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Home , Prarthana Samaj, Vitthal Ramji Shinde

5. Social and Religious Reforms

Along with spread of english awareness through the newspaper ‘Samvad education, there was spread of new Kaumudi’. thoughts, new ideas, new philosophy. : Indians were also introduced to western Dadoba Pandurang thoughts and culture. Due to it, there were Tarkhadkar established changes in social, religious, economic and Paramhansa Sabha in cultural aspects of Indian society. in 1848. Later The modern educated Indians became Paramhansa Sabha was aware that the backwardness of dissolved and some of was due to superstitions, casteism, old its members founded customs, class system and lack of critical the Prarthana Samaj. outlook. It was necessary to eradicate the Dadoba’s brother, Dadoba P. Tarkhadkar flaws and undesirable tendency for Dr.Atmaram Pandurang, progress of the country. And to create a was the first President of Prarthana new society based on the principles of Samaj. The prestige of the institution Humanity, Equality, and Fraternity. The increased due to the enrollment of young educated thinkers started social awareness graduates from Mumbai University. through writings to solve the various Justice Ranade, Dr. R.G.Bhandarkar problems in the society. The intellectual carried forward the work of Prarthana awakening in the contemporary society is Samaj. The opposition to idol worship, called ‘Indian Rennaissance’. monotheism, opposition to rituals were Era of Religious and Social Reforms the principles of Prarthana Samaj. They Samaj : stressed on devotion and prayers. For In 1828, Raja reforming the society, Prarthana Samaj Rammohan Roy started orphanage, women’s education established the institutes, night schools for workers and in society for . Maharshi Vitthal Ramji . He had Shinde, a member of Prarthana Samaj, studied many established ‘Depressed Classes Mission’. languages and Through the mission an attempt was made religions. Through to solve the social problems. it his ideology of : Mahatma Raja Rammohan Roy Advaita philosophy started the Satyashodhak was developed. Monotheism, and Samaj in 1873. Satyashodhak Samaj class equality, protest against rituals and worked on the principle of formation of following the way of prayers were the society on basis of equality. They protested principles of Brahmo Samaj. He opposed against . They advocated Sati practice, child marriage, Purdah education among the depressed classes system. He promoted widow remarriage and women. Mahatma Phule reformed the and female education. He founded Hindu society through the medium of books like College in Calcutta. He created public ‘Brahmananche Kasab’, ‘Gulamgiri’,

‘Shetkaryacha Asud’ an excellent orator. He attended the and ‘Sarvajanik Parliament of Religions at Chicago in ’. He severly 1893 as representative of . criticised the traditions ‘Arise, Awake and stop not till the and customs that made goal is achieved’ was the message given discrimination by him to the Indian youth. between man and Social reforms among the Sikhs : woman, or rather The Singh Sabha was established at human being himself. Amritsar to achieve reforms in Sikh Mahatma Jotirao Phule religion. This institute worked for spread : of education among the Sikh community Arya Samaj was and bring in modernisation among them. founded by Swami Later the Akali movement continued their Dayanand tradition of reformation. in 1875. He wrote Emancipation of the book ‘Satyarth Women : During the Prakash’ as a expansion of British commentary on rule in India, the . Ancient vedic position of women religion is true Swami Dayanand was very miserable. Saraswati religion which has no They had no right of place for casteism. He asserted that there education. They were should be gender equality. ‘Go Back to not treated equally. the Vedas’ was the slogan of Arya Samaj. Child marriage, dowry The branches of Arya Samaj were opened system, sati, keshavapan, opposition to all over India. Many education institutions widow remarriage such customs prevailed were established through the medium of in the society. The then Governor Lord Arya Samaj. Bentinck took help of social reformers Ramkrishna Mission : Ramkrishna like Raja Rammohan Roy to pass the Mission was established by Swami Sati Prohibition Act. Gopal Hari Vivekananda, a close disciple of Deshmukh, popularly known as Ramkrishna Paramhansa, in 1897. ‘Lokhitwadi’ advocated gender equality Ramkrishna Mission worked for service to through his writings in ‘Shatapatre’. the society. The In 1848, Mahatma Phule started the mission worked first school for girls at for providing help Bhide Wada in . to the famine His wife Savitribai striken people, Phule supported him. patients, medical had to help to the poor, face great criticism female education from the Society but and spiritual she continued to work growth. Swami in education. Mahatma Vivekananda was Savitribai Phule Phule established the

‘Bal Hatya Pratibandhak Gruha’ in his own closing down many unjust practices in the house. He conducted a strike of barbers society. The voice for problems against against the custom of shaving the heads of the women broke out. Women started the widows. putting up their own thoughts through For gaining permission to widow their writings. Their performance in every remarriage, Pandit Ishwarchandra sectors of life flourished due to education.

Vidyasagar, Vishnushastri Pandit, and Just think about it ? Vireshalingam took up special efforts. If the social reformers had not started In his newspaper, the education of women ? Sudharak, Gopal Ganesh At present, what kind of transformation Agarkar gave his is seen in the life of women due to staunch opinion about education? child marriage, law of Do you think there is a need for taking consent. Maharshi further efforts regarding education of women ? If yes, then what efforts need to be taken? organised a conference against the practice of Vireshlingam Pantulu Religious reforms among the Devdasi. In her book, Muslims : Abdul Latif started the social ‘Stri Purush Tulana’, reform among the muslim community. He Tarabai Shinde very established ‘The Mohammedan Literary

fiercely put up her Society’ in Bengal.

views about women’s Sir Sayyad Ahmad Khan founded rights. Maharshi ‘The Mohammedan Anglo Oriental Dhondo Karve College’. It later started the ‘Anath developed into the Balikashram’ an ‘Aligarh Muslim Maharshi Karve orphanage for girls. University’. He His intention was to give education advocated western to all women and make them stand on science and their own feet. Through his efforts, the technology. He firmly first women’s university was set up in the believed that Muslims

20th century. founded could make progress the Sharada Sadan and took up the only by studying Sir Sayyad Ahmad responsibility of taking care of disabled modern education and Khan children and women. Ramabai Ranade, science. through the medium of Sadan Movement in Hindu Society : In Institute, started the Nursing course for 1915, ‘’ was established women. She demanded the right to vote to give a respectable position to the Hindu for women. Through articles, Dr.Ambedkar community. Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya spoke about the injustice towards women. laid the foundation of ‘Banaras Hindu also advocated education University’. Dr. Keshav Baliram of women. Women have given valuable Hedgewar, in 1925, established Rashtriya contribution during the freedom movement. Swayamsevak Sangh at Nagpur. Its aim Women’s reform movement helped in was to set up a disciplinary and virtuous

organisation of Hindu youth. V.D.Savarkar

built the ‘Patit Pawan

Temple’ at Ratnagiri, open to all of Hindu religion.

Common dining programmes were Dr. Keshav also arranged. Baliram Hedgewar

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In the history of Modern India, the movement of rennaissance is very important. On the principles of Liberty, Equality and Nationalism, the Indian social reformers set up a nation wide political movement. The study of this movement will be dealt in the next chapter.