Page 80 - SST Class 08

consciousness of caste solidarity and movements oneness among the people. The reform move-
for Sanskritisation. In this type of movement, the ments were the countrywide movements. Their
lower caste tried to elevate their social status by influence or impact on the people was seen
imitating Brahminical forms or joining a particu- everywhere. The reformers attacked the existing
lar religious sect. social evils in the society.

The movements launched for improving the The caste system began to lose its hold on the life
condition and status of the lower castes by the of the people. People began to come closer as
organised bodies such as the All-India Depressed result of inter-caste dining and marriages even if
Classes Association, the Depressed Classes it was on a very limited scale. Untouchability
League and other similar bodies of the depressed started declining. All reform movements pro-
classes, social and political organisations. After moted religious tolerance, cooperation and
the advent of Mahatma Gandhi on the Indian brotherhood.
political scene, the depressed classes movement The overall impact of the reform movements on
became part and parcel of the National the Indian society was that it started regenerating
Movement. or changing with the needs of the time. With the
The activities of these reform movements against co-operation of reformers, laws were passed to
undersirable social evils like the caste system led ban some evil social practices. Efforts were also
to the growth of social unity and sense of made to remove other ills of the society.

Terminology

Untouchable : a person who belongs to a low caste and due to the nature of his job is considered dirty,
hence not worthy to be touched
Kanyasulkam : A kind of bride price given by the groom to the bride’s parents
Harijans : Literally meaning ‘children of God’, harijan is a term that Mahatma Gandhi used for the
untouchables

Inside Story
Inside Story
g With the passage of time, the caste system became extremely rigid and exploitative in
India.

g The idea of caste reform was closely linked with the social reform movement of the 19th
century.
g The most compelling reason for caste reform was that it had to precede any political
reform.
g The British rulers would keep using the divisions in Indian society to continue their
exploitative rule.
g Veersalingam dedicated his entire life to social service, social reforms and the upliftment of
lower castes
g Periyar Ramasamy started the Vaikom Satyagraha in Kerala against untouchability.

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