Raja Ram Mohan Roy: The Maker of Modern India

Raja Ram Mohan Roy: The Maker of Modern India

Indian society has been a society riddled with evil practices, conservatism and superstitions since the beginning. If anyone had imagined creating a modern society by penetrating these evil practices here, he was Raja Ram Mohan Roy. Raja Ram Mohan Roy, the maker of modern India, is most known for his struggle for the rights of women and he tried to destroy the evils prevailing in the society. Ram Mohan Roy is undisputedly distinguished by his remarkable talent as the sophist of the evil practices spread in the society and the founder of the Brahmo Samaj. Raja Ram Mohan Roy was not only a great social reformer, but also a great philosopher and scholar who put an end to the practice of Sati. There was a different pain for women inside him, which he did not get from anywhere else but from his own family where he trembled to see his sister-in-law being sati.

 

Raja Ram Mohan Roy: The Maker of Modern India

  Brief biography of Raja Ram Mohan Roy

 Raja Ram Mohan Roy was born on 22 May 1772 in the Murshidabad district of  Bengal to the Brahmin Ramakant Rai. Since childhood, he had faith in God but he was opposed to idol worship. He wanted to become a monk at an early age, but mother's love became an obstacle in his path. Ramakant, a believer in traditions, wanted his son to get a higher education.For this, Ram Mohan Roy was sent to Patna at an early age. The child of acumen received education from the famous Arabic and Persian scholars of that time. Later he understood the importance of English and started studying it. The study of English gave him information about Europe and the French Revolution. At the young age of 17, he became anti-idol worshiping. Ram Mohan Roy, the antagonist of idol worship, differed with his father on this issue and he left home once. Ram Mohan Roy was not in favor of indiscriminate copying of western culture. He was in favor of maintaining the goodness of his culture, while he left no stone unturned against the orthodox and inertial customs. At that time, it was forbidden for any Hindu to cross the sea or go abroad, but Ram Mohan Roy also rejected this belief. He was one of the first few people who ignored this stereotypical recognition and traveled to England. When Ram Mohan Roy reached Liverpool [England], the leading citizens were present there to receive him. He also traveled to France. Ram Mohan, a firm believer, saw his sister in law having sati. This painful incident had such an impact on him that he was determined to end this inhuman practice. The effect of his complete and continued support was due to which Lord William Bentinck was able to stop the practice of Sati in 1829 with the abolition of Sati system. Raja Ram Mohan Roy was conferred the title of 'Raja' on behalf of the Mughal Emperor Akbar II. During his stay in England from 1831 to 1833, Raja  Ram Mohan Roy launched a movement to improve the administrative system of British India. He was the first Indian to be consulted on Indian affairs by the British Parliament. Raja Ram Mohan Roy also launched a movement to provide succession to education and property to women. He also faced opposition from fundamentalists during his social reform movements, but he did not give up and kept moving forward in his resolve. In 1828, he founded a new type of society called 'Brahma Samaj' due to being fiercely opposed to the evils of Hindu society.

Ram Mohan Roy, the founder of the Brahmo Samaj and Atmya Sabha, who tried to remove the lifelong orthodox customs, died on 27 September 1833 in Bristol, England. Ram Mohan Roy, who struggled with the society throughout his life, may not have lived in this world, but whenever modern India is discussed; his name will always be taken with great respect.