MAHADEV GOVIND RANADE AND THE INDIAN SOCIAL CONFERENCE DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQU1F?EMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF llasttr of f I)ilo£(opf)P IN POLITICAL SCIENCE BY MOHAMMAD ABID ANSARI UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF PROF. M. SUBRAHMANYAM DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY ALIGARH (INDIA) ie96 \\-:\' .^O at«» \.;-2>^-^9 5^ ':•• w • r.,a DS2982 DEDICATED TO MY MOTHER Prof. M. subrahmanyam Department o1 Political Science Aligarh Muslim University Phones {Internal: z^i^\CI'Birm,n Aligarh—202 002 365 Office Oated... CERTIFICATE This is to certify that Mohammad Abid An sari has ccxnpleted his dissertation on "Mahadev Govind Ranade and the Indian Social Conference" under ray supervision. It is his original contribution. In ray opinion this dissertation is suitable for submission for the award of Master of Philosophy in Political science. .J >'^ >->^ Prof. M. subrahnanyam CONTENTS PAGE NO. PREFACE I - III ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS IV- V CHAPTERS I GENESIS OF SOCIAL REFORM IN INDIA 1-24 II A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 25-49 III THE SOCIAL REFORMER 50-83 IV RANADE AND THE INDIAN SOCIAL CONFERENCE 84-98 V CONCLUSION 99 - 109 BIBLIOGRAPHY I - IV ** * PREFACE The Indian Renaissance of the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries Is one of the most significant movements of Indian history. The nineteenth century« rationalisn, and htunanlsm had influenced* religions, science* philosophy* politics* economics* law and morality* The English education Inspired a new spirit and pregresaive ideas. Thus a number of schools of thought arose in India* They came directly or indirectly under the influence of Liberal Thought* The spirit of reform embraced almost the whele of India* beginning with the efforts of Rajaram Mohan Roy in Bengal* leading to the formation of the Brahmo Samaj in 1828 - a monotheistic religious organisation* "to teach and t* practice the wojrship of one* Supreme* undivided and eternal God* Another powerful religious and social movement in nort)-)ern India has been the Arya Samaj* founded by Dayananda Saraswati* with the slogan* *go back to the vedas*. His slogan was inspired by the ideals of social equality* national unity* which kindled the national pride and consciousness. The special genius of the Bombay school of refoxm brought forth its original contribution to neo-theism -- The Prarthana Samaj* Its origin was due to the missionary zeal of Brahmo Samajist's led by Keshub Chandra Sen. In doctrine the Prarthana Samaj closely resembled Sen's branch of the Bralimo Samaj* The most Influential Indian movements of the centurjf* particularly Maharashtrian - intellectual ferment was led by Mahadev Govind Ranade in Poona* - II - The study* undertaken Is an attempt to critically analyse the Ideas of Ranade in the field of religious» social* economic and political aspects of the contemporary Indian society. Further* it is an attempt to understand its impact over the process of modernization and reconstruction of the Indian society. To say in his own words* "You cannot have a good social system i4ien yoo find yourself low in the scale of political rights, ner can ycu be fit to exercise political ri^ts and privileges unless your social system is based on reason and Justice. You cannot have a good economic system \Aien your social arrangwients are imperfect. If your religious Ideals are low and grovelllng<f you cannot succeed In social* economical and political spheres." The study is designed in five chapters, in chapter ene • the genesis of social reform in India* since 18th century that is from Rajaram Mohan Roy to onwards* has been discussed. The social reform movement initiated a multlfaceted Intellectual expression of social* religious and political reforms. India* at present has been passing through a period of transition and it is a need to study the life and views of those personalities who have contri­ buted to build a modern India* leaving much to be realized In times, It will help us to attempt to solve the problems faced in different areas of our society. In Second chapter* a biographical sketch of M»Q, Ranade Is outlined* which gives us an insight into the person's multlfaceted personality. The significance of Ranade's life is to be founded mainly in the far spreading web of his mind in his diagnoses of India's social* political* economic and religious ills* and in the remedies that he both prepounded and endeavoured to «pply. - Ill - The third chapter deals with significant reforms and the move' ment led by Ranade as a social reformer and organizer during the last two decades of the 19th century. The fourth chapter attempts to analyse Ranade and the objective of the "Indian Social Conference It attempts to study Individual achievanents as a reformer as well a9 an intellectual. It was at the 1892 "Allahabad Social