Socio-religious reform movements in India, spanning the 19th and early 20th centuries, aimed at challenging entrenched social norms and religious practices. Led by influential figures like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Swami Vivekananda, and Sayyid Ahmed Khan, these movements advocated for social equality, education, and rationalism amidst diverse religious communities.

The Brahmo Samaj

Origins and Founding: Founded in 1830 by Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Dwarkanath Tagore in Calcutta, the Brahmo Samaj emerged as a response to the social and religious challenges of the time.

• Principles and Beliefs: Advocating for monotheism, rationality, and social reform, the Brahmo Samaj rejected idol worship and caste distinctions, emphasizing the importance of reason and individual conscience in spiritual matters.
• Social Reform Initiatives: The Samaj campaigned against social evils such as sati, child marriage, and caste discrimination, promoting education for all and women’s rights.
• Legacy and Influence: Inspiring subsequent reform movements, the Brahmo Samaj significantly contributed to the modernization and reformulation of Hinduism in colonial India.. 
• Leader: Keshub Chandra sen was one of the leaders.

Derozio and Young Bengal Movement

Radical Ideas: Henry Louis Vivian Derozio, a teacher at Hindu College, Calcutta, in the 1820s, promoted radical ideas and encouraged his pupils to question all authority. 

• Challenging Authority: His students attacked tradition and custom, demanded education for women and campaigned for the freedom of thought and expression.

The Ramakrishna Mission and Swami Vivekananda

Salvation through Service: Named after Ramakrishna Paramhansa, Swami Vivekananda’s guru, the Ramakrishna Mission stressed the ideal of salvation through social service and selfless action. 

• Global Vedanta: Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902), or Narendra Nath Dutta, combined the simple teachings of Sri Ramakrishna with his well founded modern outlook and spread them all over the world. 
• Chicago Speech: He gave a speech in the World Parliament of Religions at Chicago in 1893. 
• Unity in Spirit: Swami Vivekananda was the first Indian in modern times, who re-established the spiritual pre-eminence of the Vedanta philosophy on a global scale. 
• Uplifting All: He firmly believed that any reform could become successful only by uplifting the condition of the masses. 
• Religion of the Kitchen: Therefore, his clarion call to the people of India was to rise above the narrow confines of their ‘religion of the kitchen’ and come together in the service of the nation. 
• Global Vision: He was convinced that many of the problems facing mankind could only be overcome if the nations of the world come together on an equal footing. 
• Spiritual Heritage: Therefore, his exhortation to the youth was to unite on the basis of a common spiritual heritage. 

The Prarthana Samaj

Social Reform Movement: Established in 1867 at Bombay, the Prarthana Samaj sought to remove caste restrictions, abolish child marriage, encourage the education of women, and end the ban on widow remarriage. 

• Caste Eradication and Gender Equality: Its religious meetings drew upon Hindu, Buddhist and Christian texts.

The Veda Samaj

Brahmo Influence: Established in 1864 in Madras (Chennai), was inspired by the Brahmo Samaj. 

• Caste Abolition and Women’s Empowerment: It worked to abolish caste distinctions and promote widow remarriage and women’s education. 
• Believers: Its members believed in one God. 
• Rationalism: They condemned the superstitions and rituals of orthodox Hinduism.

The Aligarh Movement

• Educational Legacy: The Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College, founded by Sayyid Ahmed Khan in 1875 at Aligarh, later became the Aligarh Muslim University. 
• Modern Education for Muslims: The institution offered modern education, including Western science, to Muslims. 
• Impact: The Aligarh Movement had an enormous impact in the area of educational reform.

The Singh Sabha Movement

Sikh Reform Movement: Reform organisations of the Sikhs, the first Singh Sabhas were formed at Amritsar in 1873 and at Lahore in 1879. 

• Eradicating Superstitions and Caste Divisions: The Sabhas sought to rid Sikhism of superstitions, caste distinctions and practices seen by them as non-Sikh. 
• Fusion of Modern Education and Sikh Values: They promoted education among the Sikhs, often combining modern instruction with Sikh teachings. 

Conclusion

Struggle for Equality: Apart from this leaders from lower castes also criticised caste prejudice by forceful speeches, writings and various movements to fight for their dignity and to achieve equal status in the society. 

• Continuing Debates and Movements: Debates and struggles over caste continued beyond the colonial period and are still going on.