Raja Ram Mohan Roy: Indian Renaissance, Life & Contributions in Modern reforms

Raja Ram Mohan Roy – A Pioneer of Indian Renaissance and Reform

Raja Ram Mohan Roy was known as the father of Modern Indian Renaissance for his religious, social, and educational reforms. He confronted traditional Hindu customs and advocated for societal progress in India during the colonial period. 

Raja Ram Mohan Roy: Architect of Indian Renaissance and Reform

• Birth: Raja Ram Mohan Roy was born on May 22, 1772, in Radhanagar, Bengal, India.
•  Education: Raja Ram Mohan Roy got his early education in Bengali and Sanskrit at the village school. 
  • Subsequently, Raja Ram Mohan Roy was sent to Patna, where he enrolled in a Madrasa to study Persian and Arabic. 
  • Ram Mohan not only studied the Quran but also researched other Islamic texts. 
  • After completing his studies in Patna, he proceeded to Varanasi (Kashi) to study Sanskrit and began studying scriptures like the Vedas and Upanishads, among others. 
• Fluent in English: Raja Ram Mohan Roy explored the English writings of philosophers such as Euclid and Aristotle, which significantly influenced his ethical and religious perspectives.
• Employment: Following the completion of his education, Ram-mohan found employment as a clerk with the East India Company. 
  • He began his career at the Rangpur Collectorate under Mr. John Digby. 
  • Later, he was promoted to the role of Dewan, a position typically held by native officers responsible for revenue collection.
• Demise: Raja Ram Mohan Roy died from meningitis on September 27, 1833, in Bristol, Gloucestershire, England. 
• Raja Ram Mohan Roy is often recognized as the founding figure of modern India.
• In 1831, he was conferred the title “Raja” by Akbar II, the Mughal emperor. Ram Mohan Roy traveled to England as the representative of the Mughal King to ensure that Bentick’s ban on the practice of Sati was enforced. 

Raja Ram Mohan Roy: Pioneer of Rationalism, Social Equality, and Reform

• Western Thought: Ram Mohan Roy drew substantial inspiration from Western modern thought and emphasized the importance of rationalism and a contemporary scientific approach.
• Concern for Religious and Social Deterioration: The major concern for Ram Mohan Roy was the religious and social deterioration he noticed in his native Bengal.
• Religious Orthodoxies: Raja Ram Mohan Roy opposed religious orthodoxies that had evolved into sources of confusion and trouble for the people, rather than contributing to the improvement of societal conditions.
• Religious Reforms and Its Impact on Society: Raja Ram Mohan Roy came to the conclusion that religious reforms are not only a matter of spiritual change but also integral to social progress and political modernization.
• Redemption Through Self-Purification: Raja Ram Mohan Roy held the belief that individuals must seek redemption for their transgressions through self-purification and repentance, rather than through sacrificial acts and rituals.
• Advocacy for Social Equality and Opposition to the Caste System: He backed the principle of social equality among all human beings and strongly opposed the caste system.
• Attraction to Islamic Monotheism: Ram Mohan found an attraction to Islamic monotheism, asserting that monotheism was also a fundamental ideology of Vedanta.
• Monotheism as a Universal Model: His concept of a single, unitarian god served as a corrective to the polytheism of traditional Hinduism and the trinitarianism of Christianity. He believed that monotheism provided a universal model for all of humanity.
• Promoting Women’s Liberation: Raja Ram Mohan Roy held the belief that the progress of Hindu society was contingent on releasing women from vicious forms of subjugation, such as illiteracy, child marriage, sati, and purdah.
• Critique of Sati and Ethical Degradation: Raja Ram Mohan Roy described sati as a transgression against every compassionate and societal sentiment, viewing it as a sign of the ethical degradation of a community.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy: Visionary Reformer in Religion, Society, and Governance

Brahmo Samaj: Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s Vision of Pure Monotheistic Worship

• Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded the Brahmo Sabha in August 1828; later it was renamed Brahmo Samaj. 
• The Samaj was committed to “the worship and adoration of the Eternal, Inscrutable, Immutable Being who is the Author and Preserver of the Universe”.
• Prayers, meditation and readings of the Upanishads were to be the forms of worship and no graven image, statue or sculpture, carving, painting, picture, portrait, etc., were to be allowed in the Samaj buildings, underscoring the Samaj’s opposition to idolatry and meaningless rituals.

• To purify Hinduism and to preach monotheism, brahmo samaj was based on the twin pillars of reason and the Vedas and Upanishads. 

• The Samaj also attempted to incorporate the teachings of other religions and maintained its emphasis on human dignity, opposition to idolatry and criticism of social evils such as sati.

Conclusion

Raja Ram Mohan Roy was a wise person who knew how important the modern world was. He believed that humans should work together and be like brothers and sisters, not just focus on being independent. He wanted Indians to know their culture and work together with others for reforms and make the world better.

Also Read: Ramakrishna Movement: Swami Vivekananda’s Influence on the Spiritual Evolution

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