Socio-Religious Reform Movements — TNPSC Group 4 History Notes

Overview

The 19th and early 20th centuries saw a wave of reform movements that challenged orthodox Hindu practices, caste discrimination, the oppression of women, and social superstition. These movements were responses both to Western ideas (brought in through English education) and to the need for internal renewal of Indian society. They profoundly shaped the Indian independence movement and modern Indian identity.

Bengal Renaissance and Brahmo Samaj

Raja Ram Mohan Roy (1772–1833)

Known as the Father of Modern India and Father of the Indian Renaissance, Roy was a polymath who knew Bengali, Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic, English, Hebrew, and Greek.

Key contributions:

• Founded Brahmo Samaj (1828) — rejected idol worship, caste, and child marriage
• Campaigned actively against sati — his pressure led Lord Bentinck to abolish it in 1829
• Founded Calcutta Unitarian Committee and the Vedanta College
• Supported English education and women's rights
• First Indian to travel to Britain (1831)
• He died in Bristol, England (1833)

Brahmo Samaj After Roy

• Debendranath Tagore (father of Rabindranath Tagore) revived and strengthened Brahmo Samaj (1843)
• Keshab Chandra Sen brought in more radical reforms, including inter-caste marriage
• Under Sen, Brahmo Samaj split into more orthodox and reform factions

Arya Samaj

Swami Dayananda Saraswati (1824–1883) founded the Arya Samaj in 1875 at Bombay (later headquartered in Lahore).

Dayananda wrote Satyarth Prakash (Light of Truth) — a critique of idol worship and a defence of Vedic religion.

The Arya Samaj was particularly influential in Punjab, and many Punjab leaders (including Lala Lajpat Rai) were associated with it.

Ramakrishna Mission and Swami Vivekananda

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (1836–1886) was a mystic and priest at the Dakshineswar Kali Temple near Calcutta. He preached that all religions lead to the same God and lived out the teachings of multiple faiths.

Swami Vivekananda (1863–1902) was his most celebrated disciple.

• Founded the Ramakrishna Mission (1897) at Belur Math, Kolkata
• Represented India at the World Parliament of Religions, Chicago (1893) — his speech beginning "Sisters and Brothers of America" electrified the audience
• Promoted Practical Vedanta — combining spiritual knowledge with social service
• Famous quote: "Arise, awake, and stop not until the goal is reached" (from Katha Upanishad)

Theosophical Society and Annie Besant

• Founded by Madame Blavatsky and Colonel H.S. Olcott in New York (1875)
• Headquarters shifted to Adyar, Chennai (1882)
• Promoted the study of Eastern religions and philosophies
• Annie Besant (1847–1933) became president and moved to India permanently
• Besant founded the Central Hindu College at Varanasi (1898), which later became Banaras Hindu University
• Led the Home Rule League (1916) demanding self-governance for India

South Indian Reform Movements

Veerasalingam Pantulu (1848–1919) — Andhra

• Called the Father of the Renaissance of Andhra
• Championed widow remarriage, women's education, and opposed child marriage in Telugu-speaking areas
• Performed the first recorded widow remarriage in Andhra (1881)

Sree Narayana Guru (1856–1928) — Kerala

• Born into the Ezhava caste, one of the most discriminated-against groups in Kerala
• Consecrated temples open to all castes — revolutionary act in caste-rigid Kerala
• Famous saying: "One caste, one religion, one God for mankind"
• Founded the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP, 1903)

Periyar and the Self-Respect Movement — Tamil Nadu

E.V. Ramasamy Naicker (Periyar) (1879–1973) is the most radical of all the reformers.

• Founded the Self-Respect Movement (1925) and the journal Kudi Arasu
• Organised Self-Respect Marriages (without priests or rituals)
• Conducted burning of Manu Smriti and idols as protest actions
• Promoted rationalism, atheism, and social equality
• Founded the Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) party in 1944
• Later led the anti-Hindi agitation (1937–40) against compulsory Hindi education in Madras Presidency
• Posthumously given the title "Periyar" (meaning "the great one") by the people

Other Important Reformers

Important for Exam - Brahmo Samaj = Raja Ram Mohan Roy (1828) - Sati abolished = 1829, by Bentinck (Roy campaigned) - Arya Samaj = Swami Dayananda Saraswati (1875) - Ramakrishna Mission = Swami Vivekananda (1897) - Chicago Parliament of Religions = Vivekananda, 1893 - Theosophical Society HQ = Adyar, Chennai (1882) - Self-Respect Movement = Periyar / E.V. Ramasamy (1925) - Sree Narayana Guru — "One caste, one religion, one God"