Role of Social–Religious Reform Movement

• The socio–religious reformers of 19th century such as Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Keshav Chandra Sen & Debendranath Tagore played a very important role in creating the circumstances leading to the emergence of Indian Nationalism.
• These reform movements of 19th century were religious in character but nationalist in content.
• These reforms examined the traditional beliefs & practices in the light of new knowledge.
• The reformers emphasized on logic & reasons.
• The divisive forces such as castism & un-touchability were contempt strongly.
• The common elements present among diverse Indian cultures were highlighted.
• The greatness of Indian culture put in front of the masses.
• These efforts made by reformers strengthened the bones of socio–cultural unity among the people; this paved the way for the growth of a common collective consciousness.
• Their efforts untagged a scene of pride among Indians about their culture & heritage. These cultural prides gradually got transformed into a strong nationalist consciousness that is why it is commented that the national democratic awakening in India manifested at one in socio – religion arena.

Role of New Historical Researches

• The emergence of Indian nationalist school of Indian history during 1890 also contributed to the creation of a circumstances leading to the concept of Indian Nationalism.
• The nationalist historians interpreted Indians past in a positive light.
• The Indian achievement was highlighted by them.
• The era of Imperial Guptas dynasty was put forwarded as the age of golden history.
• The decipherment of Ashoka edicts by James Prince in 1837 brought to light the glory of
• Mauryan Empire it shattered the myth that the British were one to unity India politically because the Mauryan Empire was covering almost whole of Indian subcontinent.
• These researches filled the heart & mind of Indians with the scene of pride which very soon got transformed into Indian Nationalism.

Role of Contemporary International Developments

• The first half of 19^th century was the age of nationalist transformed in Europe. The Italians of Germans fought hard for more than a decade to carry out their political unification. The success of Indian & German nationalist inspired the citizens all over the world to fight for their national identity.
• The impact of the ideas of Americans revolution of 1776 & the French revolution of 1789 also inspired the Indian intelligences to stand for their national identity.

Role of Other Factors

• The reactionary police of Lord Litton (1876-1881) intensified the anti British sentiments among the masses.
• The maximum age for civil servants was reduced from 21 to 19 years to keep Indians out.
• Vernacular Press Act was enacted in 1878 to suppress the Indian Native Press.
• Arms act was enacted to deprive the Indians of their right to get arms without license.
• When millions were dying due to infamous madras famine (1876-78). Litton was busy in celebrating in Delhi Durbar in the honor of Queen Victoria.
• In 1879, import duties were removed to facilitate the entry of British textiles.
• All these Anti India measures intensified nationalist awaking.
• The Ilbert Bill Controversy (1883-84) exposed the true face of British colonial rule; it revealed that the Europeans could go any extent even to deny justice to Indians.
• Ilbert Bill was drafted by Justice C.P. Ilbert at the instruction of Governor General Lord Rippon to empower Indians judges to try the criminal cases involving Europeans.
• In 1836, the Indian judges were allowed to try civil cases involving Europeans but the criminals cases involving European could be tired only by Europeans judges as a result of this, Indians never used to get proper justices.
• Lord Rippon was a liberal of progressive governor general he instructed Justice C.P. Ilbert to draft a Bill so that the racial discriminate prevailing in criminal justice system could be removed.
• The Ilbert bill was strongly opposed by European both in India & Britain this pressure compelled the British government to instruct Lord Rippon to change the contains Ilbert bill this modified bill provided that, Indian judges could try the Europeans could demand their trial by a jury in which not less than half of the members were to be Europeans or Americans.
• This modification defeated the purpose of Ilbert bill that is why it is commented that the Ilbert bill controversy was climax of white racism this controversy deeply hurt the Indians Nationalist & the Anti British Sentiments got intensified.

SOCIO–RELIGIOUS REFORM MOVEMENT

• The opening decades of 19^th century witnessed the emergence of a number of socio religious reform movement various parts of India this movement like Brahmo Samaj of Raja Ram Mohan Roy.
• Paramhans Mandali of Balakrishna Jaykar, Young Bengal movement of Hennery Vivian Dareja Parathana Samaj of Keshavchandra Sen fought for the creation of a new socio religious life so that India could be guided into the path of modern age.
• The emergence of these reform movements was a response & reaction to the socio religious environment prevailing in India.
• Both internal & external factors were responsible for the emergence of this reform movement.

