Class VIII History - Socio-Religious Reforms PDF

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Name: _______________________________________ Date: ____________________ Section: _____________ Roll No.: _________________ La Martiniere Girls’ College Class VIII History Chapter 6 SOCIO- RELIGIOUS REFORMS The impact of modern ideas gave birth to a new awakening. A vast ancient country like India had been enslaved by a handful of foreigners. Many Indians realized the need for social and religious reforms to arrest the stagnation of Indian society. Western scholars have delved deep into India’s ancient past and helped the Indians to rediscover their glorious heritage. Raja Ram Mohan Roy The central figure of this awakening was Raja Ram Mohan Roy- the pioneer of the Modern Age in India. Described by Rabindranath Tagore as the ‘Father of Indian Renaissance and the Prophet of Indian Nationalism, Raja Ram Mohan Roy worked fearlessly and tirelessly all his life to reform and regenerate the Indian society. Raja Ram Mohan Roy was a great scholar. He mastered several languages such as Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic, English, Latin, Greek and Hebrew. A comparative study of the Vedas, the Koran and the Bible (the Old Testament and the New Testament) convinced Raja Ram Mohan Roy about the basic unity in the fundamental truths of all religions. Raja Ram Mohan Roy was a staunch believer in the philosophy of the Vedanta (Upanishads) which was based on rational thinking. He was also a great admirer of the philosophies of Christianity and Islam. Raja Ram Mohan Roy realized the importance of religion in society. He realised that it was important to first reform religion. He propagated the following religious ideas based on rationalism and the philosophy of the Vedas. There is only one God who is the creator and preserver of the universe (monotheism). All men are children of the ‘one God of all human beings’ and therefore equal (brotherhood of man). It is not necessary to worship idols and perform rituals and sacrifices. God can be reached through prayer and devotion. Raja Ram Mohan Roy condemned the domination of the priests who were responsible for misleading the people and perpetuating ritualism and socio-religious practices like sati. Social Reforms He founded a society called the Brahma Sabha (1828) which later became the Brahmo Samaj. It attracted a large number of educated young men who were influenced by the liberal and nationalist ideas of the West. LMGC/Cl 8/HISTORY/CHNo.6 Page 1 of 8  The Brahmo Samaj launched a relentless struggle against the following evil social practices : Sati Caste distinctions and untouchability Child marriage Polygamy The Brahmo Samaj supported: Education of women Widow remarriage Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s passionate struggle against sati was supported by the Governor General, Lord William Bentinck, who banned the practice in 1829. This was a great victory for the Brahmo Samaj. Educational Reforms Raja Ram Mohan Roy was a great champion of Modern Western education. He opened an English medium school which combined traditional Indian learning with Western knowledge. He assisted David Hare, a Scottish watchmaker, to establishing the Hindu College in Calcutta (which later developed into the Presidency College). He also founded the Vedanta College which offered courses of study in Indian learning and Western sciences. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was another outstanding social and religious reformer. He was a great humanist and a champion for the poor and downtrodden. He worked fearlessly and tirelessly to free society from the shackles of blind faith and orthodoxy. Social Reforms Vidyasagar denounced caste discrimination and as the Principal of the Sanskrit College he admitted non-brahmin students.He was strongly opposed to the monopoly of the Brahmins on the study of Sanskrit and the ancient Vedic texts. He was receptive to Western philosophy and culture and his principles represented a happy blend of the best of the East and the West. He introduced the study of Western philosophy in the Sanskrit College. Vidyasagar’s most outstanding contribution to social reforms was his effort to improve the status of women in society. Vidyasagar was a staunch supporter of women’s education and helped Drinkwater Bethune to establish the first Indian school for girls in Calcutta in 1849. As inspector of schools, he opened 35 schools for girls. LMGC/Cl 8/HISTORY/CHNo.6 Page 2 of 8  There was a great deal of prejudice against the education of women in those days. Some even believed that an educated girl would become a widow. Vidyasagar’sstruggle to free women from such crippling prejudices proved to be a Herculean task. He was, however, fearless and determined. He overcame all obstacles