Social and Religious Reforms
(Longman Pearson)
Review Exercise
I. Fill in the blanks.
1. Raja Ram Mohan Roy played a key role in the abolition of sati.
2. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar opened several schools for girls in Bengal.
3. The Arya Samaj was established by Dayananda Saraswati.
4. The Ramakrishna Mission was established by Swami Vivekananda.
5. Vidyasagar opened the first Indian school for girls with the help of John Elliot Drinkwater Bethune in Calcutta in 1849.
6. Ramakrishna Parmahansa was a priest at a Kali temple in Bengal.
7. Dadabhai Naoroji contributed much in modernising the Parsee society in India.
8. Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded the Brahmo Samaj in 1828.
9. Vishnu Shastri Pandit founded the Widow Remarriage Society in 1850.
10. The Prarthana Samaj was founded by Mahadev Govind Ranade in Bombay.
11. Veeresalingam was known as the 'Vidyasagar of the South India'.
12. The Hitkarini society was established in the year 1878.
13. Sri Narayan Guru founded the Sri Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam.
II. Answer these questions.
1. Why was there a wave of socio-religious reform movement in India in the nineteenth century?
= The spread of Western education in India has a profound impact on the socio-cultural and intellectual life of the people. A new class of English-educated intellectuals who were inspired by the ideas of humanism and rationalism emerged in India. New beliefs and knowledge led them to question the age-old traditional views and religious rites and practices.
2. Who is the 'father of Indian Renaissance'?
= Raja Ram Mohan Roy is the 'father of Indian Renaissance'.
3. Name the person who played a key role in the abolition of the sati in Bengal. What was the outcome of this movement?
= Raja Ram Mohan Roy played a key role in the abolition of the Sati in Bengal.
Raja Ram Mohan Roy's campaign against sati aroused the opposition of the orthodox Hindus who attacked him bitterly. Nevertheless, he was successful in forcing the British government to impose a ban on sati. In 1829, Governor General Lord William Bentick supported his cause and banned sati.
4. Name a few reformers from Maharashtra who played an important role in carrying out social reforms.
= A few reformers from Maharashtra who played an important role in carrying out social reforms are:
❐ Mahadev Govind Ranade.
❐ Jyotiba Shankar Seth.
❐ Bhau Daji.
❐ Vishnu Shastri Pandit.
❐ Gopal Hari Deshmukh.
5. List the changes that Raja Ram Mohan Roy bring about the field of women's development.
= The changes that Raja Ram Mohan Roy bring about in the field of women's development are :
❐ He believed that since all men and women were children of that God, they were equal.
❐ He banned the evil practice of sati in the year 1829 with the help of Lord William Bentick.
❐ He also campaigned against child marriage.
❐ He also protested against polygamy.
6. Discuss in brief the efforts of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar in widow remarriage.
= Vidyasagar also raised his voice in favour of marriages of widows. His effects were not supported by the people and he was insulted, abused and threatened with death for his efforts. In 1855, representatives were sent to the government from all the important cities of India requesting to legalise the marriages of the widows. As a result of his efforts, the Widow Remarriage Act was passed in 1856, under the supervision of Vidyasagar.
7. What role did the reformers play in Western India?
= In Maharashtra, the work of social reform was carried out by many reformers.
❐ Mahadev Govind Ranade founded the Prarthana Samaj in Bombay. The Samaj worked for the abolition of caste system, raising of marriageable age, abolition of polygamy and promotion of inter caste marriage.
❐ Jyotiba Phule and his wife started a girls' school at Poona. He also actively propagated remarriages of the widows. He was actively supported by other social reformers such as Jagannath Shankar Seth and Bhau Daji.
❐ Vishnu Shastri Pandit founded the Widow Remarriage Society in 1850.
❐ Gopal Hari Deshmukh advocated the reorganisation of the Hindu Society on a rational basis.
8. Name three leading reformers who played a significant role in women's reform movement in Western India.
= Three leading reformers who played a significant role in women's reform movement in Western India are - Jyotiba Phule, Jagannath Shankar Seth and Bhau Daji.
9. How did Narayan Guru pave the path for social and religious reforms?
= In Kerala, Sri Narayan Guru founded the Sri Narayan Dharma Paripalana Yogam. He dedicated his life to the upliftment of the oppressed people, particularly the untouchables. He firmly believed in one caste, one religion and one God.
10. Mention any three similarities in the reform movements across India.
= Three similarities in the reform movements across India are :
❐ All of them emphasised on the fact that their is one God and every men and women are his children. Every one is equal to him.
❐ All reform movements worked on the education of women, women power and independence for women.
❐ All reform movements protested against caste system and untouchability
11. What were the religious views of Raja Ram Mohan Roy?
= The religious views of Raja Ram Mohan Roy are :
❐ He advocated the concept of 'one God' and regarded him as the creator and preserver of the universe.
