Raja Ram Mohan Roy (1772-1833) was an eminent religious and social reformer of the 19th century India. He is called the father of modern Indian society and is considered the father of ‘Indian Renaissance’ . He was the founder of Liberal tradition in lndian political thought.
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Roy had David Hare, Alexander Duff, Debendranath Tagore, P.K. Tagore, Chandrashekhar Deb, and Tarachand Chakraborty as his associates.
Raja Ram Mohan Roy died on 27 September 1833 in England.
RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY AS A SOCIAL REFORMER
According to Roy, the factors responsible for the political deterioration of India was her social decadence and religious backwardness . He had no doubts that here the social reform was an essential precondition of political liberation.
He desired his countrymen to accept the rational and scientific approach and the principle of human dignity and social equality of all men and women. He did pioneering work in the field of social reform.
Roy’s aim was the creation of a new society based on the principles of tolerance, sympathy and reason, where the principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity would be accepted by all, and where man would be free from the traditional shackles which had enslaved him for ages. He yearned for a new society which would be cosmopolitan and modern.
Roy believed in, the progressive role of the British rule in India and sought government held in the matter of social reforms, especially in the form of socially progressive legislations. For instance, Roy was convinced that without the active support of the government it would be almost impossible to eradicate the inhuman practices of sati.
Raja Rammohan Roy on Caste System
Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s strongest objection to the caste system was on the grounds that it fragmented society into many divisions and subdivisions. Besides the divisive role of caste system, Roy was also critical about its discriminatory nature.
He was against the inequities inherent in the traditional caste hierarchy. He thought it to be illogical to assess the worth of an individual on the basis of birth and not on his, merits. He was in favour of inter-caste and inter-racial marriages, which he thought, could effectively break the barriers of the caste divisions.
Raja Rammohan Roy on Women’s Rights
Raja Ram Mohan Roy was a champion of women’s rights in India. He laid the foundations of the women’s liberation movement in this country. He revolted against the subjection of women and pleaded strongly for the restoration of property rights of the women as well as for facilities for women’s education.
According to Roy, the root cause of the all-round deterioration of Hindu women was the complete denial of their property rights. He pointed out that the ancient Hindu Lawgivers gave the mother the right to have an equal share with her sons in the property left by her husband; and the daughter to have one fourth part of the portion which a son could inherit in the property left by the father.
As equality of sexes was an article of faith for Roy, he could not accept that women were inferior to men in any respect. Roy vehemently opposed polygamy and with utmost vigour brought to light, its shameful evil consequences. Roy was in favour of the remarriage of women under certain circumstances. Brahmo Samaj which he founded paid special attention to women’s education.
Raja Rammohan Roy on Sati
Rammohan was a determined crusader against the inhuman practice of sati. He started his anti-sati struggle in 1818, and he cited sacred texts to prove his contention that no religion sanctioned the burning alive of widows, besides appealing to humanity, reason, and compassion. He also visited the cremation grounds, organised vigilance groups, and filed counter petitions to the government during his
struggle against sati.
His efforts were rewarded by the Government Regulation in 1829, which declared the practice of sati a crime. Perhabs the greatest social reform with which Roy’s name will be permanently associated is the abolition of the cruel practice of sati.
Roy found that ignorance of the women about their legitimate rights, their illiteracy, customary denial of the property rights to the widow and the consequent helplessness, dependence, misery and humiliation were some of the causes behind this practice.
Raja Rammohan Roy on Modern Education
Rammohan Roy did much to disseminate the benefits of modern education to his countrymen. He was convinced that only a modern, science education could instill new awareness and new capabilities in the Indian people. He maintained that no book was a work of God and hence infallible.
He supported David Hare’s efforts to found the Hindu College in 1817, while Roy’s English school taught mechanics and Voltaire’s philosophy. In 1825, he established a Vedanta college where courses in both Indian learning and Western social and physical sciences were offered.
Roy wanted instruction in useful modern sciences like chemistry, mathematics, anatomy, natural philosophy and not load young minds with grammatical complexities, and speculative or imaginary knowledge. Roy’s views and activities were really pioneering in giving a new turn to the educational system in India. He was the first eminent advocate of women’s education.
He also helped enrich the Bengali language by compiling a Bengali grammar book and evolving a modern elegant prose style.
RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY AS A RELIGIOUS REFORMER
Raja Rammohan Roy advocated for rationality and modernity in religion
A review and revaluation of religion was Roy’s primary concern. He was of the opinion that rationality and modernity needed to be introduced in the field of religion and that “irrational religion” was at the root of many social evils.
The socio-political progress of this country, according to him, depended mainly on the successful revolution in the religious thought and behaviour. He undertook a serious study of comparative religions and realised in due course that true Hinduism, true Islam and true Christianity are not fundamentally different from each other.
Though Roy was modernist in his approach, he always tried to link modernity with tradition. He possessed great love and respect for the traditional philosophical systems of the East. He attempted the creative combination of secularism and spirituality, of Western and Eastern philosophy.
Roy was quite sure that unless the Hindu society underwent a religious and social transformation, it would not become fit for political progress. Reinterpretation of Hinduism, to Roy, was thus the starting point for the programme of socio-political reform. Roy sought to combine the deep experiences of spiritual life with the basic principle of social democracy.
Strongly influenced by rationalist ideas, he declared that Vedanta is based on reason and that, if reason demanded it, even a departure from the scriptures is justified.
Roy put his faith in universal religion and monotheism
He hoped that the universal religion for mankind could be established by combining the best elements
of all religions. He became a confirmed monotheist. He wrote Gift to Monotheists (1809) and translated into Bengali the Vedas and the five Upanishads to prove his conviction that ancient Hindu texts support monotheism.