and continued his struggle. Vidyasagar also campaigned against polygamy and child marriage. The great misery and sufferings of the Hindu widows in Bengal pained him deeply. He started a bold movement advocating the remarriage of widows. His efforts bore fruit. Lord Dalhousie passed the Widow Remarriage Act in 1856. The first legal Hindu widow remarriage was celebrated in Calcutta in December 1857, with the support of Vidyasagar. Dayananad Saraswati Dayanand Saraswati was one of the greatest reformers of the Hindu society in the 19th century. He believed that the Vedas were the fountainhead of all knowledge and contained the essence of Hinduism. Like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Swami Dayanand propagated the following ideas based on rationalism and Vedic philosophy: There is only one God. All men are equal. It is wrong to worship idols and perform meaningless rituals. The brahmana priests were responsible for misleading the people and supporting irrational practices. Swami Dayanand founded a society called the Arya Samaj in 1875 which launched an attack on the following social practices: Caste system and untouchability Child marriage The Samaj supported and encouraged: Education for women Widow remarriage After his death a number of Dayanand Anglo-Vedic (DAV) schools were set up. The curriculum of these institutions was based on a harmonious blend of traditional Indian learning and Western scientific studies. These schools played a major role in instilling the spirit of self-reliance and self- respect among Indians. LMGC/Cl 8/HISTORY/CHNo.6 Page 3 of 8 Swami Vivekananda Swami Vivekananda proclaimed the essential unity of all religions and emphasized the importance of religious tolerance, brotherhood, peace and harmony among Indians. He condemned the caste system, social and economic inequalities, superstitions and futile rituals and urged Indians to act responsibly. He established the Ramakrishna Mission which sought to transform Indian society through selfless social service, spread of education and removal of ignorance and social inequalities. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan Like the Hindus, the Muslims were also victims of religious orthodoxy, superstition and socio-economic backwardness. As a result, some of the educated Muslims realized the need for social, religious and educational reforms for the progress of the Muslim community. The most outstanding figure among the Muslims at that time was Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. He started a reform movement called the Aligarh Movement. Like Ram Mohan Roy, he too believed that only through Western education and knowledge of English could the Muslim community progress and scientific temper be developed. His greatest achievement was the foundation of Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College at Aligarh in 1875. This college became a centre of modern learning. It gradually grew into the Aligarh Muslim University. Sir Syed Ahmed reinterpreted Islam and stressed its simplicity and purity to suit the needs of modern society. To introduce social reforms, he focused on the backward condition of women. He advocated the removal of purdah and spread of education for women, and opposed polygamy. The Singh Sabha The Singh Sabha was set up in Amritsar and Lahore for religious and social reforms among the Sikhs. It set up the Khalsa College in Amritsar, opened many schools and promoted the Gurmukhi script and Punjabi literature. The Sikh reformers launched the Akali Movement led by Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) against the corrupt management of the gurdwaras and freed them from the control of the mahants(managers of the gurdwaras). LMGC/Cl 8/HISTORY/CHNo.6 Page 4 of 8  Annie Besant Annie Besant was the president of the Theosophical Society in India. She worked for the revival of Spiritual Hinduism and stressed on the wisdom and morality of its ideals. She was a champion of women’s rights and fought against child marriage. She founded the Central Hindu College. She organized the Home Rule Movement. Veeresalingam Kandukuri Veeresalingam Kandukuri was a prominent social reformer from South India. He fought for the education and upliftment of women and widow remarriage. He was deeply disturbed by the deplorable condition of women in general and the social taboo against widow remarriage and education for women in particular. He strongly supported and encouraged women’s education, widow remarriage and caste reforms. He was referred to as the ‘Vidyasagar of South India’. Sree Narayana Guru He was another important spiritual and social reformer from South India. He denounced the rigid caste system prevailing in Indian society. He also stressed on the need for spiritual and social upliftment of the oppressed classes. Chapter at a Glance: Raja Ram Mohan Roy- the pioneer of the Modern Age in India. Described by Rabindranath Tagore as the ‘Father of Indian Renaissance and the Prophet of Indian Nationalism. He founded a society called the Brahma Sabha (1828) which later became the Brahmo Samaj. Lord William Bentinck banned the practice of Sati in 1829. