INTRODUCTION:

In 19^th century, the British Government was considered as the luckiest era on the Indian soil because the Indian political system was totally disturbed at that time. The weak Mughal emperor and fights between the Indian kings were created a good atmosphere for British Kingdom. Looking the situation, Britishers had adopted the policy to raise their emperor boundaries. With their emperor, they were spread their culture, rituals and religion within the country with the help of British rulers, numbers of Christian missioners entered and spread out Christianity. Number of Indian people had adopted the Christian rules and regulation and converted them into Christianity. It was extremely affected the Indian Cultures, religion and traditions. Due to this, few Indian were raised their voice against the British Government oppressive rule. They knew that the Britisher were destroyed the Indian culture and religion.

During the repressive rule of Britisher, another disorder was spread in Indian society i.e. social evils. Social evil mean that issues which negatively affects the member of the society. Sati, untouchability, dowry, child marriage were the major social evils at that time. These evils were ruin the Indian Culture and created barricade to obtain social justice.(Social justice means any person cannot discriminate on the ground of opportunities and privileges level).So our social reformers and religious leaders took upon themselves the responsibility of reforming the society by awakening the people and uproot the evils of society.

In the mid of 19^th century, a prominent social reformer named Raja Ram Mohan Roy strongly raised the voice against social evils of Hindu religion. He had tried to eliminate the corrupt practices of Indian society. Raja Ram Mohan Roy efforts and agitation gave a birth to many social reformers like Swami Dayanand Saraswathi, Justice Ranade, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan. Every reformer efforts were unique but the purpose of these attempts was same, which was destroying the social evils from their religion and to achieve social justice in every social order of the society. Number of reform movements were successfully achieved their primary goals and many of are still continuing on it till date but some of them were merged in the Indian freedom Struggle movement.

Socio-religious Reform Movement

The rise of Indian socio reform movement’s honor was given to Raja Ram Mohan Roy and established the Brahmo Samaj. Ram Mohan Roy was born on 22 May 1772.[1,8,10] He belongs to traditional Brahmin family Radhanagar, Hugli Bengal.[1,10] He attained their education from Patna and Varanasi. He had a great knowledge of Hindu, Muslim, Christian scriptures and several languages like English, Latin, Greek and Hebrew.[1,10] He established the Atimya Samaj in Indian society. Later on, it was converted into Brahmo Sabha.[1,10] Ram Mohan Roy had died in Bristol England on 27 September 1833.[10]

He instigated several campaigns against the abolition of Sati, child marriage, female infanticide, caste system, women equality, girl’s education etc.[1,4,5,8,10] He was raised his voice against the custom of Sati from his family.[1,4,10] But, unfortunately he could not save his sister-in-law from the self-immolation. He himself feels extremely hurt and drafted an act to abolish sati pratha with the help of British Government. The Governor General of Bengal Lord William Bentinck was passed an act of Bengal Sati Regulation Act in 1829.[1,4,10] This law had declared Sati a punishable offence. Raja Ram Roy also did lots of effort to maintain the Muslim and Hindu unity. He had himself adopted a Muslim Child.[10] After his death, Brahmo Samaj legacy was continued. Debendranath Tagore and Keshab Chandra Sen were the two eminent leaders. [5]

Swami Dayananda was deeply inspired from the Brahmo Samaj. Under the motivation, he had formed the Arya Samaj. Its head office was located in Bombay but in 1877 it was shifted to Lahore in Punjab. It was the second Hindu reform movement. Arya Samaj was strongly against Untouchability, Caste System, Child marriage, Polygamy, Sati, Purdah, and Cow hunting.[1,9] This movement had also raised the problem of women education and its quality.[4, Arya Samaj opened several Patashalas (schools) at Farrukabad, Kashi, Kasganj and Challsan. Swami Ji also proposed a Kanya Patashala (a girl school) at Meerut.[9] In 1896, Arya Samaj established the Kanya Mahavidhyalay (Institute of higher education for women) and it was open for single, destitute, married and widow women.[9] Swami ji contribution cannot be ignored to improving the social situation of women in the society. Swami ji was deeply disturbed from the attitudes of Orthodox Brahmins towards the depressed class of the Hindus, those known as Dalits, Outcaste or Untouchables.[9] Swami Ji was the first revolutionist who had declared an equal rights to the lower caste, those rights were ; the right for education, right for reciting Ved mantras, and right to fetch water from common wells.[9] After the death of Swam Ji’s, the Arya Samaj did work under the leadership of Swami Shraddhanand, Lala Dev Raj.[9]

