The British had a major influence in the genesis of the reform movements in India. Knowledge of English and exposure to Western culture encouraged Indian intellectuals to form their own associations to reform society and shape religious beliefs and practices. While the foundation for these movements was laid in the early years of the 19th century, the movements gained momentum and expanded during the British Raj.
In 1875, reformer Swami Dayananda Saraswati, who propagated the belief in one all-knowing God while denouncing image worship, founded the Bombay Arya Samaj (Society of Aryans). The movement encouraged its followers to speak Hindi and adopt the ways of the Vedas. The Arya Samaj became very influential over the years and had almost two million followers by 1947.
Another successful movement was the Ramakrishna Mission founded in 1897 by Narendranath Datta, called Swami Vivekananda, to spread the message of social service and the teachings of the ancient Vedic scriptures, the Upanishads. The Sikhs formed their own Singh Sabha in 1873 to teach people about Sikhism and to win back Sikhs who had converted to other religions. These associations spread their messages in India as well as overseas, particularly in the West, where the Ramakrishna Mission had particular impact.
Caste-based associations were also formed during this period, and these groups lobbied the government to further their own interests and protect their members. One such group was the Non-Brahmin Movement which protested against the large number of Brahmins in government employment. These different forces laid the foundation for the rise of nationalism in India.
Ram Mohun Roy
An eminent social and religious reformer of the early 19th century, Ram Mohun Roy was an intellectual who had a major impact on politics, public administration, the press and education. Roy is sometimes called the Father of Modern India for his significant contributions to the development of modern Indian society. He challenged the caste system and condemned social evils such as sati, polygamy and infanticide, while advocating a Hinduism devoid of idol worship, orthodox rituals and superstitions. Believing in one God—Brahma—Roy founded the Brahmo Samaj (Association of Brahma) to reform Hinduism and check the spread of Christianity. Roy went to Britain as an ambassador of the Mughal Empire in 1831 and died there of meningitis two years later.