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Female infanticide was prevalent among later understand the importance of equality and
banned in 1920s, when the marriageable age of freedom and accept the low status accorded to
women was fixed at 14. As most men were them in law, custom and traditions. Ishwar-
allowed to have more than one wife, when an chandra Vidyasagar worked actively for the
old man died, he left behind many widows. promotion of widow remarriage. Brahmo Samaj
Young widows were then at the mercy of their in- and the Prarthana Samaj were the outcomes of
laws or parents. Sensing the plight of these young the reaction of urban, western educated men
widows, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar and Raja who aimed for emancipation of women.
Ram Mohan Roy encouraged young widows to
remarry.
The reformers were aware that if India was to
progress and develop it must remove the evils
that existed in society which, to a large extent,
were an outcome of religion. Enlightened Indians
who tried to reform the society were guided by a
sense of rationalism, humanism and equality.
Reform movements took place in different
M.G. Ranade Swami Dayanand
regions during the 19th century. Sarawati
REFORM MOVEMENTS SPEARHEADED Brahmo Samaj
BY MALE REFORMERS
Brahmo Samaj was founded by Raja Ram
Initial impetus for the social reform movements Mohan Roy in 1825. Brahmo Samaj tried to
of the 19th century largely came from male remove restrictions and prejudices against
reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy. This women like child marriage, polygamy, limited
particular time period saw the proliferation of rights to inherit property and seclusion of
many organisations that took lead to address women. It viewed education as an important tool
important social issues that adversely affected the for emancipation of women. Brahmo Samaj
status of women. Reformers like Raja Ram promoted education of women at home and
Mohan Roy, M.G. Ranade and Swami Dayanand started a women’s magazine called Bamabodhini
Sarawati eulogised the position of women in Patrika. It also solemnised inter-caste marriages
ancient India. Others like Ishwarchandra which attracted the ire of Hindu orthodox
Vidyasagar, Jyotirao groups. Opposition from the orthodox groups
Phule and Lokhitvadi resulted in the passage of Civil Marriage Act,
Gopal Hari Deshmukh 1872. This act allowed inter-caste marriage and
attacked the caste divorce. It fixed the minimum age of marriage to
system and held it girls and boys as 14 and 18 respectively.
responsible for the However, the influence of Brahmo Samaj was
subjugation of women. visible only in Bengal and North India.
Jyotirao Phule held that Prarthana Samaj
Sudras and Women
Prarthana Samaj was founded in 1867 and its
were denied education
influence was confined primarily to western
so that they would not
Raja Ram Mohan Roy India. M.G. Ranade, R.G. Bhandarkar and N.G.
Social Science-8 69
