Ans.

(i) Role of Raja Ram Mohan Roy in the upliftment of Brahmo Samaj:- Brahmo Samaj was founded by Raja Ram Mohan Roy. Raja Rammohun Roy was the first Indian who first started the social reform movement against the medieval evils prevalent in Indian society. Raja Rammohun Roy was democratic and humanist. Due to his innovative ideas, the Renaissance was born in India in the nineteenth century. He is called the father of modern India. He was born on 22 May 1772 in Radhanagar village of Hooghly district of Bengal. He was well versed in many languages ​​like Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit, English, French, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. After receiving higher education, he took various positions in the service of the company from 1803 to 1814.

Raja Rammohun Roy in his social, religious, and philosophical outlook was greatly influenced by the monotheism of Islam, Sufism, the ethnic-classical ethical teaching of Christianity, and the liberal, rationalist principles of the modern countries of the West. In the social field, Raja Rammohan Roy was vehemently opposed to the evils of Hindu society, the practice of Sati, polygamy, prostitution, casteism, etc. He supported widow remarriage.

On August 20, 1828, he founded the Brahmo Samaj. The establishment of Brahmo Samaj aimed to reform Hinduism according to Rammohan Roy’s beliefs. In this society, all the members used to gather every Saturday in the evening. The Brahmo Samaj opposed the caste system, child marriage, and the practice of Sati. Rammohan was a staunch supporter of improving the condition of women and emphasized modern education for both men and women. Due to their efforts, in 1829, the then Viceroy Lord William Bentinck passed Regulation XVII and declared the practice of Sati prohibited. Ram Mohan Roy died on 27 September 1833 in Bristol, England.

(ii) Brahmo Samaj at the time of Devendranath Tagore and Keshavchandra Sen:- After the death of Raja Rammohan Roy, the operation of Brahmo Samaj remained in the hands of Maharishi Dwarkanath Tagore and Pandit Ramchandra Vidya Banish. Thereafter the activities of Brahmo Samaj continued under the leadership of Devendranath Tagore. Later Keshav Chandra Sen also joined the Brahmo Samaj. Devendranath Tagore gave the title of Acharya to Keshavchandra Sen, but due to the liberal views of Keshavchandra Sen, there was a difference of opinion in the Brahmo Samaj. The Brahmo Samaj split into two parts. Adi Brahma Samaj and Bharatvarshiya Brahma Samaj. Devendranath Tagore was the founder of Adi Brahmo Samaj and Keshav Chandra Sen was the founder of Bharatvarsha Brahmo Samaj. It was through the efforts of Keshav Chandra Sen that Brahmo Samaj got the shape of an all-India movement. Keshav Chandra Sen established the Indian Reform Association to implement the spread of western education, the emancipation of women, the importance of women’s education, etc.

The second division in the Brahmo Samaj took place in 1878. Keshav Chandra Sen had shown activeness in getting the Brahma Marriage Act (1872 AD) passed but automatically violated it by marrying his young daughter to the king of Cooch Behar. Due to this effort, his followers became mutually dissatisfied and annoyed, and eventually, the Brahmo Samaj again disintegrated.