Welcome dear students! Today we are going to learn about Social and Religious Reform Movements from Class 10 Social_Science. In this chapter, we will study the establishment of the Brahmo Samaj and its reforms, the Young Bengal Movement, the establishment of the Arya Samaj and its reforms, the reforms of the Prarthana Samaj, the teachings of the Satyashodhak Samaj, the Aligarh movement, the teachings of the Ramakrishna Mission, the Theosophical Society, Narayana Guru and the Dharma Paripalana Yogam, and finally, Periyar. Note these topics carefully as they are frequently asked in examinations.
The 19th century in Indian history is referred to as the period of Indian Renaissance. Indians came into contact with Western civilization, gaining the advantage of English education. Rationalism grew among Indians. This rational attitude stimulated them to question superstitions and contradictions in their traditions, while becoming aware of their own interests. To protect political and economic interests, British administrators supported reforming movements and banned harmful evil practices. Western thought introduced democracy, freedom, equality, and nationalism. Many enlightened by Western education attempted reforms. In this context, Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Dayanand Saraswati, Mahadev Govinda Ranade, Jyotiba Phule, Swami Vivekananda, Annie Besant, Syed Ahmed Khan, Narayana Guru, Periyar, and others worked towards social reform. [CHECKPOINT]
Let us note an important definition from the textbook. British and Indian scholars influenced by Western philosophers called the 19th century a period of Renaissance. Keep this in mind for your exams.
Now, let us examine the Brahmo Samaj. Raja Ram Mohan Roy was instrumental in its establishment and is called The Father of Indian Renaissance. He received excellent education and was well-versed in Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian, English, French, Greek, Latin, and other languages. He studied Hinduism, Islam, Sufi, Christianity, and Buddhism. After studying the Upanishads, he questioned idol-worship and argued that modern science and English education were essential for Indian revival. He opposed the exploitation of women, led organized attacks against sati and child marriage, and faced condemnation from orthodox Hindus. He supported the Prohibition of Sati Act introduced by Lord William Bentinck. To develop rationalism through journalism, he started the Bengali newspaper Samvada Kaumudi. [CHECKPOINT]
The Brahmo Samaj led social and religious reformation in the 19th century, attempting to reform Hindu traditions and customs. It opposed idol-worship and polytheism, encouraged monotheism, and condemned yagas and rituals. English education exposed Indians to Western political thought, enabling nationalism. Complete this activity for your records: Make a list of the measures the government has taken to eradicate child marriage. Research current legal frameworks and educational initiatives.
Next, we study the Young Bengal Movement. Modernization spread across North India in the 19th century, with Calcutta as its centre. New movements arose during the 1820s and 1830s. Following the Brahmo Samaj, the Young Bengal Movement emerged, started by Henry Louis Vivian Derozio (1809-1831). With a Portuguese father and Indian mother, he was Anglo-Indian. As a professor at Hindu College in Calcutta, his students became committed followers. Influenced by European movements, he instilled free enquiry in students and colleagues, and created textbooks for the new education system, angering traditionalists. In 1828, he started the Academic Association, a free-thinking debate group that sparked new ideas across Bengal. [CHECKPOINT]
The movement debated nature, humanism, and God. Derozio taught that rational thinking liberates people from superstition and social discrimination. He advocated women's rights and opposed caste discrimination. The movement's influence remained limited to Calcutta and parts of Bengal. Moving to the Arya Samaj, it was established by Dayananda Saraswati. He travelled nationwide, emphasizing the Vedas as the source of truth and knowledge, advising people to go Back to the Vedas. He condemned idol worship and the caste system, advocating that caste be based on ability, not birth. He rejected meaningless practices, encouraged widow marriage, and urged the use of swadeshi goods. He published his teachings in Satyartha Prakasha. [CHECKPOINT]
The Purification Ritual was its main activity, and the Samaj established many schools and colleges. His principles of Swarajya and Swadharma inspired freedom movement participation. A great patriot, he proclaimed India should be for Indians. Note the Purification Movement: The caste system and rigid Hindu beliefs pushed people to other religions. To integrate Hindu society, Dayananda Saraswati reinterpreted the Vedas, advocating caste and gender equality. He began a Purification Ceremony to bring converts back to Hinduism. Those returning underwent the ritual and were accepted, thereby strengthening the religion.
