CAPF-AC (Assistant Commandant) Exam Study Material : History- The Indian Renaissance
CAPF-AC (Assistant Commandant) Exam Study Material : History- The Indian Renaissance
History : The Indian Renaissance
During this period the awakening was made possible due to the spread of Western education and ideas, emergence of a number of pioneering individuals strongly imbued with the ideas of reforms, spread of Christianity and the proliferation of newspapers and literary magazines.
Rammohan Roy (1772-1833)
- He was born at Radhanagar in Bengal in 1772. He is regarded as the first great leader of modern India. He opposed idol worship and pressed on Doctrine of the Unity of God. He believed that basically all religions preach a common message.
- He was deeply influenced by monotheism, anti-idolatry of Islam, Sufism, and ethical teachings of Christianity & liberal & rationalist doctrines of the west. He was one of the earliest propagators of modern education.
- At the age of sixteen, he became convinced of the futility of idol worship and to that effect wrote a treatise, Tuhfat-ul-Muwahhidin (Gift to Monotheists) in Persian questioning the validity of the system of idol worship and praising in its place the doctrine of monotheism. Annoyed at this, his father drove him out of the house.
- He Started the Atmiya Sabha in 1814, The Brahma Sabha in 1829, (Brahmo Samaj on 20th August,1828). Based on the twin pillars of-reason, the Vedas and the Upanishads. Laid emphasis on human dignity, opposed idolatry, and criticised social evils. Succeeded in persuading Lord Bentick to abolish sati in 1829.
- He gave enthusiastic assistance to David Hare, who founded the famous Hindu college in Calcutta.