PAPER – IV INDIAN HISTORY – II (Modern Indian History) (Paper code – BL-4004)
Arya Samaj The Arya Samaj was founded in 1875 by Swami Dayananda Saraswati (1824-83). He was a Sanskrit scholar with no English education. He gave the call “Go back to the Vedas”. He had no regard for the Puranas. Swami received education on Vedanta from a blind teacher named Swami Virajananda at Mathura. His views were similar to that of Ram Mohan Roy.
Disbelief in polytheism and image worship, opposition to caste-based restrictions, child marriage, opposition to the prohibition of sea voyages, and advocating female education and widow remarriage were important programmes common to the followers of Brahmo Samaj and Arya Samaj. Like other reformers of his times, Swami Dayananda Saraswati regarded the Vedas as eternal and infallible. His monumental work – Satyartha Prakash is an interpretation of the Vedas. Swami considered the epics – the Ramayana and the Mahabharata – as literary treasures.
Swami launched the Shuddhi (purification) movement, conversion of non- Hindus to Hinduism. This was begun to realise the ideal of unifying India notionally, socially, and religiously. Direct contact with the masses swelled the number of his followers in a short time. His teachings had immense impact in the Punjab and the United Provinces.
The Vedas had all the truth. Every modern thing could be found in them. Swami strongly attacked the hereditary basis of the caste system, idolatry and the belief in the superiority of Brahmanas over other caste groups. He rejected untouchability and pleaded that the study of the Vedas be made open to all. The 1 | P a g e work of the Swami after his death was carried forward by Lala Hansraj, Pandit Guru Dutt, Lala Lajpat Rai and Swami Sraddhananda.
The Samaj, to prevent child marriage, fixed the minimum marriageable age at 25 years for boys and 16 for girls. Inter-caste marriage and widow remarriage were encouraged. Even today, Arya Samaj Mandirs (temples) perform such acts with sincerity and promptness. Equal status for women was their demand, both in letter and spirit. The Samaj also helped the people in crises like floods, famines and earthquakes.
The Samaj opened orphanages and widow homes at various religious places. The Samaj has also attempted to give a new direction to education. The revival of the „Gurukula‟ pattern, an ancient system of Hindu education, has been its goal. However, at the higher level, the value of English education was recognised. Today, the Arya Samaj has a widespread network of Dayanand Anglo-Vedic (DAV) schools and colleges throughout India.
By:
Dr. Ajay Kumar Sindhu
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