After the Brahmo Samaj, another reformist had born from the soil of Bengal. It was emerged at the end of 19th century that was Swami Vivekananda.[8] He launched Ramakrishna Mission or Vedanta Movement. The purpose of this mission was spreading the teaching of Ramakrishna and Social welfare to the society.[5,8] Ramakrishna mission stood for religious and social reform in Indian culture. The mission followers believed that serving human being was the same as the worship of the God. The Mission was released in various schools, hospitals, orphanages and libraries throughout the country.[1,4,5,8] The mission provided relief during famines, earthquakes and epidemics to the needy.[1] This mission raised the hands against the evils of Indian society. Ramakrishna Mission head office was basically located in Belur near Calcutta.[1]

Among these social reform movements, another well-known reformer raised his voice. He was also belonging to the state of Bengal. Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar born in a poor Brahmin family.[1,3] He was a great scholar and reformer. He had great sympathy for the poor and oppressed class of the society. He was highly supporter of women education and widow remarriage.[3,10] He established the Bethune School; it was the first Indian school for girls.[1 the numerous schools were opened for the girl’s education by his efforts. He openly supported the widow remarriage. Just because of his endeavor the Widow Remarriage Act was passed.[1,3,4,10]He also spoke vehemently against child marriage and polygamy. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar pledged that he would allow his daughters to study, and married all his daughters after the age of 16.[4] He also promised that if any of his daughters was widowed or they wanted to get remarried, he would be allowed them to do so.[4] He was also against the prevalent custom of polygamy. [4]

Brahmo Samaj, Arya and Ramakrishna Mission movements were related to Eastern and Northern India. But these movements were very much well-liked in the west India. After the motivation from Brahmo Samaj, Prarthana Samaj (1867) emerged at Bombay Maharashtra.[1,6,10,11] Mahadev Govind Ranade and R.G. Bhandarkar were the two great leaders of this Mission.[1,8,11] The functioning approach of the society was very much similar to the Brahmo Samaj.[1] This movement had been done assorted efforts to achieve the social justice among the West India population. To improve the position of the women class, they raised their voice against child marriages, Sati and infanticide.[1,5,6,8,11] This Samaj had tried to make available the educational opportunities for the women and remarriage of the widows in the society. They were established schools, orphanage centers, widow homes, etc. Justice Ranade was the founder of the Widow Remarriage Association and Deccan Education Society.[1,4,5,8,10,11] The members of Prarthana Samaj were shared common food which was cooked by a lower-caste person.[11] It was a great surprise for the untouchable community, but this was not too much affecting the Dalit Communities. So Satya Shodhak Samaj was emerged for them. (Society of Seekers of Truth).[2,13]

It was formed by Jotirao Govindrao Phule on 24^th September, 1873.[2,10,13 The main objective for this movement was to save the Shudras and Ati Shudras community from the oppressive and exploitation of the higher caste communities.[13] Jyotirao Phule was born at the Maharashtra state of India when the condition of the Dalits and women were quite depressed.[1,2] He raised his voice and opened one school for the girl child in Pune.[2,10] That was the first formal school for the girl. Savitribai Phule educated the girls due to the non-availability of the teacher.[2] Jotirao and Savitribai were tried to abolish the social evils of the Hindu religion. They tried to improve the conditions of the widow in the society so they set up a maternity home for them. In 1854, he had started an orphanage home for the women and children.[2] After the death of Jotirao and Savitri, the society was looked by Deenbandhu, Shahu Maharaj, Bhaskarrao Jadhav.[13]

Among these reform movements, one movement were deeply affected the Indian culture i.e. Theosophical Society. This society was founded by a Russian lady, Madam H.P. Blavatsky and a former English army officer, Colonel H .S. Olcott in the United States of America in 1875.[1, 5,7,8,10] But in India, this society got accomplishes under the supervision of Mrs. Annie Besant.[5,7,8,10] The goal of the society was the universal brotherhood of man without any distinction of race, color or creed and secondly to promote the study of ancient religions and philosophies.[7,8,10] Annie had opened the Central Hindu School with the help of Madan Mohan Malaviya at Benaras.[1,8,10] Later on, this school was transformed into the Banaras Hindu University.[1,8,10] The society fought a war against the untouchability and downgrade of women. Aligarh Movement and Singh Sabha work were highly influenced by this Society.[7,8]

Looking to the progress of Hindu reform movements, some intellectual Muslims were thought about Muslim Reform movement. The first famous reformer was Syed Ahmad Khan (1817-1899). He was recognized due to the reform movement named Aligarh movement.[1,10] He had done a range of efforts for the Muslim community education. In 1862, he had founded the Scientific Society which transforms the science books and other subjects into Urdu language.[1 He took an Initiative for the foundation of Mohammedan Oriental College which was later developed as an Aligarh Muslim University. [1,7,8,10] As a social reformer, Syed Ahmad Khan campaigned against the Purdah system, polygamy and the Muslim system of divorce.[1,7] He gave the message of unity among Hindus and Muslim community.[1 In 1883 he said that: “Now both of us (Hindus and Muslims) live on the air of India, drink the holy waters of the Ganga and Jamuna. We both feed upon the products of the Indian soil... we are a nation and the progress and welfare of the country, and both of us, depend on our unity, mutual sympathy, and love, while our mutual disagreement, obstinacy and opposition and ill-feeling are sure to destroy us”.[8]

