Brahmo Samaj and Its Founders

The Brahmo Samaj, founded by Raja Ram Mohan Roy, was a Hindu monotheistic group. In 1828, meetings of Bengalis in Calcutta (now Kolkata) kicked off the movement. Ram Mohan Roy was a key player in this movement. The Brahmo Sabha was the name given to this organisation. Raja Ram Mohan Roy and other Bengalis created the Brahmo Samaj in Kolkata on August 20, 1828, responding to the prevalent Brahmanism of the day, particularly Kulin Brahmanism. There had never been anything like the Samaj before in modern Hinduism. It was also the first time Indians had attempted to change their religion and end some of its regressive traditions.

About Brahmo Samaj

The Brahmo Samaj was a Hindu sect that adhered to a monotheistic faith. In 1828, meetings of Bengalis in Calcutta kicked off the movement. Ram Mohan Roy was a crucial player in this movement. The Brahmo Sabha was the name given to this organisation. Roy passed away in 1833 while in England serving as an enlightening ambassador.

Debendranath Tagore, Rabindranath Tagore’s father, was a prominent member of the Brahmo Sabha, which Tagore’s grandfather founded. In 1843, he was a part of the Brahmo Samaj. A pupil of Tagore, Keshub Chunder Sen, joined the Samaj in 1857, but in 1866 he broke away in a formal schism.

The Brahmo Samaj of India was the name given to this division. Mary Carpenter, the daughter of Lant Carpenter, met Sen in Britain in 1870. As a result of their collaboration, the National Indian Association was born, a group dedicated to social reform in India and a hub for Indian and British residents of the United Kingdom to interact and exchange ideas.

When Sen returned to India, he married off his 14-year-old daughter to the Maharaja of Cooch Behar in violation of the Brahmo Marriage Act, causing a huge rift in the Brahmo Samaj’s reforming society.

The Brahmo Samaj (under several guises) thrived in India, particularly in Bengal. As an expression of Brahmo universalism, the Visva Bharati University was established in 1921 by Rabindranath Tagore. 

Principles

‘Sati’ and the caste system were abolished as part of the Brahmo Samaj’s mission to transform Hindu society. Many old Hindu traditions considered the move an attack on daily life. Let’s have a look at some of Brahmo Samaj’s core beliefs.

Brahmo Samaj recognised the ‘Infinite Singularity,’ and rejected the concepts of Avatars, rebirth or reincarnation. It also condemned idolatry and polytheism.

Brahmo Samaj teaches that only the singularity, or ‘Brahman,’ can be worshipped and revered and urges its adherents to treat all creation with respect.

The followers of Brahmo Samaj do not believe in any texts, prophets or mediators between Brahman and the human soul. As should be expected, they have no faith in Karma theories either.

Although Brahmo Samaj believes in the immortality of the soul and the idea of the soul merging with Brahman, it rejects the idea of ‘Mukthi’ or liberation. As a result, it does not believe in the existence of either heaven or hell.

The adherents embrace truth and free will. They believe that righteousness is the only path to a peaceful existence. The Samaj does not tolerate sectarianism that enforces religious ideas on others.

The members of the Brahmo Samaj reject superstition and dogma, which they see as harmful. Superstitious practices such as “Sati” were one of the main grounds for its formation.

Social and religious reforms

The Brahmo Samaj had a significant impact on modern Indian culture and society. Among other things, it played an important part in repressing the caste and dowry systems and modernising the educational system. It also emphasised the independence and self-determination of women. The key leaders of the Samaj vocally opposed child marriage and fought for women’s educational advancement. The ‘Special Marriages Act of 1872’ was passed in response to the outcry over underage marriage and set a marriageable age of 16 for girls. A number of movements that were not formally linked with the Samaj, like Vidyasagar’s campaign for widow remarriage, were also influenced by the Samaj.

Conclusion

The Bengal Renaissance was sparked by the Brahmo Samaj, a Hindu reform movement. The religious reform movement began in Calcutta (now Kolkata) in 1828, led by Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Debendranath Tagore, and has been credited with shaping modern Indian thought and ideology. The Samaj’s attack on the reigning Brahmanism heralded revival of religious, educational and social reform.