Social and Culture Uprising
Brahmo Samaj
Founded by Raja Ram Mohan Roy in 1771 - 1833
He is regarded as the first great leader and reformer of modern India
He was one of the earliest propagators of modern education
He earlier started Atmiya Sabha in 1814. Brahmo Sabha in 1828 and Brahmo Samaj in 1830
- He was deeply influenced by monotheism anti idolatry of Islam, Sufism, ethical teachings of Christianity, liberal and rationalist doctrine of the West
- He launched a movement for the abolition of Sati through his journals Sambad Kaumudi I1819
- Precepts of Jesus in 1820
- He gave enthusiastic assistance to David Hare, who founded the famous Hindu College in Calcutta.
- Established a Vedanta College in which courses both in Indian and Western social and physical sciences were offered.
- He was a gifted linguist. He knew more than dozen languages including Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic, English, French, Latin, Greek and Hebrew.
- He was opposed to Sanskrit system of education; because he thought it would keep the country in darkness.
- Other important leaders were Devendranath Tagore (father of Rabindranath Tagore) and Keshab Chandra Sen.
- Tagore dismissed Keshab Chandra in 1865.
- Keshab started Sangat Sabha, Prarthana Samaj and Brahmo Samaj of India.
- Tagore's organization came to be known as Tattvabodhini Sabha and Adi Brahmo Samaj.
- Anand Mohan Bose started the Sadharana Brahmo Samaj.
- Justice M.G. Ranade founded the Prarthana Sabha.
Arya Samaj
- Founded by Swami Dayanand Saraswati (or, Mula shankar) in 1875 in Bombay
- Swami Dayanand Saraswati was born in Gujarat in 1824.
- His original name was Mula Shankar
- His motto was 'Go back to the Vedas' & 'India for the Indians'. He disregarded Puranas, idol worship, casteism and untouchability.
- He advocated widow remarriage.
- Dayanand's views were published in his famous work, Satyarth Prakash. He also wrote Veda Bhashya Bhumika and Veda Bhashya.
- He write three books
- Satyartha Prakash
- Veda Bhashya Bhumika
- Veda Bhashya
- Established a large number of educational institutions in India, viz., Gurukuls, DAV schools, etc.
- Also started the 'Siddhi' movement to convert non-Hindus to Hinduism.
- Arya Samaj stood for four fold Varna Sustme deremined by merit and not by birth for equal rights for men and women
- Other prominent persons of Arya Samaj were Lala Hans Raj, Pt. Guru Dutt, Lala Lajpat Rai, Swami Shraddhanand.
Ramakrishna Mission :
- It was established by Swami Vivekanand to carry on humanitarian relief and social work after death of his Guru Ram Krishna Paramhansa in 1897.
- His original name was Narendranath Dutt
- He was born in Calcutta in 1863
- Vivekanand attended the Parliament of Religion at Chicago in 1893.
- He published two papers : Prabhudha Bharat in English and Udbodhana in Bengali.
- He woeked for emancipation of women
- He urged people to inculcate the spirit of liberty, equality and free thinking
- He emerged as a preacher of Neo Hinduism
- He advocated the Doctrine of Service the service of all human beings
- He was considered as the spiritual father of the modern Nationalist Movement
- Irish woman Margaret Noble (Known as sister Nivedita) popularized Ramakrishna Mission after Vivekanand's death.
Dharma Sabha :
The orthodox Hindus organized the Dharma Sabha under leadership of Raja Radhakant Dev in 1830 to couner Brahmo Samaj
Was opposed to reforms and protected orthodoxy, but played an active role in promoting western education even to girls.
Paramhansa Mandali
Founded by Dadoba Pandurang and Bal Shastri Jambhekar in 1849.
The Mandalis believed in One God
Members took food cooked by low caste people
Believed in permitting widow remarriage and in education of women
Young Bengal Movement :
During the late 1820 and early 1830, there emerged a radical intellectual trend among the youth in Bengal, which came to be known as the 'Young Bengal Movement'.
