HISTORY PROJECT

Brahmo Samaj

ARMY INSTITUTE OF LAW, MOHALI

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF BA.LLB 5 YEARS DEGREE

SUBMITED TO: SUMBITTED BY:

MS. EKJYOT KAUR GUJRAL SHRUTI SINGH
(ASST. PROFF. HISTORY) 1533

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 1. Acknowledgement:

I take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude and deep regards to my teacher, Ms.
Ekjyot Kaur Gujral for her exemplary guidance, monitoring and constant encouragement
throughout the completion of this History project. The help and guidance given by her from time
to time shall carry me a long way in the journey of life on which I am about to embark.
Shruti Singh

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 2. Introduction

Brahmo Samaj is the societal component of Brahmoism, a monotheistic reformist

and renaissance movement of Hindu religion. It is practised today mainly as the Adi Dharm after
its eclipse in Bengal consequent to the exit of the Tattwabodini Sabha from its ranks in 1859.
After the publication of Hemendranath Tagore's Brahmo Anusthan (code of practice) in 1860
which formally divorced Brahmoism from Hinduism, the first Brahmo Samaj was founded in
1861 at Lahore by Pandit Nobin Chandra Roy.
It was one of the most influential religious movements responsible for the making of
modern India. It was started at Calcutta on 20 August 1828 by Raja Ram Mohan
Roy and Debendranath Tagore as reformation of the prevailing Brahmanism of the time
(specifically Kulin practices) and began the Bengal Renaissance of the 19th century pioneering
all religious, social and educational advance of the Hindu community in the 19th century. Its
Trust Deed was made in 1830 formalising its inception and it was duly and publicly inaugurated
in January 1830 by the consecration of the first house of prayer, now known as the Adi Brahmo
Samaj. From the Brahmo Samaj springs Brahmoism, the most recent of legally recognised
religions in India and Bangladesh, reflecting its foundation on reformed spiritual Hinduism with
vital elements of Judeo-Islamic faith and practice.

3. Meaning of The Brahmo Samaj

It literally denotes community (Sanskrit: samaj ) of men who worship Brahman the highest
reality. In reality Brahmo Samaj does not discriminate between caste, creed or religion and is an
assembly of all sorts and descriptions of people without distinction, meeting publicly for the
sober, orderly, religious and devout adoration of "the (nameless) unsearchable Eternal,
Immutable Being who is the Author and Preserver of the Universe."

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 4. Raja Rammohan Roy and the Brahmo Samaj
Raja Rammohan Roy established the Brahmo Samaj at Calcutta in 1828 in order to purify
Hinduism and to preach monotheism. He is considered as the first ‘modern man of India’. He
was a pioneer of socio-religious reform movements in modern India.

Born in 1772 in the Hooghly district of Bengal, he inculcated a brilliant freedom of thought and
rationality. He studied the Bible as well as Hindu and Muslim religious texts. He had excellent
command over many languages including English, Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic, French, Latin,
Greek and Hebrew.

In 1815, he established the Atmiya Sabha. Later, it was developed into the Brahmo Sabha in
August 1828. Through this organisation, he preached that there is only one God. He combined
the teachings of the Upanishads, the Bible and the Koran in developing unity among the people
of different religions. The work of the Atmiya Sabha was carried on by Maharishi Debendranath
Tagore (father of Rabindranath Tagore), who renamed it as Brahmo Samaj. He turned the
Brahmo Samaj into a leading social organisation of India.

Raj Rammohan Roy is most remembered for helping Lord William Bentinck to declare the
practice of Sati a punishable offence in 1829. He also protested against the child marriage and
female infanticide. He favored the remarriage of widows, female education and women’s right to
property. He felt that the caste system was the greatest hurdle to Indian unity. He believed in the
equality of mankind. He did not believe in the supremacy of the Brahmin priests. He favoured
inter-caste marriages. He himself adopted a Muslim boy. In 1817, he founded the Hindu College
(now Presidency College, Calcutta) along with David Hare, a missionary. He also set up schools
for girls.

Rammohan Roy started the first Bengali weekly Samvad Kaumudi and edited a Persian
weekly Mirat-ul-akhbar. He stood for the freedom of the press. Rammohan died in Bristol in
England in 1833.

