Question

write work of social reformer about women reform?​

Answer 1

Answer:

The social reformers believed in the principle of individual liberty, freedom, and equality of all human beings irrespective of sex, color, race, caste, or religion. They attacked a number of traditional, authoritarian, and hierarchical social institutions and launched social reform movements to liberate the Indian women from their shack­les.

Answer 2

Answer:

ll human beings irrespective of sex, color, race, caste, or religion. They attacked a number of traditional, authoritarian, and hierarchical social institutions and launched social reform movements to liberate the Indian women from their shack­les.

There are two distinct groups of progressive movements aimed at emancipation of Indian women. Both groups recognized the restrictive and coercive nature of the social customs and institutions. One group opposed these customs and institutions as they contradicted the democratic principles of liberty and freedom. This group was called the Reformers.

The other group demanded the democratization of social relations and removal of harm­ful practices on the basis of revival of the Vedic society in modern India, which according to them, was democratic. This group came to be known as the Revivalists.

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The social reformers believed in the principle of individual liberty, freedom, and equality of all human beings irrespective of sex, color, race, caste, or religion. They attacked a number of traditional, authoritarian, and hierarchical social institutions and launched social reform movements to liberate the Indian women from their shack­les. Though many of the reformers were mainly men, the reform movement aimed at improving the status of Indian women.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy was one of the greatest social reformers of India. He was con­cerned about a number of evil customs planning the Indian society. These included “saha marana” or Sati, female infanticide, polygamy, infant marriages, purdah, absence of educa­tion among women, and the Devadasi system. Raja Ram Mohan Roy led a crusade against the evil and inhuman practice of Sati, in which a widow was forced to immolate herself on the funeral pyre of her deceased husband. Sati was in practice in many parts of India.

It was accepted and condoned on the grounds that it would secure “Moksha” for widows. It was also felt that a woman could be led astray if she continued to live after the death of her hus­band. This feeling was disproved by Raja, who felt that a woman could be led astray even during her husband’s lifetime.

In fact, after the death of her husband, a woman is under the protection of her family, so she can be watched over with greater vigilance. Raja strongly refuted the contention that Sati was a free, voluntary act of the widow, and called it a mon­strous lie. Raja’s arguments and anti-Sati activities led Lord William Bentinck to legislate for the prohibition of Sati, which resulted in the passing of the Prohibition of Sati Act in 1829.

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Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was another great social reformer who sought to improve the condition of widows by legalizing widow remarriages. Since he felt that his own life should set an example for others to follow, he took a pledge that he would allow his daughters to study, and married all his daughters after they were 16 years of age. He also pledged that if any of his daughters were widowed and they wanted to get remarried, he would allow them to do so. He was also against the prevalent custom of polygamy.

Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade was instrumental in laying down the foundation of an all Indian organization to carry on the struggle for social reform—the Indian National Social Conference. This organization was the first national institution to carry on collectively, in an organized way, and on a national scale the social reform movement.

He took up the problems of widow remarriages and was an active member of a society, which worked for widow remarriages. In fact, the Shankaracharya had excommunicated him for attending the first widow remarriage in 1869. Ranade worked toward educating women. He and his wife started a school for girls in 1884.

Maharishi Karve showed great concern for the plight of widows and the problem of widow remarriages. He revived the Widow Remarriage Association and started the Hindu Widow’s Home Karve also made efforts to improve the education levels of girls as well as widows.

He created the Kane Women’s University. His efforts in the movement to liberate the Indian women are of great significance, and the extensive and successful work brought about a change in the attitudes of people towards widows.

In order to set an example for others, he married a widow after the death of his first wife. As a result of the social reform movement, a number of institutions and organizations were established. The institutions started by the reformers covered the whole country with their activities.