Founded by Henry Louis Vivian Derozio (1809-31). He was a teacher in Hindu College in Calcutta.
He also edited the papers, Hesperus and Calcutta Literary Gazette and was connected with the India Gazette.
He urged the students to live and die for truth. He also supported women's education and their rights.
Veda Samaj :
Called Brahmo Samaj of South. Started by Sridharalu Naidu.
He translated books of Brahmo Dharma into Tamil and Telegu.
The Prarthana Sabha
Founded by MG Ranade in 1867
Prominent leader were Dr Atmaram Pandurang and RG Bhamdarkar and NG Chandavarkar
It rejected idolatry, denied the Vedas and adopted the method of Congregational Worship
Swami Narayan Sampradaya
Founded by Swami Sahajananda in Gujarat to protest against luxurious practices of Vaishnavism
Kuka Movement
Founded by Bahi Balak Singh and Bab Ram Singh in northwest frontier province Ludhiana in 1841
Spread the true spirit of Sikhism opposed to all caste distinctions
Indian Reform Association
Founded by Keshab Chandra Sen in Calcutta in 1870
Objective was to create public opinion against child marriages and for legalizing the Brahma form of marriage
Deccan Education Society
Founded by MG Ranade, Chibdonkar, GG Agarkar in Pune 1884.
Objective was to contribute to the cause of education and culture in Western India
The society founded the Ferguson College
Seva Sadan
Founded by Behramji M Malabari in Bombay in 1885
Campaign against child marriage enforced widowhood and care for socially exploited women
Khudai Khidmatgar Movement
Started by Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan in NWFP 1929
Poona Seva Sadan 1909
Founded by GK Devadhar and Ramabai Pande in Pune for economic upliftment and employment of women
Bharata Stri Mandal 1910
Founded by Saralabala Devi Chaudharani in Calcutta
It was the first All India Women Organistion
Niskam karma Math 1910
Founded by Dhonso Kwshav Karve of Pune
Worked for social reform selfless service to mankind education progress in women
Bharat Dharma Mahamandala
Founded by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya and Pandit Din Dayal Sharma in Varanasi 1929
Madras Hindu Association
Founded by /Viresalingam Pantalu in Madras in 1892
Movement concerned with plight of women and to combat devadasi system
Lokahitawadi :
Started by Gopal Hari Deshmukh. Advocated western education and a rational outlook. He advocated female education for the upliftment of women.
As a votary of national self-reliance, he attended Delhi durbar in 1876, wearing handspun khadi cloth.
Indian (National) Social Conference :
Founded by M.G. Ranade and Raghunath Rao. It held its first session in 1887.
Its main focus was on abolition of polygamy and kulinism and it encouraged intercaste marriages. It also pledged to fight child marriages.
The Conference is sometimes referred as the social reform cell of the Indian National Congress.
Servants of India Society :
Formed by Gopal Krishna Gokhale in 1915.
It did notable work in providing famine relief and in improving the condition of the tribal.
Seva Samiti :
Hridayanath Kunzru, a member of the Servants of India Society, organized the Samiti at Allahabad in 1914, to improve the status of the suffering classes, reform criminals and to rescue those suffering in society.
Radha Swami Movement :
Founded in 1861 by a banker of Agra, Tulsi Ram, popularly known as Shiv Dayal Saheb or Swami Maharaj.
The sect preached belief in one Supreme Being, the Guru's supreme position and a simple social life for the believers (the Satsangis).
Deva Samaj
Founded by Shiv Narain Agnihotri in 1887. it preached high moral and social conduct like, for instance, keeping oneself away from gambling and intoxicants.
Deva Shastra tells us about the ideals of Deva Samaj.
Theosophical Society Annie Besant :
Founded by Westerners who drew inspiration from Indian thought and culture.
Madam H P Blavatsky laid the foundation of the movement in US in 1875. Later, Col. M S Olcott of the US Army joined her.
In 1882, it was shifted to India at Adyar (Tamil Nadu).