Factors responsible for the Emergence of Socio Religious Reform Movement

• The degenerate state of Indian socio life was responsible for the emergence of socio religious reform movement.
• A large number of evils, such as, castism, untouchability, child marriage, widow, remarriage provision, sati & superstition etc were prevailing in India in 19^th century; the common masses were suffering because of these evils. There was an urgent need to wipe out these evils so that the people could enjoy a life of freedom at least in socio religious area started by leaders like Raja Ram Mohan Roy.
• The growth of awakening caused by the western education & absorption of the liberal & progressive ideas of enlightenment as a result of closer contact of India with west played a very important role in creating the circumstances responsible for the emergence of the socio religious reform movement.
• The spread of western education resulted in the growth of scientific outlook& rational thinking.
• The ideas of enlightenment such as liberalism, egalitarianism, critical thinking & impressionism etc compelled the Indian intellectuals to re-examine the socio religious practices prevailing in India.
• This growth of awakening helped the western educated Indian intelligentsia to see the evils prevailing around them & gradually voices began to emerge against these evils.
• The challenges being posed by the activities of certain missionaries were responsible for the emergence of socio religious reform movement in 19^th
• The challenges missionaries were active in India since first century A.D. Saint Thomas was the one missionary to arrive in India in first century with the arrival of European Trading companies the number of missionaries had increase. But till 1813, these missionaries propagated their ideas with human touch.
• Charter act of 1813 guaranteed full government support to the activities of Christian missionaries so that Christianity of India could be carried out of the foundation of British col. Rule in India could be strengthened.
• The guarantee of this full government support made missionaries extremely offensive & their activities became insensitive & wounding.
• Indian God & Goddesses were insulted in most batten manner Indian castism & traditions were attacked in every possible way.
• All kind of incentives were being use to promote Christianity in India.
• These activities of Christian missionaries had started threatening the very existence of Indian socio religious life there was an urgent need to spread awakening among common masses so that the adverse impact of these missionary activities could be nullified.
• The existing socio religious institutions & practices in India were not inconsonance with needs & aspirations of newly emerging middle class a strong need was being felt to modify the existing institutions & practices in such a way that the needs of new age could be fulfilled. This urge was also responsible for the emergence of socio religious reform movement in 19^th
• Since all these factors both positive and negative were most active in Bengal because of that early reform movement emerged in that region gradually these movement started emerging in other parts of India as well.

Nature & Character of Socio Religious Reform Movement

• A closer examination of the aims & objectives of the methods used by the reformers & the fundamental ideas that inspired the leaders of these socio religious reform movement helped in understanding the nature & character of these socio religious reform movement.
• The socio religious reform movement of 19^th century was liberal & progressive because the reformers were inspired by the vision of a better & brighter future their fundamental objective was to liberate the people from suffering due to prevailing evils.
• These socio religious reform movements were assimilatory in nature that represented both acceptance & rejection of western ideas.
• The reforms of 19^th century were not pro or against western or the eastern ideas they accepted freely the good elements from both cultures, so that best of the institutions & practice could be created for the benefit of mankind.
• The socio religious reform movement was egalitarian in outlook; equality of mankind was emphasized upon by the reformers of 19^th century, they were against the discrimination against caste or race etc.
• Democratic outlook was very dominant among the reformers of 19th century.
• The reformers targeted every section of population inclusiveness was the hallmark of these socio religious reform movement that is why it is commented that the democratic awakening in India manifested itself at in socio religious arena.
• Nationalist elements were also present among the reformers of 19th century an examination of the activities of these reformers clearly indicates that reformers were busy in the task of building a new Indian nation.
• The socio religious reform movement was rational, scientific & logical in nature; they emphasized that the existing institution & practices should be examined in the light of new knowledge so that their usefulness could be asserted.
• The socio religious reform movement was comprehensive in nature because the reformers targeted every sphere of human life.
• Social evils & religious evils were main target but at the same time the political & eco evils were also attacked.
• Swami Dayanand Saraswati put forward the idea of Swaraj. Raja Ram Mohan Roy was the one political agitator in India. He is considered as the father of modern India because he worked for the betterment of every sphere of human life.
• The socio religious reform movement were tolerant in nature they emphasizes the idea of peaceful co-assistance, so that the followers of different faith & practices could live together peacefully.
• The socio religious reform movement was non-violent in nature because the modern ideas were propagated by them using the peaceful methods.
• The reformers of 19th century were not entirely against the existing institutions & practices but they endeavored to recast the old society & religion into a new form, so that the needs of new age could be fulfilled.

