Article on impact of british on indian society and culture
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The Britishers were instrumental in introducing Western culture, education and scientific techniques. Through those means, they gave traditional Indian life a jolt and galvanized the life and culture of its people.
Undoubtedly, the Seventeenth Century marked the zenith of Indian medieval glory. It gave way to the Eighteenth century which was a spectacle of corruption, misery and chaos leading to political helplessness. Right from 1498 when Vasco da Gamma set his foot on Indian soil, the European powers entered into Indian scene one after another.
The Portuguese power had no comparison to French and English. Ultimately in the conflict between the French and English, the latter became successful and planted the victorious banner of England in India in 1757 with the victory of Robert Clive.
Why British Influence was Lasting?
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Western influence became effective in India mainly through the British who were the pioneers of a new technological and industrial civilization. They represented a new historic force which was later to charge the world and thus were the torchbearers of a revolutionary change.
India accepted the suzerainty of the British authority coming under its iron grip. Intellectually indifferent, spiritually subdued and psychologically weak at that time, India had to adopt with the British authorities. That is why the British impact was abiding and lasting on the Indian people.
Prompting Religious and Reformation Movement:
Indian response to Western impact was a first noticed in the field of religion. Of course, Christianity was not a new thing in India before the arrival of the British. During rule of East India Company, the Christian missionary activities in India became wide-spread.
As complicacies in Vedic religion gave way to the rise of heterodox religion and the impact of Islam had given encouragement to the Bhakti Movement in medieval times, the advent of Western civilization caused the growth of reform movement in modem times.
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The first torch-bearer of Indian cultural renaissance was Raja Rammohan Roy. With the foundation of ‘Brahmo Samaj’, in 1828 began a new chapter in the Indian reformation movement. It was the synthesis of some of the main elements in Hinduism and Christianity. To synthesize the culture of East and West, it encouraged rationalism and social reforms.