7th Standard, Social, History, CHAPTER 15
SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS REFORMS
EXERCISES
I Fill in the blanks with a suitable word.
1 Raja Ram Mohan Roy started Samvada Koumudi.
2 Mahatma Jyotiba Phule wrote the book Gulamagiri.
3 ‘Dayananda Anglo Vedic College” in Lahore was started by Lala Hamsaraj.
4 Panditha Ramabai started ‘Mukti Mission’ for the upliftment of women.
II Answer the following in a word or sentence each.
1 Who is called ‘The Father of Indian Renaissance’?
Answer: Raja Ram Mohan Roy is called ‘The Father of Indian Renaissance’.
2 Who is Mahadev Govind Ranade?
Answer: Mahadev Govind Ranade was one of the main leader of Prarthana Samaj.
3 Who is the founder of Satya Shodak Samaj?
Answer: The founder of Satya Shodak Samaj was Mahatma Jyotiba Phule.
4 ‘‘Arise! Awake! Stop not till the goal is reached”. Who gave this call?
Answer: Arise! Awake! Stop not till the goal is reached”. This call given by Swami Vivekananda.
5 Who is Annie Besant?
Answer: Dr. Annie Besant was the President of Theosophical Society (Brahmavidya Samaja)
6 Who was the leader of the Aligarh Movement?
Answer: Syed Ahmed Khan was the leader of the Aligarh Movement.
7 Name the institution started by Sri Narayana Guru.
Answer: ‘Sri Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam’ is the institution started by Sri Narayana Guru.
8 Who was the author of ‘Stree Purusha Tulana’?
Answer: Tharabai Shinde was the author of ‘Stree Purusha Tulana’.
9 Who was the famous Christian social reformer of India?
Answer: Panditha Ramabai was a famous Christian social Reformer of India.
III Discuss in groups and answer the following questions:
1 Write a note on social and religious reformation measures of Raja Ram Mohan Roy.
Answer: Raja Ram Mohan Roy established ‘Brahma Sabha’ in 1828 C.E. This organization renamed as ‘Brahma Samaj,’ the following year. Raja Ram Mohan Roy was the representative of harmonious blend of Eastern and Western philosophies. Brahma Samaj vehemently opposed practices of sati, caste system, idol-worship, polygamy, child marriage and all kinds of superstitions. Raja Ram Mohan Roy firmly believed that inhuman practices could be eradicated through western education. Raja Ram Mohan Roy who advocated widow marriage and monotheism, began his social reformation movement by starting a newspaper named ‘Samvada Kaumudi’. Raja Ram Mohan Roy attempted to cleanse the Hindu religion through rationalism. In order to justify his stand, he translated five Upanishads from Sanskrit to Bengali. Ram Mohan Roy was one of the earliest persons to advocate English education. He ran an English school using his own funds. He also established a College of Vedanta. He was one of the pioneers in the field of Journalism too. He published many magazines. To sum up, he dedicated his life to fight against social injustice.
2. What is the role of Jyotiba Phule in social reformation?
Answer: A non-Brahmin movement was started by Mahatma Jyotiba Phule (1827-1890
C.E) in Maharashtra. With an intention to create awareness among the lower strata of the society in Maharashtra, he established the Satya Shodak Samaj. He started schools for untouchables, orphans and widows. He condemned the Brahmin priestly class and explained his philosophy in the form of a dialogue in his book ‘Gulamgiri’ (Slavery). Along with his wife Savitribai, he opened a school for girls in Pune. In 1863 C.E he attempted to put an end to the incidents of female infanticide by starting rehabilitation centres for child widows. He encouraged widow remarriages. B.R. Ambedkar had considered Mahatma Jyotiba Phule as his spiritual mentor.
3 What are the objectives of the Theosophical society?
Answer: The Objectives of the Theosophical Society are as follows.
1. To establish Universal Brotherhood, irrespective of all differences.
2. To do a comparative study of Religion, Philosophy and Science.
3. To investigate the unexplained laws of Nature and the powers latent in man.
4. What is the role of Syed Ahmed Khan in reforming the Muslim community?
Answer: Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was born in 1817 C.E. at Delhi, he was appointed as the Judicial Officer in the British East India Company. He saw that his community had lost economic and social opportunities due to lack of English education. Hence, he desired that his community would find suitable representation in the government, by getting educated. As a social reformer, he opposed the purdah system, polygamy and the system of talaq. He began ‘Translation Society’ in order to enable translation of English scientific and literary works into Urdu. Later on, the society was renamed as ‘Scientific Society’. In order to spread scientific thinking among Muslims, he started the magazine ‘Aligarh Institute Gazette’. This magazine was published in both English and Urdu.
5. What were the measures taken by Sri Narayana Guru in reforming backward communities?
Answer: Sri Narayana Guru was born in 1854 C.E. in a family of the ‘Ezhava’ community in Tiruvankur. In 1903 C.E. he established an organisation named ‘Sri Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam’. Through that organization, he strived to achieve social, economic and cultural progress of the Ezhava and other backward communities of Kerala. He opposed caste system and animal sacrifice. He started Sanskrit schools and gave admission to everybody, irrespective of their caste and religion. He built around 30 temples. All people of Kerala including untouchables, were allowed to enter these temples. He wanted every temple to have a good library with the holy books of all the religions. Sri Narayana
Guru’s vision is evident in this statement: “One God, One Religion and One Caste”. Even Karnataka came under his influence. Sri Narayana Guru passed away in 1928 C.E.
6. What was the role of Panditha Ramabai in the reformation of women?
Answer: Panditha Ramabai was born in Gangamoola of Western Ghats as the daughter of Anantha Shastri Dongre and Lakshmibai. She received education, against the practice of the times. She accepted Christianity while studying in England. She dedicated her life for the betterment of women of India and established an organisation ‘Mukti Mission’ in 1889 C.E. This institution is active till today and provides rehabilitation to widows, orphans and alcoholics.
IV Match the following names in column A with related words in column B.
A B
1. Swami Vivekananda (a) Aligarh Movement
2. Swami Dayananda Saraswati (b) Sathya Shodhak Samaja
3. Syed Ahmed Khan (c) Theosophical society
4. Jyotiba phule (d) Ramakrishna Mission
5. Annie Besant (e) Arya Samaja
Answer:
A B
1. Swami Vivekananda (d) Ramakrishna Mission
2. Swami Dayananda Saraswati (e) Arya Samaja
3. Syed Ahmed Khan (a) Aligarh Movement
4. Jyotiba phule (b) Sathya Shodhak Samaja
5. Annie Besant (c) Theosophical society
V Discuss.
“Upliftment of women is upliftment of the nation”. Is this statement of Swami Vivekananda relevant even to this day? Discuss in groups.
Activity
Read the biographics of M.G. Ranade, Jyotiba Phule, Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and Sri Narayana Guru. (Refer Bharata Bharati series)