• The socio religious reform movement of 19^th century was Pan India in nature having emerged in Bengal during the opening decades of 19^th century the reform movement in west-south as well as in north.

Impact of Socio Religious Reform Movement

• The efforts made by reformers of 19^th century resulted in the growth of awakening among Indians, the effect of evil like superstitions reduced due to the spread of scientific outlook.
• The reformers of 19^th century created a favorable environment for the introduction of number of socio religious reforms in India this offer persuaded the government to enact the laws to prohibit the civil practices prevailing in India.
• The practice of Sati was abolished by Governor General Lord William Bentinck in 1829.
• Slavery was abolished in 1843 by Lord Allen Borough.
• Widow Remarriage was legalized in 1856 by Lord Dalhousie.
• The age of consent act increased the marriageable age for girls to 12 years.
• The Sharda act of 1929 increased the marriageable age for girls to 14 years & for boys to 18 years.
• The socio religious reform movement of 19th century refused a new energy in Indian socio religious life revitalization of Indian culture to counter the challenge of Christian missionaries successfully.
• Since the reformers emphasized the efficacy of western education the level of learning in India improved significantly.
• The western learning’s enabled Indian to enter into get services & to understand and the western ideas properly.
• The socio religious reform movement of 19th century represented Indian Renaissance.
• The term renaissance refers to rebirth or revival of past but the Indian renaissance was unique because it was reformative in character the reformers of 19th century did not emphasized on the restoration of old institution in the same form.
• The socio religious reform movement of 19th century played an important role in the rise of Indian Nationalism because reformers attacked the divisive forces, they emphasized on one common identity the common element present among common cultures were highlighted to make Indians understand the fundamental unity prevailing underneath the apparent diversity.
• The socio religious reform movement contributed to the growth of new literature, these reformers like Raja ram Mohan Roy & Swami Dayanand Saraswati etc were great intellectuals.
• Raja ram Mohan Roy wrote a number of books on philosophy tuhfat-ul-muwahhidin.
• Swami Dayanand wrote Satyarth Prakash.
• The socio religious reform movement also played an important role in the emergence of nationalists & vernacular press.

• Raja ram Mohan Roy published sambad kaumudi & Mirat-ul-Akhbar; he was pioneer in the field of native place.

Limitations of Socio Religious Reform Movement

• The socio religious reform movement of 19th century played an important role in opening the doors of modern age for Indians, their commitment to the cause of upliftment of people was great but in spite of this these movement were not free from limitations.
• The social base of socio religious reform movement was extremely narrow. Most of the reformers did not have any mass following because of this the impact of their ideas was very limited on the life of common masses.
• The socio religious reform movement over relied on the force of law these reformers like Raja ram Mohan Roy, Debendranath Tagore & Keshavchandra Sen were under the impression that the enactment of the law would wiping out the socio religious evil form India they failed to understand that the reach of these laws was very limited.
• Most of the socio religious reform movement was limited to urban, as a result of which the impact of their ideas on the life of vast majority of population living in villages was negligible.
• Some of the socio religious reform movement like young Bengal movement of Henry Derozio was extremely radical; the activities of Derozians hurt the sentiments of both Hindus & Muslims.
• The abandonment of all institutions & practices did not appeal to masses & because of this the movement like young Bengal failed to leave any lasting impact on the life of people.

The reformers like Raja ram Mohan Roy used the religious scriptures to support their interpretations such activities hundred the growth of a truly rational & scientific outlook among the people.