EHI - 5

11th Part 

Q  Young Bengal Movement                                               6

A  In the early 19th century, new and radical ideas began to be propagated by a band of young Bengali intellectuals known as the Young Bengal. This movement was largely initiated by an Anglo-Indian teacher of the Hindu College named Henry Vivian Derozio. A free thinker & a rationalist himself he encouraged his students to have a radical and critical outlook. He encouraged them to question all authority, loved liberty and worshiped truth. At Hindu College through his teachings, he influenced his students and won their loyalty. He organized debates where ideas and social norms were freely debated. He constantly encouraged his students to think freely and requested them not to accept anything blindly. His teachings laid stress on the development of the Spirit Of Liberty, equality, and freedom. His activities brought an intellectual revolution in Bengal and his followers known as the Derozians. They attacked old and decadent customs and traditions and began to question the whole fabric of Hindu society and religion. They were staunch rationalists and measured everything with the yardstick of reason. 

Q  Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar                                            6   

A  Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was a great Sanskrit scholar. Vidyasagar became the principal of the Sanskrit College in 1851. He introduced the study of western knowledge in the Sanskrit College and opened its gates to non-Brahmin students. His great contribution, however, was in the field of female emancipation. Widow's marriage was the specific social issue he devoted his entire life to. His agitation for legalizing the re-marriage of widows was supported by the enlightened sections in the society. This social issue was supported by various parts of the country and finally, such a law was enacted. Under the supervision of Vidyasagar the first legal Hindu widow-marriage among the upper castes in India was celebrated in 1856. Through his endeavors, nearly 25 widow marriages were organized between 1855 and 1860. He promoted the higher education of women for their general uplift. He also campaigned against child-marriage and polygamy.

Q  Jyotiba Phule                                      6

A  Jotiba Phule was an Indian social activist, a thinker, anti-caste social reformer and a writer from Maharashtra. He was involved in fighting for various social issues including the eradication of untouchability and the caste system, woman's emancipation, etc. In 1873, Phule, along with his followers, formed the Satyashodhak Samaj (Society of Seekers of Truth). The main objective was to attain equal rights for the people belonging to lower castes. People from all religions and castes could become a part of this association which worked for the upliftment of the oppressed classes. He realized that lower castes and women were the most oppressed in Indian society. He believed that education in these sections was vital to their emancipation. He and his wife, Savitribai Phule opened a school for girls. He was also in favor of widow marriage.

Q  Arya Samaj                                                 6

A  The social and religious reform movement in North India was spearheaded by Swamy Dayanand Saraswati who founded the Arya Samaj in 1875. He blamed the Brahman priests for spreading superstitions and by keeping people ignorant about the true teachings of the indigenous scriptures. He stood for inter-caste marriages and female education. However, his inclination towards the Vedas which he regarded as infallible gave his teachings an orthodox look. The Arya Samajists played a vital role in furthering the cause of social reform movement in North India. They were instrumental in weeding out social evils. They worked for the improvement of women, advocated social equality & denounced untouchability and caste-rigidness prevalent in society. Although the Vedas were venerated as infallible by Arya Samaj yet the reforms they undertook were based on free-thinking and rationalism. Arya Samaj established a chain of educational institutions for the education of both boys and girls.

Q  Discuss the social reform movements initiated through the Brahmo Samaj and the Arya Samaj. 12

A  Raja Ram Mohan Roy in 1828 established a new society, the Brahma Sabha which later came to be known as the Brahma Samaj. His primary purpose was to rid Hinduism of its evils and to preach monotheism. It incorporated the best teachings of other religions and acted as a powerful platform for the advocacy of humanism, monotheism, and social regeneration. The Brahmasamajists collectively contributed to the propagation of Rammohan's ideas and changing Bengal's society. They denounced priestly intermediation in religious matters and stood for the worship of one God. They supported widow-marriage, monogamy and women's education.

Can add Raja Roy contribution and Arya samaj above.

Q  Discuss the nature of social discrimination in India. How did people oppose social discrimination? 20

Q  Discuss the nature of social discrimination in India. How did the discriminated groups react to it?           12

Q  How did new consciousness develop against social discrimination in India? 12

Q  Discuss the various forms of social discrimination practiced in India.      12

A      Nature - Indian society being based on the caste system gave birth to different types of social discrimination. The society was divided among two broad social orders - privileged and dis-privileged castes. Viewed from the economic angle, the jatis were hereditary and closed occupation groups. On the two extreme ends were the Brahmins who were the privileged group and the untouchables who faced severe discrimination and were the disprivileged group. 

        The nature of discrimination differed from region to region in the early years of the nineteenth century. In large parts of the Madras Presidency the bulk of the agricultural laborers, belonging to low caste groups. They were said to have been reduced virtually to conditions of slavery. They were forbidden from entering into temples. Wells were strictly forbidden to their use. They were denied the right to carry an umbrella, to wear shoes, golden ornaments, to milk cows, to walk in certain streets, and their women were forbidden to cover their breasts.

        In western India, institutionalized social discrimination persisted against the lower castes groups. They were socially and economically exploited by high castes. Forced labor from artisans and other menial jobs were taken from them by the authorities. It was a common norm in Maharashtra besides restrictions on temple worship. 

        In the Northern and Eastern parts, the conditions were deplorable for untouchables. The barbers, washermen and sometimes even the scavengers refused their services to them. In the social feasts, they were required to sit at a distance from the rest and clear up their own dishes. They occupied an utterly degraded position in the village life. In Bengal, they provided labor services to the high caste Maliks and most of them were ultimately reduced to the position of bonded labor. The Chamars, including Mochis, are found in every part of India, however, they were highly concentrated in the U P and in the bordering area of Bihar on the east and of Punjab on the north-west. Apart from their customary profession, they were often called upon to- perform begar services by the landlords.

  Opposition  - Over a period of time, due to colonial rule and penetration of market forces at the rural level new social consciousness emerged among the depressed classes. Economic opportunities and missionary activities opened up new possibilities and created new opportunities for the depressed castes. It leads to economic prosperity among the dis-privileged Groups. In the changing circumstances, the ideology of hierarchy based society failed to carry conviction especially among the victims of social discrimination. 

         The articulation of this new consciousness was visible in the growth of the Sanskritization process among different lower caste groups. There were others who converted to Christianity in order to escape from the grim realities of the caste-based system. For example, In Travancore, education and Christianity gave the Nadars hope to escape from their sufferings who were till then under the domination of the Nair landlords. Covering of breasts by untouchable women was the first major movement which was launched among the depressed classes to remove the badge of servility. 

         Apart from missionary activities, Indian reformers also contributed immensely towards ending social discrimination from society. The gradual introduction of electoral politics further gave a boost to the lower caste movements. A section of prosperous groups among untouchables like Namasudras of Bengal began to sanskritize their way of life and claim a high kshatriya status. The Namasudra leaders displayed an attitude of defiance to the social authority of the higher castes, organized their caste brethren within the Matua sect and embarked on a policy of protest. Similarly, Nadars in Tamil Nadu who became economically efficient began to sanskritize their manner of life and asserted a high kshatriya status. Towards the close of the nineteenth century, they became powerful enough to challenge the ban on temple entry and in 1895 forced their way into the Sivakasi temple. The Mahars of Maharashtra also claimed Kshatriya status and began to organize themselves under Gopal Baba Walangkar. Towards the end of the 19th century, they emerged as the core group for Ambedkar movement.