3/24/24, 6:45 PM 19th Century Social And Religious Reforms In India And Their Impacts

IAS Preparation (/free-ias-prep/) > UPSC Preparation Strategy (/free-ias-prep/upsc-exam-strategy/) > 19th Century Social Religious Reforms (/free-ias-prep/19th-century-social-
religious-reforms/)

19th Century Social and Religious Reform Movements

India in the 19th century witnessed a series of reform movements undertaken in various parts of the country. These movements were oriented
toward a restructuring of the Indian society along modern lines.

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19th Century Social and Religious Reform Movements are important from the perspective of the upcoming UPSC exam (https://byjus.com/free-ias-
prep/upsc-exam/). Candidates looking forward to appearing for the exam must refer to the details discussed below.

The candidates can go through the relevant topics useful for their upcoming exams from the links provided below:

Bipin Chandra Pal (https://byjus.com/free-ias-prep/this-day- Raja Ram Mohan Roy (https://byjus.com/free-ias-prep/ncert-notes-raja-ram-

in-history-nov7/) mohan-roy-indian-social-reformer/)

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar (https://byjus.com/free-ias- Swami Vivekananda (https://byjus.com/free-ias-prep/ncert-notes-swami-

prep/this-day-in-history-sept26/) vivekananda/)

Background
The Indian society in the first half of the 19th century was caste-ridden, decadent and rigid.

The conquest of India by the British during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, exposed some serious weaknesses and drawbacks of
Indian social institutions.

When the British came to India, they introduced the English language as well as certain modern ideas. These ideas were those of liberty,
social and economic equality, fraternity, democracy and justice which had a tremendous impact on Indian society.

As a consequence, several individuals and movements sought to bring about changes in social and religious practices with a view to
reforming and revitalizing society.

These efforts, collectively known as the Renaissance, were complex social phenomena. It is important to note that this phenomenon occurred
when India was under the colonial domination of the British.

There were some enlightened Indians like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chand Vidyasagar, Dayanand Saraswati and many others who were
willing to fight and bring reforms to society so that it could face the challenges of the West.

Types of Reform Movements

Basically, there were two kinds of reform movements in the 19th century in India. Given below are the details about the same, important from the
civil services (https://byjus.com/civil-services-exam/) exam preparation:

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 western thinking ruined Indian culture and ethos.

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Reformist Movements
Some of the reformist movements of the 18th and 19th centuries are discussed below:

Brahmo Samaj

Founded in 1828 in Calcutta by pioneer social reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy (1772 – 1833), the movement fought against idol worship, polytheism,
caste oppression, unnecessary rituals and other social evils like Sati, polygamy, purdah system, child marriage, etc. Society also strove for women’s
rights like widow remarriage and education of women. It also fought, attacked prevailing superstitions among Hindus.

Aligarh Movement

Sayyid Ahmed Khan founded Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College in Aligarh in 1875. Later, it became Aligarh Muslim University. It offered modern
education to Muslims.

Prarthana Samaj
In 1863, Keshub Chandra Sen helped found the Prarthana Samaj in Bombay.

The Prarthana Samaj preached monotheism and denounced priestly domination and caste distinctions.

Its activities also spread to South India, through the efforts of the Telugu reformer, Veeresalingam.

Chandavarkar, basically a philosopher, was a great leader of the Prarthana Samaj.

Revivalist Movements
Some of the revivalist movements are discussed below:

Arya Samaj

The social and religious reform in North India was spearheaded by Swami Dayanand Saraswati (1824-1883) who founded the Arya Samaj in
1875.

This society strove against idolatry, polytheism, rituals, priesthood, animal sacrifice, child marriage and the caste system. It also encourages
the dissemination of western scientific knowledge.

They worked for the improvement in the condition of women, advocated social equality and denounced untouchability and caste rigidities.

Read more about Swami Dayananda Saraswati (https://byjus.com/free-ias-prep/this-day-in-history-feb12/), from the linked article.

Deoband Movement
It was a revivalist movement. In 1866, Muhammad Qasim Wanotavi and Rashid Ahamad Gangohi founded a school in Deoband (Uttar Pradesh,
Saharanpur District). Deoband movement focused on uplifting the Muslim community through religious education.

The video given below is in line with the CSE syllabus (https://byjus.com/ias/upsc-syllabus/) for the 19th Century Social and Religious Reform
Movements. This has been curated by experts for guiding IAS aspirants:

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3/24/24, 6:45 PM 19th Century Social And Religious Reforms In India And Their Impacts

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Other Important Movements

The Theosophical Movement

Though Annie Besant’s name is most associated with this society, it was actually founded by Madame Blavatsky and Colonel Olcott in New York
(later shifted to Madras) in 1875. It promoted the study of ancient Hindu, Buddhist and Zoroastrian philosophies. It promoted the concept of
universal brotherhood, as expounded in the Upanishads and Vedas. It laid stress on occultism.

Ramakrishna Mission

This mission was founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1897 in Belur near Calcutta to promote the teachings of Vivekananda’s Guru Ramakrishna
Paramahansa. It opposed the caste system and untouchability. It focused on the universality of all religions and propagated Vedanta.

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Satyashodhak Samaj

This society was founded by Jyotirao Govindrao Phule on 24 September 1873 in present-day Maharashtra. It campaigned against idolatry and the
caste system. It advocated rational thinking and rejected the priesthood. Jyotirao Phule is said to have used the term ‘Dalit’ for the oppressed
castes.

Young Bengal Movement

This movement was started by Henry Louis Vivian Derozio in Calcutta in the 1820s. Derozio was an Anglo-Indian college teacher in Calcutta, and he
encouraged radical thinking among his students. He criticised the prevailing religious practices of orthodox Hinduism. He also inspired free-
thinking and propagated the spirit of liberty, equality and freedom.

Widow Remarriage Association

Pandit Vishnu Shastri founded Widow Marriage Association in 1860.

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topper/) from the past.

Frequently Asked Questions Related to Social and Religious Reforms Movement

Q1 What are social-religious reform movements?

These social and religious reform movements arose among all communities of the Indian people. They attacked bigotry, superstition and the
hold of the priestly class. They worked for the abolition of castes and untouchability, the purdah system, sati, child marriage, social inequalities
and illiteracy.

Q2 What were the major issues of the socio-religious reform movements of the 19th century?

The major social problems which came in the purview of these reform movements were sati, infanticide, child marriage; casteism and
untouchability, etc.

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3/24/24, 6:45 PM 19th Century Social And Religious Reforms In India And Their Impacts
Q3 Who is called the father of Modern India?

Ram Mohan Ray is called the `Father of Modern India’ in recognition of his epoch-making social, educational and political reforms.

Q4 What was the purpose of Satyashodhak Samaj?

The primary aim of Satyashodhak Samaj was to promote education and social rights in the deprived group of the society.

Q5 Why did Swami Dayananda Saraswati establish the Arya Samaj?

In April 1875, Dayanand established the Arya Samaj in Bombay. Formed with the motto Krinvanto Vishvam Aryam (Make this world noble), the
socio-cultural movement aimed to reform society by raising awareness among people about Vedic knowledge.

Q6 What is the main aim of the social reform movement?

The social reform movements tried in the main to achieve two objectives (1) emancipation of women and extension of equal rights to them
and (2) removal of caste rigidities and in particular the abolition of untouchability.

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LALITHA LAKSHMI
December 15, 2020 at 9:01 pm
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