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CH^Apr£R \/ the Role of Religion in Shaping and Moulding the Charac

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CH^Apr£R \/ the Role of Religion in Shaping and Moulding the Charac CH^APr£R_\/ The role of religion in shaping and moulding the charac­ ter of the state can hardly be exaggerated. 3ince time immemorial religion had 'o<s.Q-x\ and is still playing a role of immense value. The kingd^oms of the earlier civilization, irrespective of the geographical and cultural boundary, had been influenced by the religious scriptures. The papacy of the .middle age of iiurope and the Christianity had their defi­ nite role to play to bring about poiit ico-si>cio-economic transformation. It is no wonder that a state d'ominated by the Hindu Maharajas obviously would have its religious essence. ' It should be pointed out that while religion sometimes plays I as an active agency of social control and change, religious fanaticism blended with traditionalism would bar the progress f of a particular society and this was the case of Jooch Behar , which was undergoing a tremendous crisis resulting out of religious fanaticism and dogmatism. 107 The new religious movement of the nineteenth century Bengal which had sprung up as an alternative to the religious traditionalism, had a positive out look on life and aimed at reforming the s-ocio-cultural maladies of the peoples . This new movement was called the 'Brahmo' movement \-/hich had become the state religion of Cooch Behar, comi^itted to fight out the evils rooted deeply into the vortex of the society. The role played by the Brahmo 3amajists in modernizing the State of Jooch Behar with the help of Maharaja Wripendra ^^larayan needs to be pointed out in the following paragraphs. Brahmoism represented in their ideology, it played a progressive role in the socio-cultural history of Bengal. The Brahmo Samaj was founded by Raja Rammohan Roy in 1-32-3 based on his conception of theism and ethical precepts. From the beginning the members of the Brahmo Samaj were drawn from the 'Bhadralok' intelligeatsia'. The Brahmo movement spread gradually all over India and Babu Keshab Chandra Sen played the prominent role in introducing changes in the Bengal society. He considered the contact of the Indian society with the West as a source of cultural and moral redemption for India and pleaded for whole - harted emulation of the Western cul- 3 tural values of humanism, rationalism and science . The members of the Samaj pledged that they would promote 4 female education in their own families . They also took the 103 lead in social experimentation during the 1350's and 1370's. They had considerable scope for departure from conventional behaviour, as many of them had bean dis-inherited and forcibly s cut off from their Hindu families for embracing Brahmoism". The Brahmo Samaj had set up its branches in different parts of f- Bengal and other places in India. In Cooch Behar too the / Brahmo Samaj opened its branch in the 1350's . In the process of socio-cultural transformation the Brahmo movement had a direct interventionist approach. They had some particular motives. These were : (1) to pr^anote of m,oral, spiritual and humane education; (ii) to eradicate of untouch- ability and casteism; (iii) to encourage intercaste marriage; (iv/ to discourage Kulin poligamy; (v) to eliminate prostitu- tion, (vi) to extend equality of education to women'. To fulfill the above objectives the leading exponent of the Brahmo Samaj, 3abu i<eshab Chandra Sen gave his daughter's (Suniti Devi) marriage to the Hinau king of Cooch Behar. The ostensible m.otive of the marriage was narrated by him in his letter to Maxmuller, "It v/as a political marriage, a whole kingdom was to be reformed and all m.y individual interests were absorbed in the vastness of God's saving economy, in v/hat people would call public good" . He was convinced of the British plan to modernize Cooch Behar and visualized side by side the necessity of an enlightened wife for the Maharaia. 109 This marriage had its tremendous impact both at Cooch Behar and outside the state. It marked an epoch in the social 9 history of India . It was a great break through in the tradi­ tion ridden Cooch Behar rioyal family . Maharani Sunity Jevi wrote, "In marrying a Brahmo girl, the xaja makes a great concession to the enlightened ideas, but it is most desirable that this connection should be softened as much as possible in the eyes of his relatives, at Cooch Behar and elsewhere, vho are still v/edded to the old superstitions and wlio would look 11 with horror upon any departure fr^om the old .iinclu formula" ^n fact the marriage opened the kingdom to enlightened Bengali influences from Calcutta and the Maharaja came into closer 12 c ontact with the intellectuals of Bengal Che motive behind the marriage of .