Question

Who was Raja Ram Mohan Roy?

Answer 1

ANSWER → Raja Ram Mohan Roy is well-remembered for his role in abolishing the practice of Sati. Through his writings in Samvad Kaumudi (a Bengali journal started by him), he led a campaign against Sati , with the support of Lord William Bentick, the Governal General , the practice was stopped in 1829, by law. He also campaigned for rights for women, including the rights for widows to remarry and to hold property. He is also known as the Maker of Modern India.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy was well-versed in English, Sanskrit, Persian and Greek languages. He had read the scriptures of the Hindus, Muslims and Christians. He founded the reform association known as the Brahmo Samaj in Calcutta, one of the first Indian socio-religious reform organisation. He advocated education of woman.

Answer 2

At the beginning of 19th century, India was plagued by various social evils such as Sati pratha, Caste system, Religious superstitions etc. Raja Ram Mohan Roy was the first person who recognized these inhuman practices and decided to fight against the same. He is considered as the architect of Indian Renaissance and father of modern India.

Ram Mohan Roy was born on 22 May 1772 in Radhanagar, Hugli district of Bengal. His father was Ramakant Roy and mother Trivani Devi; father was at a very good position in the court of the then Nawab of Bengal. He got his education at Patna and Varanasi. He also worked in the East India Company from 1803 to 1814. Belonging to a traditional Brahmin family, Roy was married off at a very young age and before attaining the age of ten he was married trice.

He died of meningitis in Bristol, England on 27 September, 1833.

Work and Reforms:

Raja Ram Mohan Roy was very open minded and was of very questioning brains. He was very much influenced by western progressive thoughts. He was also well versed in the teachings of various religions. He was influenced by monotheism of Islam, Mysticism of Sufi philosophy, Ethics and morals of Christianity and Vedanta philosophy of Upanishad.

His main focus was towards the evils which had surrounded the Hindu society of the times, such as:

He criticized idol worship of Hindus and tried to prove his point through the verses of Vedas.

But the main contribution for which Raja Ram Mohan Roy is still remembered was his relentless efforts in abolishing the practice of Sati Pratha.

Ram Mohan Roy got involved in fighting against it when his elder brother died and his sister-in-law was made a Sati. He began a movement to abolish this barbaric custom and for that purpose he persuaded the British Government to pass an Act abolishing Sati Pratha; the Bengal Sati Regulation Act, 1829 was passed by Lord William Bentinck, the then Governor General of Bengal.

On August 20, 1828, Raja Ram Mohan Roy established the Brahma Samaj, which later became the Brahmo Samaj, an organization and a movement with the objectives of promoting monotheism, criticizing idol worshiping; opposing wide spread Brahmanism and uplifting the pitiful condition of women etc.

Other Important Works:

In 1820, he published a book named Percepts of Jesus: The Guide to Peace and Happiness; in this book Ram Mohan Roy explained the simplicity and morality of Christian religion.

He also started publishing two newspapers viz. Samvad Kaumudi and Prgya Chaand in the year 1821 to spread his ideas and views to the common people.

He also started a Persian newspaper viz.

Apart from these, Roy also helped in the establishment of one Vedanta College and the Hindu College in Calcutta.

Contribution to the Society:

Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s work and efforts gave the first touch of modern ideas for India which was reeling under the dual burden of age-old social ills and British exploitation. His spreading of modern ideas was also perhaps the nascent beginning of long struggle of India’s Independence. Thus, his contribution is like a bed-stone in the making of modern Indian.