Now, the Prarthana Samaj. Established by Atmaram Panduranga in Mumbai, it was founded on the principle that service to mankind is service to God. It prioritized education, aiming to develop the field through the Deccan Education Society. It encouraged widow marriage, female literacy, intercaste marriage, and intercaste dining, while opposing child marriage, the caste system, idol worship, and the purdah system. It maintained all religions are paths to truth and deserve respect. During the Indian Renaissance, it established orphanages, national schools, and women's shelter homes. [CHECKPOINT]
M.G. Ranade popularized the Samaj, believing political and economic progress required social reform. He propagated Hindu-Muslim unity, was active in the National Congress, and started a high school for girls. Next is the Satyashodhak Samaj, established by Jyotiba Phule. He believed freedom is a basic necessity for every individual to express ideas. The Samaj urged liquor prohibition and vehemently opposed gender inequality, denial of human rights, exploitation, and untouchability. It launched a movement for social justice. Phule established a primary school for girls, condemned the slavery forced on shudras and dalits, and denounced those responsible. He advocated free and compulsory education for social reform. [CHECKPOINT]
Complete this activity: Learn from your teacher about Karnataka Government schemes encouraging women’s education, noting scholarships and reservation policies. Shahu Maharaj, deeply influenced by the Samaj, opened many branches and continued its activities, beginning struggles for farmers. Phule detailed exploitation in his book Ghulamagiri, meaning Slavery. His wife, Savitribai Phule, worked tirelessly for women's education through the Samaj, starting a girls' hostel. Their efforts to build an equal society were crucial, later influencing Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
Let us proceed to the Aligarh Movement. It aimed to promote harmony between Eastern and Western ideas by transforming Muslims in their political, social, educational, religious, and philosophical beliefs. Sir Syed Ahmed Khan led the movement. To provide modern education, he started The Anglo-Oriental College, later renamed Aligarh Muslim University. Its objective was to combine religious and western education to create a modern society. Sir Syed remained outside the National Congress, united the Muslim community, supported female literacy, and condemned polygamy and opposition to widow marriage. [CHECKPOINT]
Now, the Ramakrishna Mission, established in 1897. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, a priest at Dakshineshwar Kali Temple, was a source of Indian cultural thought. He considered all religions equal, believed spiritual realization mattered more than any religion or God, and believed in idol-worship. A selfless devout person, his favorite disciple was Swami Vivekananda. Vivekananda established the Mission to propagate his teacher's ideals, primarily spreading religious equality. The Ashram has worldwide branches, blending ancient, modern, and western thinkers. Vivekananda, a revolutionary monk, opened Indian eyes to loving life, stressing individual significance. [CHECKPOINT]
He taught that social service, alongside prayer and yoga, is necessary for moksha. The Mission nurtures culture through education and service. Vivekananda viewed nation and religion as two faces of a coin. Leaders like Gandhiji were inspired by him. He fought casteism, poverty, illiteracy, and unawareness, believing education brings reform. He advocated legislation for social reform and urged against blind western imitation. In 1893, at the Chicago Conference of World Religions, he upheld India's greatness by advocating religious tolerance and truth, introducing Indian culture globally and inspiring youth.
Next, the Theosophical Society, or Brahma Vidya Samaj. Founded by Madam Blavatsky and Colonel H.S. Olcott, it established universal brotherhood, comparative ideology study, and exploration of natural principles and individual latent energy. Irish lady Annie Besant revitalized its Indian activities, arousing cultural pride through lectures. She promoted equality, universal brotherhood, and social harmony. Supporting the freedom struggle, she started the New India newspaper. In 1916, she launched the Home Rule movement and served as Congress President in 1917, contributing immensely to Indian philosophy and independence. [CHECKPOINT]
Understand the Home Rule context: Ireland was under British control. The Irish Home Rule Movement sought administrative self-rule. Inspired, Annie Besant started it in India. In 1916, two leagues formed: one led by Tilak, centred in Pune with branches in Maharashtra, North Karnataka, Central provinces, and Berar; the other led by Besant, centred in Madras. Tilak published Maratha and Kesari, while Besant published New India and Commonweal to propagate ideas.