^iripendra -^larayan andf Cunity Cevi, was a missionary act of trying to v;in over the tribal kingdom to the Brahmo faith. / Che facts about the aftermath of the marriage do seem to substantiate the hypo­ thesis that, "rather than Keshab selling out to Hinauism in Cooch Behar, it was Cooch Behar that adopted Brahmoism to its 11 o\-jn condition" ~. The Brahmo movement in Cooch Behar had made a great impact on the policies pursued by the i<aja and succee­ ded in carrying through many radical humanistic social reforms. Nripendra Warayan himself adopted the BrahiTcO religious faith and the Brahmoism of the -view Dispensation was proclaimed 110 as state religion in 1-3^3 1 5 . The traditional Hindu customs of the royal family were seriously shakened. It is interesting to note that in spite of being a member of the Brahm.o creed the Raja never tried to impose his own religion on the subjects or his relatives. But as an institution the i^ew dispensation of the Brahmo faith emerged as the strong social reform>ary institution in the State. Maharaja i^ripendra .iarayan himself took the initiative for its development and a Brahmo miandir (Church) was established at Gooch Behar which was considered the biggest Brahmo fii.andi_r in the South Kast Asia . The Maharaja being a member of the .\Iew B>ispensatio:i also j favoxired the rival section i.e. the Sadharan BralirriO Samaj of I 17 ' the Brahmo religion . Both the sections of the oamaj devoted themselves to the cause of uplifting the socio-cultural edifice of the State. One of the remarkable members of the Sadharan | Brahmo Samaj who came to Sooch Behar during the rule of Maharaja i^ripendra .-Jarayan, was Acharya Brojendra iSiath Seal 18 He was appointed as the Principal of the Victoria College. It , was due to his earnestness that this college emerged as the centre for higher learning in this regiorf. As such he contri- buted to the cultural development of the people of the State. Among the other important names to be mentioned in the royal family who em.braced Brahmoism were Kum:ar Gajendra ^^larayan, the cousin of Nripendra Narayan. He married Sabitri xjevi Ill another daughter of Keshab Chandra oen. Their effort to implement the Brahmo principles for the social uplift of the State was specially noteworthy. -The establishment of ^rahmo Pa^ll 1, arahmo boar ding and fes_hab As_ram were the legacy of the Brahmo movement in the State 19 . Through these institutions the enlightend philosophy of the Brahmo religion was propagated amona the general people 20 . This may be considered as the important steps taken by the Brahmos to modernize the people of this superstitious and socially backward province. Amother important institution to be organised by the 3rahmos in the process of social uplift was the establishment of young Men _s The is tic As s oc iati on in 1905" . It had laid down the principle that only those who were believers of monistic theory would be able to be a member of this Associa­ tion. It had undertaken the policy to promote social ethics among the common people. Besides these the Assqcjation also endeavoured to educate the peasants and the people of the lower 72 strata of the society through the opening of i^ight schools Thus, the role of the Brahmo Samaj in building a modernized society through the different institutions was a noticeable feature during the rule of Maharaj a Nripendra Warayan and this helped in his efforts to modernize the State. The Brahmo movement in the State had got another dim.en- sion in the activities of the ladies of the palace. Besides 112 S'lniti Devi and Sabitri Devi, the nam,e of i>Jirupama Devi, the wife of \/ictor Nityendra i^arayan, son of the Maharaja, deserved special mention. They were actively devoted to the cause of cultural mobilization of the wone n in this princely State. The establishment of the ^abit_ri ^.odqe supplimented the deficiency of the enliahtened women of the State. This ^odqe acted as an association for the Bhadra Ka_hila j_ama_j_^ of the c)tate"'- . Subsequently this Dodge; become the hub of learnmq of the women of backward class and they were taught about the principles of the Brahmo religion and thus helped in the process of cultural mobilisation. To foster the social mobility the Brahmos took the active Initiative with the direct patronage of the Maharaja. One of the important steps taken by the Brahmos was the establishment 24 of the Technical school in 1903 . The School took the leading role in educating the women in sewing and other cottage industries. This step was taken in accordance with the proclaimed principle of the Brahmos about the self sufficiency of women. The school became very attractive and a large number Of women used to oather in this technical institution 2 5 .
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