Social Reform Movement In India Pdf
Social ReformA Social Reform refers to any attempt that seeks to correct any injustices in a society. People who are involved in social reforms do so with the aim of improving the quality of life. Social Reform is a kind of social movement that aims to make gradual change, or change in certain aspects of society, rather than rapid or fundamental changes. A reform movement is distinguished from more radical social movements such as revolutionary movements.Social Reform Conferences critically analyze the education, social and development projects.
Social Reform Conference provides an opportunity for discussion, and debate and will be of especial relevance to those who are affected by the proposed legislation be they involved as service users, advocates, health and social care policy makers or practitioners, lawyers, researchers, independent sector service providers and policy activists.OMICS group international is an amalgamation of Open Access publications and worldwide international science conferences and events. Established in the year 2007 with the sole aim of making the information on Sciences and technology ‘Open Access’, OMICS Group publishes 400 online open access scholarly journals in all aspects of Science, Engineering, Management and Technology journals.
ADVERTISEMENTS:Social Reform Movement in India and Role of Women!The social reformers believed in the principle of individual liberty, freedom, and equality of all human beings irrespective of sex, color, race, caste, or religion. They attacked a number of traditional, authoritarian, and hierarchical social institutions and launched social reform movements to liberate the Indian women from their shackles.There are two distinct groups of progressive movements aimed at emancipation of Indian women. Both groups recognized the restrictive and coercive nature of the social customs and institutions. One group opposed these customs and institutions as they contradicted the democratic principles of liberty and freedom.
List Of Reform Movements
This group was called the Reformers.The other group demanded the democratization of social relations and removal of harmful practices on the basis of revival of the Vedic society in modern India, which according to them, was democratic. This group came to be known as the Revivalists. ADVERTISEMENTS:The social reformers believed in the principle of individual liberty, freedom, and equality of all human beings irrespective of sex, color, race, caste, or religion. They attacked a number of traditional, authoritarian, and hierarchical social institutions and launched social reform movements to liberate the Indian women from their shackles. Though many of the reformers were mainly men, the reform movement aimed at improving the status of Indian women.Raja Ram Mohan Roy was one of the greatest social reformers of India. He was concerned about a number of evil customs planning the Indian society. These included “saha marana” or Sati, female infanticide, polygamy, infant marriages, purdah, absence of education among women, and the Devadasi system.
Raja Ram Mohan Roy led a crusade against the evil and inhuman practice of Sati, in which a widow was forced to immolate herself on the funeral pyre of her deceased husband. Sati was in practice in many parts of India.It was accepted and condoned on the grounds that it would secure “Moksha” for widows.
It was also felt that a woman could be led astray if she continued to live after the death of her husband. This feeling was disproved by Raja, who felt that a woman could be led astray even during her husband’s lifetime.In fact, after the death of her husband, a woman is under the protection of her family, so she can be watched over with greater vigilance. Raja strongly refuted the contention that Sati was a free, voluntary act of the widow, and called it a monstrous lie. Raja’s arguments and anti-Sati activities led Lord William Bentinck to legislate for the prohibition of Sati, which resulted in the passing of the Prohibition of Sati Act in 1829. ADVERTISEMENTS:Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was another great social reformer who sought to improve the condition of widows by legalizing widow remarriages. Since he felt that his own life should set an example for others to follow, he took a pledge that he would allow his daughters to study, and married all his daughters after they were 16 years of age. He also pledged that if any of his daughters were widowed and they wanted to get remarried, he would allow them to do so.
He was also against the prevalent custom of polygamy.Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade was instrumental in laying down the foundation of an all Indian organization to carry on the struggle for social reform—the Indian National Social Conference. This organization was the first national institution to carry on collectively, in an organized way, and on a national scale the social reform movement.He took up the problems of widow remarriages and was an active member of a society, which worked for widow remarriages. In fact, the Shankaracharya had excommunicated him for attending the first widow remarriage in 1869. Ranade worked toward educating women. He and his wife started a school for girls in 1884.Maharishi Karve showed great concern for the plight of widows and the problem of widow remarriages.
He revived the Widow Remarriage Association and started the Hindu Widow’s Home Karve also made efforts to improve the education levels of girls as well as widows. ADVERTISEMENTS:He created the Kane Women’s University. His efforts in the movement to liberate the Indian women are of great significance, and the extensive and successful work brought about a change in the attitudes of people towards widows.In order to set an example for others, he married a widow after the death of his first wife. As a result of the social reform movement, a number of institutions and organizations were established.
Blackfin usb device driver download windows 10. BirdEye drives business growth by getting new reviews and improving customer experience.
The institutions started by the reformers covered the whole country with their activities.The institutions established during this period are as follows: The Gujarat Vernacular Society:This social institute was established in 1848. The aim of this institute was to decrease the large-scale illiteracy and superstitious beliefs that was a feature of the Gujarati society. It was associated with all social reform activities concerning women in Gujarat.
ADVERTISEMENTS:The society worked for the cause of women through education. It started a number of co-educational schools. It published literature on women’s issues in the vernacular press. It tried to organize elocution competitions and provide a platform for women to talk about their issues and problems. The Deccan Education Society:This society was formed in 1884. The society started girls’ schools and encouraged education of women in Maharashtra. The Ramakrishna Mission:The Ramakrishna Mission was established in 1897.
It set up homes for widows and schools for girls. It also gave refuge to invalid and destitute women, ante- and post-natal care for women, and provided training for women to become midwives. The Arya Samaj:Though started as a revivalist organization, the Arya Samaj emphasized women’s education. Girls received instructions in home science and domestic affairs. Fine arts were also included in the curriculum for girls.
It also included instructions in religion and religious ceremonies for women. It provided shelter to distressed women in times of difficulty. The Hingne Women’s Education Institute.
ADVERTISEMENTS:This institute was started in 1896 to meet the demand of women, whether married, unmarried or widowed. By imparting training to young unmarried girls in various fields, it tried to prevent early marriages. It tried to impart skills and education to married women to enable them to carry on domestic life efficiently and economically. It also gave training to widows to make them economically independent.
Women’s University:This university was established to meet the needs for higher education for women in such a manner that women’s requirements were satisfied. It provided education in the mother tongue. It was established exclusively for the education of women. The Seva Sadan:Seva Sadan was started in 1908, with a view to bringing together enlightened women of different communities who desired to work for the upliftment of backward women.
Its main activity was to provide social and medical aid to women and children of the poor classes, irrespective of their caste or creed. It also established a home for destitute and distressed women and children.It also provided training to poor women in domestic crafts to enable them to earn a livelihood. The Seva Sadan in Poona was established to educate women in religious, literary, medical, and industrial subjects.
It also emphasized on all-round development of a woman’s personality. It stressed on economic self-sufficiency of women. The Indian National Social Conference:Some of the activities taken up by this organization were—to deal with disabilities of child marriages, sale of young girls, the practice of polygamy, and the issue of widow remarriages. It also took up the problem of access to education for women. All India Women’s Conference:The primary focus of this organization was women’s education as well as social reforms.
Its aim was to work actively for the general progress and welfare of women and children. It passed various resolutions in different sessions in order to elevate the status of women.It also dealt with the evils of early marriages, polygamy, and prohibition of divorce. It advocated complete equality for women in property matters. It sought to improve working conditions for women.
It also agitated against immoral traffic in women and children, and against the inhuman custom of Devadas.