❐ He believed that since all men and women were children of that god, they were equal.
❐ He believed in the unity of god and was against idol worship, ritualism and blind faith.
❐ He firmly opposed the domination of priests and believed that they played a greater role in spreading social evils, such as sati.
❐ He published Bengal translation of Vedas and Upanishads.
12. Write a short note on the reform movements among the Sikhs.
= The Singh Sabha was set up in Amritsar and Lahore. It advocated social and religious reforms among the Sikhs. The Sabha established the Khalsa College and worked for the promotion of Gurumukhi script and Punjab literature.
The Akali Movement led by the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee fought against the corrupt mahants (chief priest) of the gurudwara.
13. What role did Dadabhai Naoroji played in Parsee reform movement?
= Dadabhai Naoroji started a reform movement among Parsees.
He formed the Religious Reform Association which opposed religious orthodox among the Parsees.
He advocated the modern idea of respect and education for women.
He called for widow remarriage.
14. Who was the leading reformer among the Muslims in India? What role did he play in awakening and modernising the Muslims?
= Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was the leading reformer among the Muslims in India.
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan attempted to encourage the Muslims to get English education.
In 1864, he started a school at Ghazipur to provide modern education to the Muslims.
In 1877, he started the Anglo-Oriental College at Aligarh which, later on, expanded as the University of Aligarh and became the nerve centre of the Aligarh Movement.
He also organised a Mohammedan educational conference which served as a common platform for spreading Western education among Muslims. He advocated spread of education among Muslim women, removal of purdah and opposed polygamy.
III. Choose the correct option.
1. The Arya Samaj established ________ to spread education among women.
a) Belur Math. [ ]
b) Kanya Gurukul. [✓]
c) Prarthana Samaj. [ ]
d) DAV schools. [ ]
2. The Brahmo Samaj was founded in the year ________ .
a) 1828. [✓]
b) 1829. [ ]
c) 1899. [ ]
d) 1878. [ ]
3. _________ believed in the Vedanta philosophy which was based on rational thinking.
a) Ramakrishna Parmahansa. [ ]
b) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. [ ]
c) Gopal Hari Deshmukh. [ ]
d) Raja Ram Mohan Roy. [✓]
4. ________ started the Anglo-Oriental College in 1877.
a) Swami Vivekananda. [ ]
b) Ramakrishna Parmahansa. [ ]
c) Syed Ahmad Khan. [✓]
d) Gopal Hari Deshmukh. [ ]
5. _______ started the first Indian school for girls with the help of John Elliot Drinkwater Bethune.
a) Jyotiba Phule. [ ]
b) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. [✓]
c) Jagannath Shankar Seth. [ ]
d) Bhau Daji. [ ]
IV. Write short notes.
1. The Arya Samaj.
= Swami Dayananda Saraswati established the Arya Samaj in 1875. The Arya Samaj provided equal status to all its members and there was no place for distinction based on caste within its ranks. The Arya Samaj helped in the educational development of Indians. It carried the work of women's reform further. The Arya Samaj established Kanya Gurukuls for the education of women and encouraged emancipation of women in different fields.
2. Reforms in Western India.
= In Maharashtra, the work of social reform was carried out by many reformers.
❐ Mahadev Govind Ranade founded the Prarthana Samaj in Bombay. The Samaj worked for the abolition of caste system, raising of marriageable age, abolition of polygamy and promotion of inter caste marriage.
❐ Jyotiba Phule and his wife started a girls' school at Poona. He also actively propagated remarriages of the widows. He was actively supported by other social reformers such as Jagannath Shankar Seth and Bhau Daji.
❐ Vishnu Shastri Pandit founded the Widow Remarriage Society in 1850.
❐ Gopal Hari Deshmukh advocated the reorganisation of the Hindu Society on a rational basis.
3. Veeresalingam.
= Veersalingam worked for widow remarriage. He tried to increase the opportunities for female education. He opened his first girls' school in 1874 and in 1878 organised a society called Hitkarini for social reform. He was also referred to as the 'Vidyasagar of South India'.
V. Match the columns.
=
|
1. Aligarh Movement |
a. Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee. [3] |
|
2. Arya Samaj |
b. Swami Dayananda Saraswati. [2] |
|
3. Akali Movement |
c. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan. [1] |
|
4. Hitkarini |
d. Mahadev Govind Ranade. [5] |
|
5. Prarthana Samaj |
e. Veeresalingam. [4] |
VI. State whether true or false.
1. Raja Ram Mohan Roy is known as the 'Prophet of Indian Nationalism'. [T]
2. The Aligarh Movement was started by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. [T]
3. The Arya Samaj favoured education of women. [T]
4. Jyotiba Phule started a co-education school at Ghazipur. [F]
5. The Singh Sabha established the Khalsa College. [T]