Iti
sal
sotheeducational
centreofthesaintsoftheRamakr ishna
Mission.

3.Apartf
rom rel
igi
ousandspi
ri
tual
teachingt
heorganizat
ioncar
ri
esout
ext
ensiveeducati
onal
andphil
ant
hropicworki
n I a.
ndi

4.Themissi
onbasesit
swor kont hepri
ncipl
esof kar
may oga,t
hepri
ncipl
e
ofsel
fl
essworkdonewi t
hdedicati
ontoGod. TheRamakr i
shnaMissi
on
/Mathhascenter
saroundt heworldandpubl
ishesmany
i
mportant
 Hi
ndu t
ext
s. 
Itisaffi
l
iat
edwi t
hthe 
monast i
c organi
zat
ion.

5.Themissiondidnotrest
ri
ctit
sel
ftorel
i
giousacti
vit
iesbutwasacti
vel
y
i
nvolv
edinsocialcausessuchaseducati
on,heal
thcareandreli
efi
nti
mesof
cal
amiti
es.Serv
icetohumanityist
hepracti
calVedant
aoft hi
smissi
on

REHANASULTANA,
ASST.
PROF,
SHM ,
DCETPage16
 ESSENCEOFI
NDI
ANTRADI
TIONALKNOWLEDGE

THEALI
GARHMOVEMENT
1.TheAligarhMov ementwast hepushtoestabli
shamoder nsyst
em of
educati
onf ortheMusli
m popul at
ionofBri
tishIndi
a,duri
ngthelater
decadesoft he19thcentury.Thefounderoftheoriental
coll
ege,andthe
othereducational
inst
it
utionsthatdevel
opedf r
om it,wasSirSyedAhmed
Khan.

2.He start
ed 
a movement i
nordertogiv
erespect
ableposi
ti
ontoMuslimsin
societyastheyhadinpast,
thi
s movement 
isknownas Al
igar
hMov ement
.
Themai nfocusofthe 
Ali
garhmov ement
 wasModer nwester
neducati
on
fortheMusl i
ms.

3.SirSyedAhmedKhanwasoneoft hegreatestMusl
imreformersofIndi
a.
Hei nt
erpret
edQurani
ntheli
ghtofmoder nrati
onal
ism andsci
ence.He
tookupt hestr
uggl
eagai
nstfanat
icism,i
gnorance,
narrowmindedness
andbigotryandlai
demphasi
sonf reethi
nking.

4.Si
rSy edAhmedKhanwasoneoft hegr eatestMusli
mr ef
ormersofIndi
a.
Hei nter
pret
edQur aninthel
ightofmoder nrati
onal
ism andsci
ence.His
greatestachiev
ementwast heestabli
shmentoft heMohammedanAngl o
OrientalCol
lege(AlsoknownasAl i
garhMusl i
m Univer
sit
y)atAl
igar
hin
1875.

5.Themostimpor
tantmovementfort
hespreadofmoderneducat
ionand
soci
alr
efor
m amongMusli
mswasst art
edby Si
rSy
edAhmadKhan  (1817-
1898)
.Hecamefrom af
amilyofnobl
esoftheMughalcourt
.

6.SyedAhmadKhanwasdeepl yconcernedatthedepressingsit
uat
ionoft he
Musli
msandr aisi
ngthem fr
om thei
rbackwardnessbecamehi sl
i
fe-l
ong
passi
onandai m.Hest rovehar
dt oremov et
hehostil
ityoftheBri
ti
shrulers
towardstheMusl ims.Heappeal
edt otheMuslimstor et
urntotheori
ginal
I
slamicpr i
nci
plesofpurit
yandsimplicit
y.HeadvocatedEngli
sheducation
fort
her egener
at i
onofMuslimsinIndia.

7.Hisgr
eat
estachievementwastheest
abl
i
shmentoft
he Mohammedan
Angl
oOri
entalColl
ege(AlsoknownasAl
igar
hMusl
im Uni
ver
sit
y) 
atAl
i
gar
h

REHANASULTANA,
ASST.
PROF,
SHM ,
DCETPage17
 ESSENCEOFI
NDI
ANTRADI
TIONALKNOWLEDGE
i
n1875.I ncourseoft ime,thiscoll
egebecamet hemosti mport
ant
educati
onalinst
itut
ionofI ndianMuslims.Itprov
idedforeducati
onin
humaniti
esandsci encet hroughoutEnglishmedium andmanyofi tsstaf
f
member scamef rom Engl and.Thecollegerecei
vedsupportfr
om leading
Musli
mst hroughoutI ndi
aandt heBri
ti
shshowedmuchi nter
est,both
off
ici
all
yandot herwiseini t
sdev el
opment .

REHANASULTANA,
ASST.
PROF,
SHM ,
DCETPage18