Raja Ram Mohan Roy: Short Essay (School Project)

Raja Ram Mohan Roy and His Reforms to Eradicate Social Evils.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy was a great reformer and thinker, much ahead of his times, and fought hard to get rid of various social evils from the Indian society. He is well known for his efforts to abolish the practices of sati and child marriage. Ram Mohan Roy formed the Brahmo Samaj, a group that didn’t believe in idol-worship and were against the caste divisions. The title ‘Raja’ was bestowed upon him by the Mughal emperor Akbar.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy was born on 22nd May, 1772 in Hooghly, Bengal, India. He got Bengali and Sanskrit education in his village, and later went to Patna to study Persian and Arabic, which were in high demand in the courts of the Mughal Emperors. Later, he also learnt the Vedas and Upanishads, and the English language. After completion his education, Rammohan took up a job with the East India Company.

During the late 18th century, practices like child marriage, and Sati were prevalent in Bengal and other parts of India that affected women in the society. The most brutal among these customs was the Sati Pratha, in which the widow had to commit self-immolation at her husband’s funeral pyre. Those who did not volunteer were often forced or drugged to comply.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy vehemently opposed this practice and took his views to the higher officers in the East India Company. Finally, Governor General Lord William Bentinck passed a resolution banning Sati in Bengal Province.

Ram Mohan also voiced his protests against other practices such as child marriage, caste divisions and polygamy, and demanded equal inheritance rights for women. Raja Ram Mohan Roy was also against idol worship, and formed the ‘Brahmo Samaj’ that opposed the unnecessary ceremonialism advocated by priests.
Taking note of his persistent efforts to eradicate social evils, Mughal Emperor Akbar II gave the title of ‘Raja’ to Rammohan Roy.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy travelled to England in 1830 to request the Imperial Government to ensure the Sati Act was not overturned. There he died of meningitis on 27 September, 1833.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy is considered to be a pioneer of modern Indian Renaissance because of the remarkable reforms he brought in the 18th century India. In the early 18th century, Indian society believed in several evil customs and regulations. Strict rituals were enforced and most of them were meant only for the women. The worst of them was the practice of Sati. Raja Ram Mohan Roy protested the practice for years, and was finally able to get a ban imposed on the practice. He was also instrumental in eradicating the purdah system and child marriage.

A civil society is one where everybody is treated with respect, where even the women have equal rights as men. Even today, Raja Ram Mohan Roy is remembered for his fight against the various evil social practices that cruelly affected women, and for getting the custom of Sati abolished.

References:

• Bharat Ek Khoj (Episode on The Bengal Renaissance and Rajaram Mohan Roy)
• Raja Ram Mohan Roy on Wikipedia

Raja Ram Mohan Roy – Question and Answers (History & Civics)

Question: Who is known as the father of Modern India’s Renaissance?

Answer: Social reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy is also known as the father of Modern India’s Renaissance.

Question: Mention any three contribution of Raja Ram Mohan Roy

Answer:

• Made the practice of Sati a crime punishable by law.
• Opposed the caste system, founded the Brahmo Samaj in 1828.
• Ppposed restrictions on the freedom of the press.

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