Ram Mohan Roy's legacy and its renewed relevance after 250 years

One of the most influential social and religious reformers of 19th century, Ram Mohan Roy, born on May 22, 1772 in Bengal Presidency would have turned 250 years today.

Early life

• Born into a prosperous upper-caste Brahmin family, he grew up in orthodox caste practices of his time.
• Child-marriage, polygamy and dowry were prevalent among higher castes.
• He himself was married more than once in his childhood.
• Ascendancy of EIC in Bengal towards end of 18th century was also time when Roy was slowly coming into his own.

Academics

• Roy knew Bengali and Persian, Arabic, Sanskrit, and later, English.
• His exposure to the literature and culture of each of these languages bred in him a skepticism towards religious dogmas and social strictures.
• Spent considerable time studying Vedas and Upanishads, and religious texts of Islam and Christianity.

Religious belief

• He was intrigued by Unitarian faction of Christianity and was drawn by precepts of monotheism.
• He wrote on various matters of theology, polity and human rights, and translated and made accessible Sanskrit texts into Bengali.
• He did not make a distinction between religious and secular.

Roy, the first among liberals

• Even though British consolidation of power was still at early stage in India, Roy could sense that change was afoot.
• Confident about strength of his heritage and open to imbibing from other cultures, he was among India’s first liberals.
• He was interested in religion, politics, law and jurisprudence, commerce and agrarian enterprise, Constitutions and civic rights, unjust treatment of women and appalling condition of the Indian poor.

Establishment of Atmiya Sabha

• 1814: started Atmiya Sabha (Society of Friends), to nurture philosophical discussions on the idea of monotheism in Vedanta.
• Aim: to campaign against idolatry, casteism, child marriage and other social ills.
• It made way for Brahmo Sabha in 1828, set up with Debendranath Tagore, Rabindranath Tagore’s father.

Abolition of Sati, educational and religious reforms

• He campaigned for modernization of education, in particular the introduction of a Western curriculum, and started several educational institutions.
• 1817: collaborated with David Hare to set up Hindu College (now, Presidency University).
• Established: Anglo-Hindu School in 1822 and, in 1830, assisted Alexander Duff to set up General Assembly’s Institution, which later became the Scottish Church College.
• His efforts with others led to the abolition of Sati under William Bentinck in 1829.
• He argued for property rights of women, and petitioned British for freedom of the press (in 1829 and 1830).
• Brahmo Samaj, evolved as reaction against upper-caste stranglehold on social customs and rituals.

Perils of non-conformism

• Title of Raja was given by Akbar II.
• Often attacked by his own countrymen who felt threatened by his reformist agenda, and by British reformers and functionaries, whose views differed from his.

Conclusion

• Roy’s work for women’s emancipation, modernising education and seeking changes to religious orthodoxy finds relevance today.
• He was among first Indians to gain recognition in UK and in America for his radical thoughts.
• He was first person on subcontinent to seriously engage with challenges posed by modernity to traditional social structures and ways of being.
• Rabindranath Tagore called him a ‘Bharatpathik’
  • Meaning: Rammohun combined underlying spirit of Indic civilisation, its spirit of pluralism, tolerance and a cosmic respect for all forms of life.

Exam track

Prelims take away

• Raja rammohan Roy
• Brahmo Samaj
• Governor general during British rule
• Hindu college