Like Hindu and Muslim reform movements, the Sikh religion was also felt the requirement of the reformation movement. Because at that time, the numbers of Sikh were convert them into other religions for e.g. Maharaja Dalip Singh, he was transformed himself into Christianity.[13] So the social reform need was recognized to save the Sikh religion as a result of this need Singh Sabha movement was established.[8,10,13] This main aim of the movement was to spread the teaching of Sikh Gurus and Punjabi literature.[8,10] This movement was also extended the modern education system and the Khalsa College Amritsar was established.[7,8,10,12] In 1920, the Political wing of Singh Sabha began the Akali movement to (later known as Akali Dal) remove the corrupt Mahants (priests) from the Sikh Gurudwaras.[8] Due to their effort, a law was passed in 1925 which was officially gave the powers of Gurudwaras management to Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak committee.[8,10]

CONCLUSION:

The socio-religious reform movements were strive to sustain the social justice in India and also curbing on the social evils and promote women education in the society. These religious movements were very helpful to the British Empire for enacting the various laws on Sati, widow remarriage and fixing the minimum age of marriages. These movements were raised the voice for women education. As a result of this struggle diverse educational institutions had been opened at that time, and later on these institutions were transformed into universities. The voice against the untouchability was the major contribution for drafting the Indian constitution. At last, these social reform movements were fetched a peace and union among Hindu, Muslim and Sikh community and motivate them to achieve the social justice in the society.

REFERENCES:

1. Aggarwal, M. (n.d.). Religious and Social Reform of India The Indian Renaissance. Retrieved from http://www.historydiscussion.net/history-of-indiareligious-and-social-reform -of-india-the-indian-renaissance/1637 . Accessed on Oct 11, 2015, 12:11pm.

2. Birth anniversary of the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule( 2012,April 12) Retrieved from http: //drambedkarbooks.com/2012/04/11/11-april-1827-birth-anniversary-of-the-mahatma-jyotirao-phule/Accessed on Oct 09, 2015, 11:11pm

3. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. Retrieved from http://www.iloveindia.com/indian-heroes/ ishwar-chandra-vidyasagar.html. Accessed on Oct 05, 2015, 11:11am.

4. Mondal, P. (n.d.). Social Reform Movement in India and Role of Women Retrieved from http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/sociology/social-reform-movement-in-india-and-role-of-women/32979/. Accessed on Sept 15, 2015, 11:00pm

5. Mondal, P. (n.d.). The Socio-Religious Movements in India. Retrieved from http:// www .yourarticlelibrary.com/india-2/the-socio-religious-movements-in-india-4641-words/6135/. Accessed on Sept 15, 2015, 11:10pm

6. Prarthana Samaj. Retrieved from http://www.philtar.ac.uk/encyclopedia//devot/prarth .html. Accessed on Sept 20, 2015, 03:00pm

7. Role of Theosophical Society in India. Retrieved from http://www.history discussion. net/history-of-india/role-of-theosophical-society-in-india/2571. Accessed on Sept 30, 2015, 11:00pm

8. Religious Refrom movements in modern India. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nios.ac.in/ media/documents/secichcour/english/ch.10.pdf. Accessed on Oct 05, 2015, 01:00pm

9. Srivastava, R. (n.d).The Arya Samaj movement and its contributions. Retrieved from http:// www.aryasamaj.com/enews/2011/feb/2.htm. Accessed on Sept 5, 2015, 11:10pm

10. Socio Religious Reform Movements in India. Retrieved from http://holisticthought. com/ socio-religious-reform-movements-in-india/. Accessed on Sept 15, 2015, 11:20pm

11. The Editors of The Encyclopædia Britannica (n.d) Singh Sabha. Retrieved from http:// www.britannica.com/topic/Singh-Sabha. Accessed on Oct 13, 2015, 12:45pm

12. The Editors of The Encyclopædia Britannica (n.d) Prathana Samaj. Retrieved from http://www. britannica.com/topic/Prarthana-Samaj. Accessed on Sept 20, 2015, 05:00pm

13. 129th Satyashodhak Day. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.mulnivasibahujanbharat.org/. Accessed on Oct 07, 2015, 04:45pm.

Received on 02.02.2016 Modified on 03.03.2016

Int. J. Ad. Social Sciences 4(2): April- June, 2016; Page 107-110