gs1
150 Words10 Marks
Q.Trace the rise and growth of socio-religious reform movements with special reference to Young Bengal and Brahmo Samaj.
UPSC Mains 2021•History
Model Answer
View this Question In PYQ RealmIntroduction
The 19th-century socio-religious reform movements in India arose as a response to the challenges posed by colonial rule, western education, and internal social decay. The Brahmo Samaj and the Young Bengal Movement represent two distinct intellectual currents of this renaissance.
Body
1. Brahmo Samaj and Raja Ram Mohan Roy
- Establishment: Founded as Brahmo Sabha in 1828 by Raja Ram Mohan Roy, the "Father of Modern India's Renaissance."
- Core Philosophy: Advocated monotheism, opposed idolatry, priesthood, and meaningless rituals.
- Social Reforms: Successfully campaigned for the abolition of Sati in 1829. He championed women's education, property rights, and opposed polygamy.
- Impact: It laid the foundation for rationalism and modern reformist thought, deeply influencing the subsequent nationalist consciousness.
2. Young Bengal Movement and Henry Louis Vivian Derozio
- Establishment: Led by Henry Louis Vivian Derozio, a radical teacher at Hindu College, Calcutta, in the late 1820s and 1830s.
- Core Philosophy: Inspired by the French Revolution, they promoted radical free-thinking, rationalism, and questioned all traditional authority.
- Limitations: Their radicalism was too advanced for contemporary society, leading to a lack of popular support and rapid decline.
Conclusion
While the Young Bengal Movement acted as a radical intellectual storm, the Brahmo Samaj adopted a more structured, reformist path. Together, they initiated the transition of Indian society toward modernity, rationalism, and social justice.