REFORMING 19TH CENTURY INDIAN SOCIETY
Reforms and women Social evils like superstition, tough discrimination against women and the institutionalised inequality plagued the Indian caste-based social structure. Social evils like female infanticide, child marriage and Sati had crept into Hindu society. Caste system was dominating the Indian society. Child marriage was commonplace and widow remarriage was prohibited.
From the early decades of the 19th century, some broad-minded persons in Indian society felt the requirement to shed out backwardness and start reforms. Since several of the social evils and superstitions were closely connected to underwent a remarkable variation and gave an about some of the socio-political religious movements of this time. Prominent among the movements working for the religious and social reforms were the Arya Samaj, the Brahmo Samaj, the Ramakrishna Mission and the Aligarh Movement.
POSITION OF WOMEN IN 19TH CENTURY INDIA
From as early as 1000 BC the fortunes of Indian womanhood went down into slow decline from a position of near equality along with men during Vedic times. This was followed by 2000 years of deterioration. Infact, before a slow recovery followed, women’s status hit rock by the starting of the mediaeval period. Alteration in the patriarchal system of society, improvements in education, widow remarriage, age of marriage, various laws and customs, and acceptance of women’s economic power…all played a role in reviving the long-lost status of Indian women.
Whether the demand for women’s reforms came from the colonial rulers or from the surfacing educated generation, all the concerned persons accepted the role and significance of women in society and made a planned attempt to get a solution.
UNRAVELLING THE PAST
Indian society gives the effect of always having been a patriarchal one, moving from the Vedic society to a Puranic Hindu society Women, though capable to occupy the highest position, lived a subordinate life to men in the Vedic and Buddhist periods.
SOCIAL EVILS
In the early period of Muslim rule, status of women suffered further limitations their freedoms and rights. As the dual custom of child marriage, purdah and polygamy acceptance of women’s economic power…all played a role in reviving the long-lost status of Indian women.
Whether the demand for women’s reforms came from the colonial rulers or from the surfacing educated generation, all the concerned persons accepted the role and significance of women in society and made a planned attempt to get a solution.
UNRAVELLING THE PAST
Indian society gives the effect of always having been a patriarchal one, moving from the Vedic society to a Puranic Hindu society. Women, though capable to occupy the highest position, lived a subordinate life to men in the Vedic and Buddhist periods.
SOCIAL EVILS In the early period of Muslim rule, the status of women suffered further limitations on their freedoms and rights. As the dual customs of child marriage, purdah and polygamy took hold, Hindus preferred to: (i) Marrying them off at a young age; (ii) Keeping them in Purdah; (iii) Polygamy, which signified marrying more than one girl to a Hindu man.
REFORM MOVEMENTS AND COLONIAL LEGISLATION
Bengal
British rule led to the emergence of new social classes in India. This class was in its outlook, and drew its inspiration from intellectual currents prevailing in other parts of the world. 19th century Bengal went through a process of great social ferment. Out of this 53 turmoil emerged many socio-economic religious reformers and reform movements, such as those led by Raja Rammohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Keshab Chandra Sen, etc. Let us discuss some of these movements.
Raja Rammohan Roy and the Brahmo Samaj Raja Rammohan Roy was a pioneer in introducing reforms for women through Brahmo Samaj. After receiving a traditional education in Sanskrit at Banaras, and in Arabic and Persian at Patna, he came in contact with the English. He had a burning desire to bring about reform in society. He devoted most of his life to social welfare. He founded the Brahmo Sabha in 1828. outcome of the prevailing Raja Rammohan Many social evils of that time were the direct superstitious beliefs. Its Roy most glaring example was the dreadful practice of sati. Hindu widows would immolate themselves on the funeral pyre of their husband to
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
got his own son married to a widow. He played an important role in the passing of the Widow Remarriage Act, and also in the first widow remarriage ceremony, performed in Calcutta in 1856. He also advocated introduction of modern subjects along with the traditional Sanskrit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar learning in Sanskrit Colleges. He devoted his life for spreading education, particularly among girls and the downtrodden. He is said to be the originator of the modern Bengali language.