Annie Besant was elected its President in 1907. She founded the Central Hindu College in 1898, which became Banaras Hindu University in 1916.
The society accepted Hindu beliefs like re-incarnation, Karma and draws inspiration from Upanishads, Sankhya, Yoga and Vedanta schools.
The Aligarh Movement :
Started by Sir Syyed Ahmed Khan. He encouraged Muslims to accept the virtues of western education and urged them to apply the principle of enquiry to religion.
For a rational and scientific order in society, he founded a scientific society in 1864, an Urdu journal, Tahzib-al-akhlaq in 1870, and the Aligarh school in 1875. The school was made into the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College in 1877. The college grew into the Aligarh Muslim University.
The Ahmedia Movement in Islam :
Started by Mirza Ghulam Ahmed in 1889.
His movement embraced the belief in a universal religion, opposed sacred wars and encouraged fraternal relations among all.
The Deobandi Movement :
In 1866, the Deoband School of Islamic Theology was set up at Deoband by Rashid Ahmed Gangohi and Muhammad Qasim Nanautavi to promote studies in classical Islam and moral and religious regeneration of the Muslims. The school did not support western education and. culture.
Its liberal interpretations of Islam earned it a high reputation.
Satyashodhak Samaj :
Founded by Jyotiba Phule in 1873 to fight Brahmanic domination and to liberate low castes by educating them and teaching them their rights. He advocated the cause of untouchables.
Jyotiba also started a school for untouchables and an orphanage for widows.
His books, Ghulamgiri and Sarvajanik Satyadharma Pustak questioned the traditional customs and beliefs of society.
Met the Duke of York as the representative of poverty stricken Indian peasant.
The Justice Party Movement :
Dr. T.M. Nair, Sir Pitti Theagaraja Chettiar and the Raja of Panagal formed the South Indian Liberal Federation (SILF) in 1916 to protest against the domination of Brahmins in government service, education and in the political field.
The newspaper, Justice, was their main organ for expressing views and opinions.
The SILF came to be called the Justice Party later on.
Self Respect Movement in Tamil Nadu :
The radical movement was launched by Periyar or E.V Ramaswamy Naicker in Tamil Nadu in 1925, to awaken non-brahmins for overthrowing Brahmanic superiority.
The movement organized weddings without involving the Brahmins and temple entry.
Self Respect Movement in India :
Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar's movement worked for the upliftment of the untouchables by fighting for their educational, legal and political rights and encouraging them to throw off the traditional caste duties imposed on them.
Ambedkar founded the Depressed Classes Institute (Bahishkrit Hitkarini Sabha) in Bombay in 1924, a Marathi fortnightly Bahishkrit Bharat in 1927 and the Sarnaj Samata Sangha in 1927. He also founded the Independent Labour Party.
The Scheduled Caste Federation, a political party, was formed by him in 1942.
Muslim Socio- religious Movement
Fairazi Movement 1804
Emphasis on strict monotheism and to rid the Muslim society of non Islamic social customs
Location – Faridpur, Bengal
Leaders – Haji Shariatullah, Dushi Miyan
Deoband Movement 1867
Against western education and promoted classical studies in Islam
Supported Indian National Congress and opposed the Aligarh Movement
Location – Deoband
Leaders- Mohammad Wasim , Nanutavi, Rashid Ahmed Ganghoi
Aligarh 1875
Liberalistion of Indian Islalm and midernisation of Indian Muslim through relifious reinterpretation and modern education
Urdu journal-Tahzib-al-akalq
Founded Aligarh School in 1875, that grew into Aligarh Muslim University
Location – South
Leaders – Sir Sued Ahmed Khan
Ahmaduyya Movement 1889-90
Believed in universal religion for all humanity, opposed to Islamic orthodoxy and spread of Eastern liberal education among the youth
Location – Faridkot
Leaders - Mirza Ghulam Ahmed of Qadiyan
Ahrar Movement
Against Aligarh Movement
Leader – Riza Khan and Ali Brothers
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