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was another outstanding social and religious reformer. Vidyasagar’s most outstanding contribution to social reforms was his effort to improve the status of women in society. Lord Dalhousie passed the Widow Remarriage Act in 1856. The first legal Hindu Widow Remarriage was celebrated in Calcutta in December 1857, with the support of Vidyasagar. LMGC/Cl 8/HISTORY/CHNo.6 Page 5 of 8  Dayanand Saraswati was one of the greatest reformers of the Hindu society in the 19th century. He believed that the Vedas were the fountainhead of all knowledge and contained the essence of Hinduism. Swami Dayanand founded a society called the Arya Samaj in 1875. Swami Vivekananda proclaimed the essential unity of all religions and emphasized the importance of religious tolerance, brotherhood, peace and harmony among Indians. The most outstanding figure among the Muslims at that time was Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. Sir Syed Ahmed Khan started a reform movement called the Aligarh Movement. The Singh Sabha was set up in Amritsar and Lahore for religious and social reforms among the Sikhs. Annie Besant was the president of the Theosophical Society in India. Veeresalingam Kandukuri was a prominent social reformer from South India. Veeresalingam Kandukuri was referred to as the ‘Vidyasagar of South India’. Questions and Answers Q1. Fill in the blanks: 1. Raja Ram Mohan Roy mastered several languages such as Sanskrit, ____________, ____________, Arabic, English, ____________and Hebrew. 2. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was a champion for the ____________and ____________. 3. Swami Dayanand founded the society called ____________ 4. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan started the reform movement called the ____________. 5. The Singh Sabha was set up in ____________and ____________. Q2. Name the following: 1. He was referred to as the ‘ Vidyasagar of South India’. 2. He reinterpreted Islam. 3. He believed that Vedas were the fountain head of all knowledge. 4. He established the Ramakrishna Mission. 5. She was the President of the Theosophical Society in India. Q3. Answer the following questions: 1. The central figure in the Indian Renaissance was Raja Ram Mohan Roy- the pioneer of the Modern Age in India. In this context answer the following questions : (a) Discuss briefly Raja Ram Mohan’s views and ideas on religious reforms within Hindu society. (b) State the programmes of the Brahmo Samaj? (c) State the educational reforms introduced by Raja Ram Mohan. 2. What was the curriculum of Dayanand Anglo Vedic schools? 3. Why did Swami Vivekanand set up the Ram Krishna Mission? LMGC/Cl 8/HISTORY/CHNo.6 Page 6 of 8  4. Which movement was started by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and what was his greatest achievement? 5. Explain the steps taken by Veeresalingam Kandukuri to improve the condition of women in India. 6. Imagine you are a social reformer in the 19th century, which evil practice prevalant in the Indian society you would like to abolish and why ? Q4. Choose the correct answer: 1. Who among the following social reformers worked towards the eradication of the practice of child marriage and promoted the remarriage of widows in Indian society? a) Swami Vivekananda b) Raja Ram Mohan Roy c) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar d) Bal Gangadhar Tilak 2. Swami Dayanand Saraswati, a social reformer, emphasized the importance of which ancient Indian texts for guiding society? a) The Quran b) The Vedas c) The Bible d) The Guru Granth Sahib 3. The social reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar fought for the rights of women and worked to improve the status of widows. He belonged to which Indian state? a) West Bengal b) Maharashtra c) Kerala d) Tamil Nadu 4. Swami Vivekananda emphasized the idea of religious tolerance and acceptance. He believed that: a) All religions lead to the same truth b) Only Hinduism is the true religion LMGC/Cl 8/HISTORY/CHNo.6 Page 7 of 8  c) Buddhism is the superior religion d) Religions should be abolished 5. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan founded the Aligarh Movement, which aimed to: a) Promote Hindu-Muslim unity b) Preserve ancient Indian traditions c) Promote Western education and modern scientific learning d) Advocate for women's rights Q5. Activity: Paste the pictures of the social reformers of the eighteenth century. LMGC/Cl 8/HISTORY/CHNo.6 Page 8 of 8