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History · Spectrum Books A Brief History of Modern India

Chapter 9 : A General Survey of the Reform Movements and the Reformers

Table of contents50 sections
  1. 1.A General Survey of the Reform Movements and the Reformers
  2. 2.Movements and Reformers
  3. 3.Brahmo Samaj
  4. 4.Young Bengal Movement and Henry Vivian Derozio
  5. 5.Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
  6. 6.Balshastri Jambhekar
  7. 7.Paramahamsa Mandali
  8. 8.Prarthana Samaj and M.G. Ranade
  9. 9.Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule
  10. 10.Tarabai Shinde
  11. 11.Vishnu Parshuram Shastri Pandit
  12. 12.Dhondo Keshav Karve
  13. 13.Ramkrishna Gopal Bhandarkar
  14. 14.Kashinath Trimbak Telang
  15. 15.Bhau Daji Lad
  16. 16.Gopal Baba Walangkar
  17. 17.Kisan Faguji Bansod
  18. 18.Vitthal Ramji Shinde
  19. 19.Gopal Hari Deshmukh ‘Lokahitawadi'
  20. 20.Gopal Ganesh Agarkar
  21. 21.The Servants of India Society
  22. 22.Social Service League
  23. 23.The Ramakrishna Movement and Swami Vivekananda
  24. 24.Vishnu Bhikaji Gokhale
  25. 25.The Theosophical Movement
  26. 26.Indian (National) Social Conference
  27. 27.Dayananda Saraswati and Arya Samaj
  28. 28.Seva Sadan
  29. 29.Pune Sevasadan
  30. 30.Dev Samaj
  31. 31.Dharma Sabha
  32. 32.Bharat Dharma Mahamandala
  33. 33.Radhasoami Movement
  34. 34.Kandukuri Veeresalingam
  35. 35.Sree Narayana Guru Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Movement
  36. 36.Justice Party
  37. 37.Self-Respect Movement
  38. 38.The Temple Entry Movement
  39. 39.Wahabi/Waliullah Movement
  40. 40.Titu Mir's Movement
  41. 41.Faraizi Movement
  42. 42.Ahmadiyya Movement
  43. 43.Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and the Aligarh Movement
  44. 44.The Deoband School (Darul Uloom)
  45. 45.Parsi Reform Movement
  46. 46.Sikh Reform Movements
  47. 47.Significance of Reform Movements
  48. 48.Key Terms
  49. 49.📌 Exam Tidbits
  50. 50.Quick-Recall Box

Chapter preview

A General Survey of the Reform Movements and the Reformers

Movements and Reformers

The reform movements of the 19th century were founded or led by men and women of vision and ideas for a modern India. They stood for the removal of superstition and abhorrent customs, the encouragement of a rational and democratising society.

Brahmo Samaj

Raja Rammohan Roy and Brahmo Samaj

Raja Rammohan Roy (1772–1833), often called the father of Indian Renaissance and the maker of Modern India, believed in the modern scientific approach, human dignity, social equality, and monotheism.

  • Literary Works:
  • Wrote Tuhfat-ul-Muwahhidin (Gift to Monotheists) in Persian (1803).
  • Translated the Vedas and the five Upanishads into Bengali to prove ancient Hindu texts support monotheism.
  • Wrote Precepts of Jesus (1820), separating the moral/philosophical message of the New Testament from its miracle stories → earned the wrath of missionaries for advocating the incorporation of Christ's message into Hinduism.
  • Organisations Founded:
  • Atmiya Sabha (or Society of Friends): Set up in 1814 in Calcutta to propagate monotheistic ideals of the Vedanta and campaign against idolatry, caste rigidities, and meaningless rituals.
  • Brahmo Sabha: Founded in August 1828; later renamed Brahmo Samaj to institutionalise his ideas.
  • Ideology & Methods:
  • Strongly influenced by rationalist ideas; declared that Vedanta is based on reason and departure from scriptures is justified if reason demands it.
  • Committed to the worship of the "Eternal, Unsearchable, Immutable Being who is the Author and Preserver of the Universe".
  • Forms of worship: Prayers, meditation, and readings of the Upanishads.
  • No graven image, statue, sculpture, carving, painting, picture, or portrait allowed in Samaj buildings (opposition to idolatry).
  • Long-term agenda: Purify Hinduism and preach monotheism based on the twin pillars of reason and the Vedas and Upanishads.
  • The Samaj also tried to incorporate teachings of other religions and kept its emphasis on human dignity, opposition to idolatry, and criticism of social evils such as sati.
  • Did not want to establish a new religion, only purify Hinduism.
  • Opposition: Met with strong opposition from orthodox elements like Raja Radhakant Deb , who organised the…
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Chapter 10 : Beginning of Modern Nationalism in India