Aug 1, 20203 min read

Raja Rammohan Roy | Raja Rammohan Roy UPSC | Rammohan Roy & Brahmo Samaj | Cultural & Social Reforms

Raja Rammohan Roy | Raja Rammohan Roy UPSC | Raja Rammohan Roy and Brahmo Samaj | Raja Rammohan Roy Contribution

Raja Rammohan Roy (1772- 1833) was the central figure in the social and cultural awakening in the 19th century.
He worked hard all his life for the social, religious, intellectual and political regeneration of his people.
He was a great scholar who represented a synthesis of both the Eastern and the Western thought.
Raja Rammohan Roy was born in a Brahmin family of Bengal in 1772.
He was a great scholar who knew a number of languages.
He was well versed in Sanskrit, Persian, Urdu English besides Bengali.

Rammohan Roy settled in Calcutta in 1814 and started Atmiya Sabha.
He opposed idol worship, rigidity of caste and meaning-less religious rituals.
He preached monotheism.
He applied rational approach to Indian religions and traditions.
In 1829, he founded the Brahmo Samaj. This society was based on the town pillars of reason and the Vedas and Upanishads.
Rammohan Roy left no aspect of nation-building untouched.
He organised a strong opposition of the inhuman custom of sati and in spite of all opposition, he supported Bentinck's action for its abolition.
He condemned subjugation of women attacked polygamy and degradation of widows.
He demanded that women would be given the right of inheritance and property.

Rammohan Roy looked upon modern education as a major instrument for the spread of modern ideas in the country.
He gave active support to David Hare in the promotion of modern education in India.
He maintained, at his own cost, an English school in Calcutta from 1817.
In 1825, he established a Vedanta College which offered courses both in Indian learning and western social and physical science.
He compiled Bengali grammar, and through translation and pamphlets evolve da modern prose style for Bengali language.
His thoughts and actions were guided by the vision of an independent and resurgent India. He was a pioneer of Indian journalism.
He brought out journals in different languages to spread scientific, literary and political knowledge and to educate public opinion on topics of current interest.
Rammohan Roy was a firm believer in internationalism and cooperation between nations.

He left the government job and devoted himself to social and religious reforms.
He was the central figure in the awakening of modern lndia.
Rammohan Roy was a true champion of women's rights.
He stood for equal rights for women.
He condemned the inhuman practice of sati.
He supported William Bentinck to abolish it in 1829.
He stood for widow remarriage, inter-caste marriage and the right of women to property.
He worked for women's education, upliftment and marriage, polygamy and the purdah system their all round development.
He also opposed child marriage, polygamy and the purdah system.
People knew him as a great patriot, humanist and selfless worker.
He believed in human dignity and social equality.
He derived his ideas from the Vedas, Islam, Christianity and the modern European philosophy.
His approach was scientific.
lt represented a synthesis of the thought of East and the West.
Raja Rammohan Roy stood for the freedom of worship, press and speech.
He wanted to modernize the Indian society.
He worked hard for the upliftment of the people.
He founded the Brahmo Samaj in 1825 to reform the society.
Raja Rammohan Roy is rightly called the 'Father or Pioneer of Modern India'.
He passed away in England in 1833.

Raja Rammohan Roy made a Comparative study of different religions. He derived
best in them. He founded the Brahmo Samaj to carry out the reforms.
The Brahmo Samaj preached worship of one almighty God. It condemned polytheism, polygamy, meaningless rituals and idol worship.
It opposed all types of sacrifices, superstitions, child marriage and the practice of Sati.
It criticised the caste system.
The Brahmo Samaj asked people to pray and have respect for all religions.
Rammohan Roy stood for equal rights for women, inter caste marriage and widow remarriage.
He was the chief architect of Hindu renaissance in the 19th century.

He was a great Supporter of modern education through English.
He spread western thought of liberty, equality, democracy etc.
He was in favor of learning the western literature, education and science.
He maintained an English school in Calcutta.
He also started a Vedanta College for both the Indian and western learning.
He was a pioneer of Indian journalism.
He brought out journals in different languages.
His am was to spread knowledge and educate public opinion on different subjects.
Rammohan Roy supported the cause of freedom everywhere.
There was hardly any aspect of nation-building and human life that remained untouched by him.
He was truly a universal man.