Religious And Social Awakening In Colonial India — Flashcards

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They began because Indian society faced serious problems such as lack of education, rigid caste practices, child marriage, sati, polygamy, and the poor condition of women. Reformers wanted a more rati…

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Education was limited to a very small number of people, mainly upper-caste men. Most people were illiterate, and girls were often denied education. This lack of education helped social ignorance and b…

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Sati pratha was a social practice in which a widowed woman was forced to burn herself on her husband's funeral pyre. It was a cruel practice against women and was later made illegal.

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Polygamy means a man having more than one wife. It was an accepted norm among many castes and religions in that period, and reformers worked against it because it harmed women’s status.

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The caste system was originally based on occupation, but later it became hereditary. This made social mobility very difficult and created inequality and exploitation, especially for lower castes.

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The Varna system divided Hindu society into four categories: Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra. It was originally linked to occupation, but later became rigid and hereditary.

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They saw these practices as irrational, unscientific, and against human dignity. Such practices blocked equality, social progress, and the development of a healthy democratic society.

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Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded Brahmo Samaj in 1828. It worked for religious reform, opposed sati and idol worship, supported monotheism, and promoted modern education and social reform.