Conference' that Ranade made it clear regarding the direction of social change he envisaged. He said# "the change we should seek is thus a change from constraint to freedom, from credulity to faith, from status to contract, from authority to reason, frcxn unorganised t« organised life, from bigotry to toleration, from blind fatalism te a sense of human dignity**. This is what I understnd by social evolution, both for individuals and societies in this country. The last chapter deals with the conclusion on the basis of the analysis of the impact of Ranade's thought and organisational ability over the social and political leadership in India in particular, whereas in general, it is being observed, that the movement of social reforms in India did not cease in the 18th century, but still continued and need to be continued further. Hence, once again, Ranade and his mission appears as a major contributing factors in motivating India to proceed on the path of reforms and social change, to achieve an egalitarian society. DATED f 15.12.1996. (MOHAMMAD'ABID ANSARI) - IV - ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I feel immense pleasure and contentment after completing my dissertation by the "Grace of Allah" - the all compass­ ionate, the all merciful, cherisher and sustainer, who bestowed on me the gift to explore new frontiers in my studies. I owe my intellectual indebt edness to my supervisor Prof. M. subrahmanyam. Department of Political science, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh for his able guidance, keen interest, constant encouragement and advice throughout in the course of my research work. It is primarily due to his precise, steady, patient and affectionate guidance that I have been able to accomplish this rese^arch project. I Express my deep sense of gratitude to Prof, shan Mohammad, Chairman, Department of Political Science, for his advice and suggestions during the course of my study. I am also thankful to all the teachers of the Department of Political Science, especially Prof. T.N. Nizami and Prof. Ishtique Ahmad who have been very cooperative during the period of study. Sincerely thanks are also due to the staff of "Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics", Pune, for their help in finding out relevant materials and references without which the present work would have not been accom­ plished. - V - It is my pleasant duty to be Indebted always, spiritually to my parents and loving brothers. Dr. Yousuf Ansari (M.O.), Mr, shabbir Ansari (S.D.O.), Dr Zahlr Hussain Jafri (Reader), Delhi University, for his essential moral and material support with their imperishable blessings and ever-being there, where I needed them most. My everfresh obligation and gratefulness are due to my colleagues and friends Mohd. Moazzam Khan, Mr. P.A. Daudi, Mr. Inayatullah, Mr. Wasim Raza, Mr, Mumtaz Alam, Mr. T.M. Usmani and M.S. Hussain^Muzaffar Husain, Mohd. Arif., Mr. Sharfuddln Khan. I am also thankful to Mr. Waj id All, Typist for typing this manuscript sincerely* K A/'^Tv^n'^ (MOHAMMAD ABID ANSARI) CHAPTER I GENESIS OF SOCIAL REFQim IN INDIA Everyone has a fairly correct notion of v*iat is included in the social reform. But it will not be amiss to attempt something like an analysis of the ideas which these words convey. It is not easy to give a logical definition of social reform, which may have different meanings in different countries under different circumstances. In western counties soc:ial changes mean more or less improvements on existing bases<, the spirit of the nation, of the institutions and of the ends desired, remains the same through successive developments,, But in India* social refoirm did not ordinarily mean a reorganization of society at large, as did in the west. Instead it meant the infusion into the existing social structure of new mode of life and thought. The society would be preserved, while its members would be transformed. It was originated from secnilar motives based on rationalistic critiques of society and led to secular, as well as religious, movements for social refornu. Social reform, therefore, really meant readjustment of the old to the new conditions in a slow and cautious way. It could not mean social die-hardism, a literal clinging to the outcome forms of decrepit society. It could not mean a more reproduction of the some earlier age Hindu history. It could not mean a complete and immediate break with the past, and a - 1 - - 2 - complete and immediate fresh start, Telang wrote ; "it was duty of everyone to understand and appreciate the past, selecting all that was possible form it, apply it to the altered circumstances of today* All this was to be done with moderation, wisdom, and right direction; The whole aim of social reform, is to discover the individual, to make the original springs of life work and give the nation a new vitality. Ranade put the goal of the movement in terms which will bear to be quoted again and again.