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character of reforms

The document discusses the socio-religious reforms in 19th century India, primarily led by upper-caste, western-educated Brahmins, focusing on women's issues but lacking female leadership and mass movement support. It highlights the reliance on British authority, which fostered distrust among the masses and limited the reforms' success, as well as the shift towards cultural nationalism and revivalism post-1857. Key figures like Ramkrishna Paramhans emphasized Hindu traditions while indirectly rejecting Western values, contributing to a complex landscape of reform and cultural identity.

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10 views1 page

character of reforms

The document discusses the socio-religious reforms in 19th century India, primarily led by upper-caste, western-educated Brahmins, focusing on women's issues but lacking female leadership and mass movement support. It highlights the reliance on British authority, which fostered distrust among the masses and limited the reforms' success, as well as the shift towards cultural nationalism and revivalism post-1857. Key figures like Ramkrishna Paramhans emphasized Hindu traditions while indirectly rejecting Western values, contributing to a complex landscape of reform and cultural identity.

Uploaded by

burhan mohammad
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as TXT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Character Of Reforms

• PYQ: characterize main features of indian renaissance.


• PYQ: what was charater of socio religious reformsin 19th century. How did
they contribute to national awakening in india.

• These reforms were led by upper caster western educated brahmins.


• Major focus on women-related reforms, since the British used the benchmark of
the status of women to decide the status of civilization.
• However no leadership of women, and this hurt success of reforms.
• They were led by brahmins but were anti-priest.
• They were a response to the criticism of Indian civilization by the British
that increased post-1813.
• They were inspired by the Doctrine of reason and Humanism.
• Reliance on British legislative and executive authority, therefore top-down
reforms and not based on any mass movement.
• This hurt the success of reforms and reformers did not even try to build a
mass movement.
• For example, Roy used complex sanskrtized Bengali Pores not understood by the
common man.
• Prathana samaj only had 72 members, therefore reforms target was only the
upper caste.
• Also, the leadership of only the upper caste, therefore lower castes could
not associate, and no women leadership, thus no mass movement
• The use of British authority led to distrust among the masses towards
reforms. [recall reasons for 1857 revolt]
• The primary importance was of scriptures as reforms, Orthodox section and
British gave primary importance to scriptures. [example Sati] [will shape Cultural
Identity]
• Therefore reforms searched for modernity/rationality within scripture and did
not suggest the adoption of British culture on grounds that it was superior.
[Cultural Nationalism in operation]
• Reformers stayed largely silent on issues of castism and even on women's
issues in the early phase, as these issues were considered too sensitive and
reformers feared alienation from upper-caste Hindus and they were themselves from
upper caste and therefore neglected caste issues.
• Most followed the method of gradualism.
• There existed rival organizations of the orthodox section having greater
support from the masses.
• Differences in goals and methods of different leaders contributed to the
failure of reforms like in Bharmo samaj. [DBT vs KCS]

Post-1857 reformers
• Post-1857, there was a shift toward greater cultural nationalism and also
towards revivalism from the reformism of pre-1857.
• Revivalism meant a stronger assertion of Indian traditions.[ Revivalism is
Negative = My religion is superior to your religion, My god is only True God]
• There was now greater assertion based on cultural nationalism by reformers as
well like Ramkrishna Paramhans, Swami Vivekananda, and Swami Dayananda Saraswati.
• As per negative revivalism Hindu past was glorious and degeneration took
place under Muslim and Christain rule, also not just Hinduism is superior but other
religions are inferior.
• In contrast, culturally nationalist reformers believed in universalism that
all religions lead to God and that God is one.

Ramkrishna Paramhans:
• He was an ascetic.
• He believed in mediation, renunciation, and monotheism.
• He did not directly criticize colonial rule but due to his pure focus on
Hinduism, rejected western values indirectly.

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