Factors Influencing the Rise of Socio-Religious Reform Movements

• The presence of a colonial government on Indian territory; when the British arrived in India, they brought with them the English language as well as some contemporary ideals.
• These concepts, which included liberty, social and economic equality, fraternity, democracy, and justice, had a significant effect on Indian society.
• In the nineteenth century, Indian society was entangled in a terrible web of religious beliefs and social obscurantism.
• Women’s Depressing Situation: The position of women was the most disturbing.
• Female newborns were often killed upon birth.
• In society, child marriage was common.
• Polygamy was common in various sections of the country.
• Widow remarriage was not permitted and sati pratha was often practiced.
• Education and Global Awareness: Beginning in the late nineteenth century, a number of European and Indian researchers began studying ancient India’s history, philosophy, science, religions, and literature.
• The Indian people gained pride in their civilization as they gained a better understanding of India’s former splendor.
• It also aided religious and social reformers in their fight against all kinds of cruel practices, superstitions, and so forth.
• International / global Thinking: The increasing tide of nationalism and democracy found expression in initiatives to reform and democratize the Indian people’s social structures and religious viewpoints throughout the later decades of the nineteenth century.
• Factors such as the rise of nationalist feelings, the creation of new economic forces, the expansion of education, the influence of contemporary Western ideas and culture, and enhanced global awareness intensified the drive to reform.

Important Hindu Socio-Religious Reform Movements

Important Muslim Socio-Religious Reform Movements

Important Sikh Socio-Religious Reform Movements

Socio Religious Reform Movements in South India

Significance of the Socio-Religious Reform Movements

Positive Aspect

• The orthodox parts of society were unable to accept the socio-religious rebels’ scientific ideological attack.
  • As a result, the reactionaries subjected the reformers to insults, persecution, fatwas, and even assassination attempts.
  • Despite the opposition, these groups were able to contribute to the emancipation of the individual from fear-based obedience and unquestioning surrender to exploitation by priests and other classes.
• Worship became a more personal experience with the translation of religious writings into common languages, the focus on each individual’s right to interpret the scriptures, and the simplicity of rituals.
• The movements emphasized the ability of the human intellect to think and reason.
• The reformers allowed their adherents to confront the official criticism that their faiths and culture were decadent and inferior by clearing out corrupt aspects, religious beliefs, and behaviors.
• The reform movements provided the burgeoning middle classes with much-needed cultural roots to adhere to, as well as a means of alleviating the sense of humiliation caused by a foreign power’s annexation.
• A fundamental contribution of these reform movements was recognizing the unique demands of modern times, particularly in terms of scientific knowledge, and so encouraging a modern, this-worldly, secular, and rational attitude.
• Socially, this attitude was mirrored in a fundamental shift in the concepts of ‘pollution and purity.’
• Although traditional beliefs and practices were a primary focus of reformers’ attacks, the reformers sought modernization rather than outright westernization based on mindless imitation of alien Western cultural ideals.
• Indeed, reform movements tried to foster a favorable social atmosphere for modernization.

Negative Aspects

• One of the primary disadvantages of religious reform movements was that they had a small social basis, notably the educated and urban middle classes, while the great majority of peasants and urban poor were disregarded.
• The reformers’ proclivity to appeal to the glories of the past and to depend on biblical authority encouraged mysticism in new guises and fostered pseudo-scientific thinking while putting a brake on full recognition of the necessity for a contemporary scientific approach.
• Above all, these inclinations contributed, to some extent, to the compartmentalization of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and Parsis, as well as the alienation of high-caste Hindus from low-caste Hindus.
• The emergence of a composite culture, which had been seen throughout Indian history, appeared to be stalled with the growth of another type of awareness, community consciousness, alongside national consciousness among the middle classes.
• Many other causes were likely responsible for the rebirth of communalism in contemporary times, but the character of religious reform organizations also played a role.
• Overall, regardless of the net outcome of these reform movements, it was through this battle that a new society emerged in India.

Impact of the Socio-Religious Reform Movements

• The British intended to satisfy the top crust of society. As a result, just two significant pieces of legislation were enacted.
• Some legal measures were enacted to improve women’s standing. Sati, for example, was banned (1829). Infanticide has been made illegal.
• Legislation approved in 1856 allowed widow remarriage. A law passed in 1860 elevated the marriageable age of females to 10.
• Inter-caste and inter-communal marriages were legalized in 1872 by legislation.
• The other regulation, enacted in 1891, was intended to discourage underage marriage.
• The Sharda Act was enacted in 1929 to discourage child marriage. It said that a girl under the age of 14 and a boy under the age of 18 could not marry.
• The Indian national movement became the primary propagator of social reform in the twentieth century, particularly after 1919.
• To reach the masses, the reformers increasingly relied on propaganda in the Indian language.
• They also employed books, plays, short tales, poetry, the press, and, in the 1930s, a film to promote their message.
• Numerous people, reform societies, and religious organizations worked hard to expand education among women, prevent young children from marrying, bring women out of the purdah, enforce monogamy, and enable middle-class women to enter professions or public service.
• As a result of all of these efforts, Indian women played an active and essential part in the country’s war for independence.
• As a consequence, many superstitions vanished, and many more were on their way out. Traveling to other nations was no longer a sin.

Conclusion

• In the 1800s and 1900s, more and more individuals appreciated the benefits of Indian culture, but they were also loud in rejecting its negative aspects. Many leaders arose in order to change Indian society. They mostly wished to instill contemporary principles in Indian society. These concepts, which included liberty, social and economic equality, fraternity, democracy, and justice, had a significant effect on Indian society. Fortunately for our nation, there were some enlightened Indians like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Dayanand Saraswati, and many more who were willing to struggle and bring about social changes in order for our country to confront the challenges of the West.