Indian Renaissance - Social Reforms and Impact on Women

Question 1

Who was Raja Ram Mohan Roy?

Answer 1

1. A social reformer who founded the Brahma Saraj
   a. A socialist movement based on rational interpretation of Hinduism
2. He also fought for the abolishment of sati (the burning of widows)
   a. He went to England to ensure Lord Bentinck’s proposal, to introduce a law banning the practice, was not refused by the British government
3. Ram Mohan Roy not only campaigned against Sati, but also to stop child marriage and advocated the right of women to inherit property
4. He carried out campaigns through the press
5. He advocated the spread of both western and traditional Indian education
6. His reforms were opposed by Orthodox hindus

Question 2

Who was Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar?

Answer 2

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was a social reformer who:
1. Reconstructed the Bengali alphabet
2. Reformed Bengali hypography into an alphabet of 12 vowels and 40 consonants
3. Introduced the practice of widow remarriage by pushing for the Hindu Widow Remarriage Act XV of 1586

Question 3

Who were Ramakrishna and Vivekananda?

Answer 3

1. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was a priest in a Kali Temple. His main teachings were that all religions were essentially the same, regarding them as different paths to reach god.
2. One of his disciples, Swami Vivekananda, travelled widely to spread the message of hinduism. He attended the Parliament of Religions in Chicago delivering a powerful speech on the true value of Hinduism
3. He advocated against the caste system, and the existing social and economic inequalities in India
4. Vivekananda established the Ramakrishna Mission, a monastic order believing in the harmony of religions and dedicated to the service of the poor.

Question 4

Who was Dayanand Saraswati?

Answer 4

1. The reforms in Bengal soon spread to other parts of India
2. Dayanand Saraswati began the Arya Samaj (1875) in Bombay, which was a religious movement forbidding idol worship, removing caste distinction and accepting the vedas as the only authority.
3. He also encouraged education for women and opposed child marriage

Question 5

How did these reforms change the position of women in India?

Answer 5

1. The reforms led to an improvement in the position of women
2. Education spread amongst women - They were educated at home and in the newly-established girls’ school
3. Women from enlightened homes began involving themselves in social and charitable work
4. There were many female poets and writers during this time
5. Women started wearing more westernized blouses with their saris.
6. However, society was still prejudiced and it was considered that the purpose of education was to make women better housewives and not to equip them for work
7. Most of the reforms were restricted among women of wealthy and educated families

Question 6

Name some female social reformers?

Answer 6

1. Kadambini Ganguly - one of the first female graduates from college and became a successful doctor.
2. Pandita Ramabai - a young, educated widow, who established a school for widows
3. Savitribai Phule - advocated women’s right and became one of the first female teachers in India
4. Annie Besant - an irish reformer, who lived in India and worked to improve Indian society