Prarthana Samaj, ( “Prayer Society” Sanskrit was used), (bombay) Hindu reform society established in Bombay in the 1860s. In purpose it is similar to, but not affiliated with, the more widespread Brahmo Samaj and had its greatest sphere of influence in and around India’s Mah?r?shtra state. The aim of the society is the promulgation of theistic worship and social reform, and its early goals were opposition to the caste system, the introduction of widow remarriage, the encouragement of female education, and the abolition of child marriage.The society never required members to give up caste, idol worship, or the traditional religious sacraments. Early leaders of the movement were M.G.
Ranade , who was a prominent social reformer and a judge of the Bombay High Court, and R.G. Bhandarkar, a noted scholar of Sanskrit. Activities of the Prarthana Samaj include study groups, the support of missionaries, a journal, night schools for working people, free libraries, women’s and student associations, and an orphanage.Its members were instrumental in the organization of other important social-reform movements that arose at the turn of the century, including the Depressed Classes Mission Society of India and the National Social Conference. Like that of the Brahmo Samajand the Arya Samaj, the success of the Prarthana Samaj in restoring Hindu self-respect was an important factor in the growth of Indian nationalism.
Arya Samaj (Bombay)Between 1869 and 1873, Swami Dayananda Saraswati, a native of Gujarat, made his first attempt at reform in India. This attempt took the form of the establishment of "Vedic Schools" or "gurukuls" which put an emphasis on Vedic values, culture and religion to its students. The Vedic Schools represented the first practical application of Swami Dayanand’s vision of religious and social reform. students were not allowed to perform traditional idol worship at the school, and were instead expected to perform sandhya (a form of meditative prayer using mantras from the Vedas) and participate in agnihotra twice daily.
All meals, lodging, clothing and books were given to the students free of charge, and the study of Sanskrit was opened to non-Brahmins. The most noteworthy feature of the Schools was that only those texts which accepted the authority of the Vedas were to be taught. This was critical for the spiritual and social regeneration of Vedic culture in India. After a while Swami decided to invest the greater part of his resources in the formulation and propagation of his ideology of reform as public backing was verymuch needed for the smooth operations.
Deprived of the full attention of Swami Dayanand, the gurukul/Vedic School system collapsedSeva Sadan (bombay) Founded by: Behramji M. Malabar1. Oppose child marriage 2. Propagate widow re-marriage 3. Take care of the socially exploited womenIndian National Social ConferenceFounded by: Mahadev Govind Ranande and Raghunath Rao, 1887, Bombay Founded as the social reform cell of the Indian National Congress Its main focus was on the abolition of polygamy and kulinism and it encouraged intercaste marriage.
It also pledged to fight against child marriageThe Servants of India SocietyIt was formed in Pune, Maharashtra, on 1905 by Gopal Krishna Gokhale. Along with him were a small group of educated Indians who wanted to promote social and human development and overthrow the British rule in India. The Society organized many campaigns to promote education, sanitation, health care and fight the social evils of untouchability and discrimination, alcoholism, poverty, oppression of women and domestic abuse. The base of the Society shrank after Gokhale's death in 1915, and in the 1920s with the rise of Mahatma Gandhi as president of Congress, who launched social reform campaigns on a mass scale throughout the nation and attracted young Indians to the cause. However, it still continues its activities albeit with a small membership.
Social Service LeagueFounded by: Narayan Malhar Joshi, in 1911, Bombay. With its main objectives as Social service and improving the conditions of the masses by opening schools, libraries and dispensaries, in the state.Satya sodhak Samaj Mahrashtrais a religious established by Mahatma Jyotirao Phule on 1873. the main aim of the group was to liberate the social Shudra and Untouchable castes from exploitation and oppression. Through his writings and activities Mahatma Phule always condemned Hinduism and the privileged status of priests in it. He openly condemned the inequality in the religious books, exploitation of masses by the means of it, blind and misleading rituals, orthodox nature of religion, and hypocrisy in the prevalent religion.
While condemning the prevalent religion, Phule established Satya Shodhak Samaj with the ideals of human well being in broader aspects, human happiness, unity,equality, and easy religious principles and rituals.The Depressed Class Mission SocietyFounded by: V.R. Shinde, 1906 bombay. It was Launched by the Prarthana Samaj activists as an independent organisation.
It aimed at organising education facilities for the lower castesBahujan SamajFounded by: Mukundrao Patil on 1910 Maharashtra. The movement Opposed the exploitation of the lower castes by upper castes including Brahamans, money lenders and landlords. Adopted several steps against it, by educating the massesDepressed Classes Welfare Institute or Bahishkrit Hitkari Sabhais a central institution formed by B.R.Ambedkar for removing difficulties of the untouchables and placing their grievances before government. In order to bring about a new socio-political awareness among the untouchables, The founding principles of the Sabha were.
"Educate, Agitate and Organize The aims and objects of the Sabha were.(a) To promote the spread of education among the Depressed Class (b) To promote the spread of culture among the Depressed study circles. (c) To advance and improve the economic condition of the Depressed Classes by starting Industrial and Agricultural schools. (d) To represent the grievances of the Depressed Classes. The Scheduled Caste Federation was formed in 1942 under the aegis of this organization.
