The Social Reform Movements

🎯 Learning Objective

Learn the great reformers and the abolition of Sati and the Widow Remarriage Act.

💡 Concept

• Raja Ram Mohan Roy is called the 'Father of the Indian Renaissance' and founded the Brahmo Samaj in 1828.
• Sati was abolished in 1829 by Regulation XVII, passed by Governor-General Lord William Bentinck, largely due to Roy's efforts.
• The Brahmo Samaj rejected idol worship and preached one god; it was later led by Debendranath Tagore and Keshab Chandra Sen.
• The Arya Samaj was founded in 1875 by Swami Dayananda Saraswati, whose slogan was 'Back to the Vedas'; he wrote the 'Satyarth Prakash'.
• Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar championed widow remarriage, leading to the Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act of 1856, and promoted women's education.
• Jyotiba Phule fought caste discrimination and opened schools for girls and lower-caste children.
• Swami Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Mission (1897) and represented India at the 1893 World Parliament of Religions in Chicago.
• The Sarda Act of 1929 raised the minimum age of marriage to curb child marriage.

✏️ Easy Example

Q. The practice of Sati was abolished in 1829 during whose tenure as Governor-General?

1. Raja Ram Mohan Roy campaigned against it
2. It was banned by Lord William Bentinck

Answer: Lord William Bentinck

🇮🇳 Real-Life Example

These reforms shaped the rights Indian women hold today, and 'who abolished Sati' (Bentinck, 1829) and 'who founded the Arya Samaj' (Dayananda) are repeat static-GK questions.

📝 Exam-Level Example

Q. Who founded the Arya Samaj in 1875?

1. Its slogan was 'Back to the Vedas'
2. It was founded by Swami Dayananda Saraswati

Answer: Swami Dayananda Saraswati

📝 Exam-Level Example

Q. The Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act (1856) was passed largely due to whose efforts?

1. He was a great champion of women's education too
2. It was Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar

Answer: Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar

🪄 Memory Trick

Pair the reformer with the reform: Roy–Sati (1829), Vidyasagar–Widow Remarriage (1856), Dayananda–Arya Samaj (1875).

⚠️ Common Mistakes

• ❌ Confusing the Brahmo Samaj (Ram Mohan Roy, 1828) with the Arya Samaj (Dayananda, 1875).
• ❌ Attributing the abolition of Sati to Roy alone — it was legally banned by Lord Bentinck.

🏆 Exam Tips

• ✅ Anchor three years: 1828 (Brahmo Samaj), 1829 (Sati abolished), 1875 (Arya Samaj).
• ✅ Roy = Renaissance/Sati; Vidyasagar = widow remarriage; Dayananda = Vedas.

📌 Summary

• Raja Ram Mohan Roy: Brahmo Samaj (1828), campaign against Sati
• Sati abolished 1829 by Lord William Bentinck
• Arya Samaj 1875 by Dayananda ('Back to the Vedas')
• Widow Remarriage Act 1856 via Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar