Religious and Social Reform Movements

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Raja Rammohan Roy
·         Believed in monotheism of Vedas and Unitarianism of Christianity
·         Abolition of Sati (1829)
·         Founder : Brahmo Samaj
Akshay Kumar Dutt
·         Quote : “Rationalism is our only preceptor”
Keshub Chandra Sen
·         Held the post of Acharya of Brahmo Samaj – dismissed later due to his radical ideas
·         Founded Brahmo Samaj of India (1866)
·         Helped to found Prathana Samaj (1863) in Mumbai
Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
·         Widow Remarriage Act (1856)
·         Principal of Sanskrit College – opened it to non-brahmins – introduced western thought to break self-imposed isolation of Sanskrit learning
·         Was secretary of Bethune School, Calcutta – first women’s college in India founded as a School by J.E.D Bethune.
·         35 women schools in Bengal
Jagannath Shankar Seth & Bhau Daji
·         Girls School in Maharastra
Vishnu Shastri Pandit
·         Widow Remarriage Association (1850)
Karsondas Mulji
·         Satya Prakash in Gujrati (1852) – to advocate widow remarriage
Veerasalingam Pantulu
·         Widow Remarriage - Madras
Professor D.K.Karve
·         Widow remarriage - Western India
·         Held the post of secretary in widow remarriage association
·         Opened widow home in Pune
·         Indian Women’s University at Bombay in 1916
B.M.Malabari
·         Age of Consent act (1891)
·         Seva Sadan (1885) – for women discarded and exploited by society
M.K.Gandhi
·         All India Harijan Sangh (1932)
Jyotiba Phule
·         Satyashodhak Samaj (Truth Speaking Society)
·         Maharastra – against Brahmanical domination
·         Works – Sarvajanik Sathyadharma and Gulamgin
B.S.Ambedkar
·         All India Scheduled Caste Federation
E.V.Ramasamy
·         Self-Respect Movement
Shri Narayana Guru
·         Sri Narayana Guru Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Movement
·         Aravippuram Movement – installed Siva idol to show god’s image was not monopoly of Brahmin’s
·         Quote : “One Religion, One Caste,  One God”
Sahodaran Ayyapan
·         Disciple of Shri Narayana Guru
·         Quote: “ No Religion, No Caste, No God”
Maharishi Debendranath Tagore
·         Headed Tattvabodhini Sabha and Tattvabodhine Patrika in Bengali
·         Joined Brahmo Samaj
·         Adhi Brahmo Samaj – his Brahmo Samaj after f Keshub Chandra Sen formed new Sabha with his followers
Henry Vivian Derozia
·         Young Bengal Movement
·         First Nationalist Poet of Modern India
Bal Shastri Jambekar
·         Weekly Darpan – pioneer in Bombay – attacked Brahmin Orthodoxy
Gopalhari Deshmukh
·         Also called Lokahitwadi
·         Quote” If Religion does not sanction social reform, then change religion”
Gopal Ganesh Agarkar
·         He criticised blind dependence of tradition and false glorification of past
Gopal Krishna Gokhale
·         Founded : Servants of India Society (1905)
·         Srinivasa Shasthri took over as President after his death
Narayan Malhar Jhoshi
·         Follower of Gopal Krishna Gokhale
·         Founded : Social Service League in Bombay
·         Founded : All India Trade Union Congress (1920)
Ramakrishna Paramhansa
·         Priest at Kali Temple in Dakshineshwar, Calcutta
·         Founded Ramakrishna Math
·         Swami Vivekananda was his disciple and founded the Ramakrishna Mission (1897) – headquarters in Belur, Calcutta
·         Quote: “Service of Man is the Service of God”
·         Quote : “Krishna, Hari, Ram, Christ, Allah are different names for the same God”
Swami Vivekananda
·         Original name : Narendranath Datta
·         Quote “ For our own motherland a junction of the two great systems, Hindusim and Islam is the only hope”
·         Participated in Parliament of Religions held at Chicago in 1893
·         Subhash Bose called him Spiritual father of Modern Nationalist Movement
Dayanand Saraswathi
·         Founded Arya Samaj
·         Also called Mulshankar
·         Found in Bombay but headquarters later established in Lahore
·         Famous work – Satyarth Prakash (The True Exposition)
·         Considered Vedas – India’s Rock of Ages ; but criticised later puranas
·         Lamented Hindu race as “ the children of children”
·         Minimum Marriage age according to the Sabha – 25 for boys and 16 for girls
·         Slogan : “Back to the Vedas”
·         Dayanand Anglo Vedic (DAV) Schools – established first in Lahore – emphasis on importance of western thoughts
·         Swami Shraddhanand started Gurukul in Hardwar to impart education in traditional framework
·         Other prominent (Arya Samaj) – Lala Hansrai, Pandit Gurudutt, Lala Lajpat Rai, Swami Shraddhanadn
Shiv Narain Agnithotri
·         Founded Deva Samaj (1887)
·         Teachings compiled in – Deva Shahtra
Radhakant Deb
·         Founded Dharma Sabha (1830)
·         Orthodox Society – stood for preservation of status quo in religious matters – opposed even abolition of Sati.
Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya
·         Prominent person in Bharath Dharma Mahamandala - It is an amalgamation of 3 organisations into 1 to protect Hindu orthodoxy
Tulsi Ram
·         Also known as Shiv Dayal Saheb
·         Founded Radhaswami Movement (1861)
M G Ranade
·         Founded Indian Social Conference along with Raghunath Rao– First session in Madras in 1887- called social reform cell of INC – launched Pledge movement to take pledge against Child marriage
·         Prominent leader of Prathana Samaj
K.P.Kesava
·         Vaikom Satyagraha (a Temple Entry Movement)
Poet Subramaniyam Tirumambu
·         Singing sword of Kerala
·         Based on his Satyagraha along with 16 voulunteers, Maharaja of Travancore issued a proclamation throwing open all government controlled temples to all Hindus
·         Similar step taken by Rajagopalachari in the Madras in 1938
C.N Mudaliar. T.M.Nair, P.Tyagaraja
·         Justice Movement – to secure jobs and representation for non-Brahmin in the legislature
·         1917 – Madras Presidency Association was formed – demanded separate representation for lower caste in the legislature
Shah Walliullah
·         First India Muslim leader to organise Muslims in the 18th Century
·         Founded Wahabi / Walliullah Movement
·         Carried forward by Shah Abdul Aziz and Syed Ahmed Barelvi
·         Two-fold ideals : Desirability of harmony among 4 school of Muslims jurisprudence and recognition of role of individual conscience in religion where there are conflicting interpretations from Quran and Hadis
Mir Nithar Ali
·         Popularly known as Titu Mir
·         Disciple of Syed Ahmed Barelvi (Wahabi Movement)
·         Muslim Peasant movement against Hindu Landlords and British Indigo planters
Haji Shariat-Allah
·         Founded Faraizi Movement or Fara’idi Movement
·         Became revolutionary from Dudu Mian (son of Haji)
·         Emphasis of Islamic pillars of Faith
·         Eradication of social innovations among Muslims in the region
Mirza Ghulam Ahmed
·         Founder Ahmadiya Movement (1889)
·         Described itself standard bearer of Mohammedan Renaissance
·         Believed in principles of universal religion of all humanity and opposed Jihad (sacred war on non-Muslims)
·         Similar to Baha’ism of the West Asian Countries, it too suffered from Mysticism
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan
·         Founder : Aligarh Movement
·         Started Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College at Aligarh (1875)
·         Supported women education, opposed Purdah and Polygamy, supported advocating easy divorce and condemned the system of Piri and Muridi
·         Believed in underlying unity of religions
·         Propagated through magazine : Tahdhib–ul–haq (Improvement of Manners and Morals)
Mohammad Qasim Nanotavi & Rashid Ahmed Gangohi
·         Founded Deoband Movement (contrast to Aligarh Movement)
·         Twin objectives: Propagating pure teaching of Quran and Hadis and keeping alive the spirit of Jihad against foreign rulers.
·         Mahmud-ul-Hassan : supported formation of INC and issued FATWA against Syed Ahmed Khans organisation -Jamiat-ul-Ulema gave concrete shape to his idea
·         Shibli Numani : Supporter of Deoband school – favoured inclusion of English and European Sciences in the system of education – Founded Nadwatal Ulama and Darul Ulum in Lucknow – believed in the idealism of INC and cooperation between Hindus and Muslims
Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Sabha
·         It’s a Parsi reform movement
·         Naoroji Furdonji, Dadabhai Naroji, K.R.Cama and S.S.Bengalee are prominent leaders
·         Rast Goftar (Truth Speaker) - Newspaper
Singh Sabha Movement
·         Sikh reform Movements – founded in Amristar in 1873
·         Akali movement was its off shoot – a regional movement but not communal – instrumental in Sikhs Gurudwara Act of 1922
Madame H.P. Blavatsky & Colonel M.S.Olcott
·         Founded Theosophical Movement in US in 1875
·         Shifter headquarters to Adyar (1882)
·         Became popular : After election of Annie Besant as its President after death of Olcott – she laid foundation of Central Hindu College in Benaras ( which was nucleus for Benaras Hindu University in 1916) 


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