Now, Sri Narayana Guru. He started the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam in 1903. Born in Chembalanti, Kerala, the movement strengthened backward and exploited communities. Narayana Guru (1854-1928), with companions Dr. Palpu and Kumaran Assan, led it. Kerala's severe caste differences and prohibitions denied communities access to tanks, roads, footwear, schools, and restricted women's dress, creating a suffocating life without basic rights. To address this, he started the movement, declaring One Caste, One Religion and One God for human beings, with education as the only path. [CHECKPOINT]
He built alternate temples for denied communities. In 1924, he and his companions started the Vaikom Satyagraha Movement demanding lower caste entry into the Shiva temple at Vaikom. Gandhiji and Periyar participated. The Guruvayoor temple entry Satyagraha was another major incident. Finally, we study Periyar. By the 20th century, a Non-Brahmin movement began in South India. Majority non-Brahmins demanded government representation proportional to their population, becoming a major movement in Karnataka and other states. English education enabled them to oppose restrictions. Post-1870s census reports revealed their population size. [CHECKPOINT]
The Justice Party, started in 1916, continued the movement in Tamil Nadu, taking a radical shape. The Self-Respect Movement, led by E.V. Ramaswami Naicker, became a new force. Ramaswamy left Congress in 1925, starting the Self Respect League in 1926. Loved as Periyar, or Senior Person, he was born in Erode to a rich family. Believing Congress favoured the Varna system, he started a movement based on Dravida Racial Identity, declaring Tamil the Dravidian language. He championed equality, criticized caste and gender discrimination, participated in the 1924 Vaikom movement, became Justice Party president in 1939, started Dravida Kazhagam, and launched the Revolt magazine. [CHECKPOINT]
Periyar remains an ideological symbol in Tamil Nadu politics, evident in parties retaining Dravida in their names. The ideological movement started by C. Ayothiadas Pandit and T.M. Nayar became a cultural movement under Periyar, aiming for religious harmony without caste, religion, or gender inequality. We have covered the main content. Let us review the exercises to ensure examination readiness.
Exercise One: Fill in the blanks. One. The 19th century is called the period of Indian Renaissance. Two. Raja Ram Mohan Roy started the newspaper Samvada Kaumudi. Three. The founder of Prarthana Samaj was Atmaram Panduranga. Four. Freedom was the basic necessity of every individual was believed by Jyotiba Phule. Five. Swami Vivekananda’s guru was Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Six. Young Bengal movement was started by Henry Louis Vivian Derozio. [CHECKPOINT]
Exercise Two: Discuss and write answers. Seven. Brahmo Samaj preachings included monotheism, opposition to idol-worship, polytheism, yagas, and rituals, while promoting Hindu tradition reforms and nationalism through English education. Eight. Dayananda Saraswati called to return to the Vedas as the ultimate truth, rejecting meaningless practices and hereditary caste, advocating caste by ability, widow marriage, and swadeshi goods. Nine. Satyashodhak Samaj reforms included liquor prohibition, opposing gender inequality, human rights denial, exploitation, and untouchability, while advocating free compulsory education, girls' schools, and social justice, influencing Ambedkar. Ten. Aligarh Movement objectives were harmonizing Eastern and Western ideas, transforming Muslim beliefs, providing modern and religious education, uniting Muslims, supporting female literacy, and condemning polygamy. [CHECKPOINT]
Eleven. Ramakrishna Mission vision emphasized religious equality, individual significance, social service for moksha, cultural nurturing through education, and eradicating casteism, poverty, and illiteracy. Twelve. Annie Besant's reforms included arousing cultural pride, promoting equality and brotherhood, supporting the freedom struggle, starting New India, launching the 1916 Home Rule movement, and presiding over the 1917 Congress. Thirteen. Narayana Guru's contributions involved strengthening backward communities, promoting One Caste One Religion One God, building alternate temples, and leading the 1924 Vaikom Satyagraha for temple entry and basic human rights. Fourteen. Periyar movement highlights include demanding non-Brahmin representation, opposing the Varna system, championing Dravida identity and Tamil language, criticizing caste and gender discrimination, participating in Vaikom, establishing Dravida Kazhagam, publishing Revolt, and aiming for equality. [CHECKPOINT]
Fifteen. Derozio advocated rational thinking to fight superstition and discrimination, promoted free enquiry and humanism, supported women's rights, and opposed caste discrimination. Sixteen. Vivekananda's contributions include establishing the Ramakrishna Mission, linking social service with salvation, emphasizing nation and religion unity, fighting social evils, and introducing Indian culture globally at the 1893 Chicago Conference. Exercise Three: Visit Ramakrishna Ashram to collect information on Swami Vivekananda's views, focusing on service to humanity and youth empowerment. Exercise Four: Visit libraries to read social reform books, and with your teacher, collect internet information on the subject. Also, learn about organizations working towards social reform. These projects will deepen your understanding of today's movements.
Thank you for listening! Keep revising and practicing. Goodbye! [CHAPTER_COMPLETE]