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 5. Divisions of Brahmo Samaj

On 05.May.2004 the Supreme Court of India by order of the Chief Justice dismissed the
Government of West Bengal's 30 year litigation to get Brahmos classified as Hindus. The matter
had previously been heard by an 11 Judge Constitution Bench of the Court (the second largest
bench in the Court's history).

In 2002, Bangladesh (whose Law Commission relied on the binding decision of the High Court
of undivided Punjab) enacted a law recognising Brahmo religionists and Brahmo marriages
under traditional rites to Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists as legally valid.

In 1949 the Government of India passed the "Hindu Marriages Validity Act". Despite discussion
in Parliament Brahmos are not brought within the scope of this Law. In 1955 the Government of
India passed the "Hindu Code" (a comprehensive set of laws for Hindus). Again despite
discussion in Parliament, Brahmo religionists are not brought within the scope of these laws
which, however, now become applicable to Hindus who are also followers of the Brahmo Samaj.

In a landmark case of 1901 (Bhagwan Koer & Ors v J.C.Bose & Ors, 31 Cal 11, 30 ELR IA 249)
Britain's highest judicial authority, the Privy Council, upheld the finding of the High Court of the
undivided Punjab that the vast majority of Brahmo religionists are not Hindus and have their
own religion. The Council upheld the finding of the High Court that Debendranath Tagore was
the founder of the Brahmo religion. The High Court in 1897 had
distinguished anusthanic Brahmo "religionists" ("outside the pale of Hinduism")
from ananusthanic"followers" of the Brahmo Samaj who continue to retain their Hinduism or
other existing religion.

6. Principles of Brahmo Samaj

To understand the differences between the 2 streams of Brahmo Samaj it is essential to
understand that these implicit distinctions are based on caste. The Anusthanic Brahmos are
exclusively either Brahmins or casteless, and exclusively adhere to Brahmoism and have no

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other faith. The Ananusthanic Brahmo Samajists, however, are from the remaining main caste
divisions of Hinduism like Kayastha, Baidya etc. and hence within the Karmic / Rebirth wheel to
eternally progress (i.e. Sanatan Dharm) to God by moving up caste hierarchies, unlike anusthanic
Brahmos for whom the next step after death is reintegration and renewal with 'God'

7. Doctrine
It also supported social reform movements of people not directly attached to the Samaj, such
as Pandit Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar’s movement which promoted widow remarriage.
After the controversy of underage marriage of Keshub Chunder Sen's daughter, the Special
Marriages Act of 1872 was enacted to set the minimum age of 14 years for marriage of girls. All
Brahmo marriages were thereafter solemnised under this law. Many Indians resented the
requirement of the affirmation "I am not Hindu, nor a Mussalman, nor a Christian" for
solemnising a marriage under this Act. The requirement of this declaration was imposed
by Henry James Sumner Maine, legal member of Governor General's Council appointed by
Britain. The 1872 Act was repealed by the Special Marriage Act, 1954 under which any person
of any religion could marry. The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 applies to all Hindus including
followers of the Brahmo Samaj. In India the statutory minimum age of marriage for followers of
Brahmo Samaj is the same as for all Indians, viz., 21 years for males and 18 years for females. It
is also the age marriage in Bangladesh.

In 1866, Brahmo Samaj of India split after this act of underage marriage generated a controversy
and his pro-British utterances and leaning towards Christian rites generated more controversies.
A third group, "Sadharan (ordinary) Brahmo Samaj", was formed in 1878. It gradually reverted
to the teaching of the Upanishads but continued the work of social reform. The movement,
always an elite group without significant popular following, lost force in the 20th century.
In all fields of social reform, including abolition of the caste system and of the dowry
system, emancipation of women, and improving the educational system, the Brahmo
Samaj reflected the ideologies of the Bengal Renaissance.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books referred:
 Krishna Reddy, Indian History, Tata McGraw Hill Education Private Limited
 S.v. Viswanatha, Hindu Culture In Ancient India, Isha Books
 Dr. S.R. Myneni, Indian History, Allahabad Agency

Websites referred:
 http://www.preservearticles.com/2011090212590/notes-on-contribution-of-raja-ram-
mohan-roy-towards-brahmo-samaj.html
 http://www.thebrahmosamaj.net/history/history.html
 http://self.gutenberg.org/articles/eng/Brahmo_Samaj