Raja Rammohan Roy was against superstitions
He denounced all superstitions and the evil practices based on them because he was convinced that these longstanding customary practices really did not form the core of their religious faith.
Roy not only preached but also practised what he preached. Travelling across the ocean was considered to be a sin by the orthodox Hindus. Roy was the first Hindu to break this superstition. He himself undertook overseas travel. This courage of conviction on his part made Roy’s efforts more effective.
Roy devoted all his energies to fighting sectarianism and other medieval tendencies prevailing in the Hindu society, such as polytheism, idolatory and superstitions. He was a firm believer of the Advaita philosophy which left no scope for such tendencies.
Roy talked about ancient purity of religion
Roy wanted to draw the attention of his countrymen to the ancient purity of their religion. To him, this purity was well reflected in the Vedas and the Upanishads. In order to prove that blind faith and superstitious beliefs and practices had no basis in the pure Hindu religion, Roy undertook the difficult task of translating the Upanishads into English and Bengali. He gave elaborate notes and comments with
these translations and distributed them free of cost amongst the people.
Organisations founded by Raja Rammohan Roy
Roy started his public life in 1815 with the establishment of the Atmiya Sabha (or Society of Friends) in Calcutta. The sabha vehemently protested against the prevalent practice of selling young girls to prospective husbands due to some pecuniary interests, in the name of the Kuleen tradition. It opposed polygamy and worked for the removal of caste disabilities. It propagated the monotheistic ideals of the Vedanta and campaigned against idolatry, meaningless rituals, and other social ills. .
In 1828 he established the Brahmo Samaj. The Samaj acted as a forum for religious and philosophical contemplation and discussion.
RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY AS A LINGUIST
Besides Bengali and Sanskrit, Roy had mastered Arabic, Persian, Hebrew, Greek, Latin and 17 other leading languages spoken in the world. Roy’s familiarity with such diverse languages, exposed him to a variety of cultural, philosophical and religious experiences.
He studied Islam thoroughly. The Quaranic concept of Tauhid or Unity of God fascinated Roy. A Sanskrit scholar, Ram Mohan had studied the Hindu scriptures in depth and thus he got the inspiration to free the orthodox Hinduism from its obscurantist elements.
Roy studied the teachings of the Buddha Dhamma, Tantrik literature as well as the Jaina’s Kalpasutras and other scriptures.
He also mastered the English language and acquainted himself with political developments and ideas like rationalism and liberation in England and Europe. The knowledge of English not only facilitated Roy’s contacts with Englishmen but also opened up a whole new world to him.
RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY AS A JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR
As a bold supporter of freedom of the Press and as a pioneer in Indian journalism, Roy brought out journals in Bengali, Hindi, English, Persian to educate and inform the public and represent their grievances before the government.
Newspapers founded and edited by Raja Rammohan Roy
Mirat-ul-Akhbar (in Persian)
Sambad Kaumudi (in Bengali)
Important Literary Works of Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Vedanta Gantha (1815)
A Conference between the Advocate for, and an Opponent of Practice of Burning Widows Alive (1818)
A Defence of Hindu Theism (1820)
The Precepts of Jesus- The Guide to Peace and Happiness (1820)
The Universal Religion (1829)
History of Indian Philosophy (1829)
RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY AS A POLITICAL ACTIVIST
As a political activist, Roy condemned oppressive practices of Bengali zamindars and demanded fixation of maximum rents. He also demanded abolition of taxes on tax free lands.
He called for a reduction of export duties on Indian goods abroad and abolition of the East India Company’s trading rights. He demanded the Indianisation of superior services and separation of the executive from the judiciary. He demanded judicial equality between Indians and Europeans and that trial be held by jury.
RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY AS A LIBERALIST
Roy can be described as the earliest advocate of liberalism and the precursor of the liberal movement in India. Roy advocated liberal principles in all walks of life.
In the religious field Roy stood for tolerance, a non-communal approach to all problems and secularism. He valued the freedom of the individual to follow the dictates of his conscience and even to defy the commands of the priestly class.
Politically, Roy was a supporter of the impersonal authority of law and opposed all kinds of arbitrary and despotic power. He was convinced that the existence of constitutional government is the best guarantee of human freedom.
Liberty was a pivot around which the entire religio-socio-political thought of Roy revolved. For him, liberty was a priceless possession of mankind. He was the first to deliver the message of political freedom to India.
Although Roy recognised the positive gains India would get from British rule, he was never in favour of an unending foreign rule in India. He considered the British connection necessary for India’s social emancipation. Political freedom was bound to follow.
His love for liberty however was not limited to one nation or community. It was universal. He supported all struggles which aimed at human freedom. Freedom for him was indivisible.
Freedom was the strongest passion of Roy’s mind. He believed equally in the freedom of body and mind, so also the freedom of action and thought. He shunned all restrictions imposed by consideration of race, religion and customs on human freedoms.
RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY AS A CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST
Roy was the first to create an awareness for civil rights amongst the Indians. Though Roy did not specifically enlist the civil rights, he seems to include in it the following rights: Right to life and liberty, Right to have opinions and freedom of expression, freedom of press, Right to property, Right to religion etc.
Roy gave the greatest importance to the right to freedom of opinion and expression. To him it included the freedom of creativity of mind and intellect, as well as the freedom of expressing one’s opinions and thoughts through different media.
RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY AS AN INTERNATIONALIST
Raja Rammohan Roy was perhaps the first thinker of the 18th century who had a clear vision of internationalism. Roy, the prophet of universalism, argued that all nations of the world must be placed on an equal footing in order to achieve global unity and a sense of broad fraternity. It is only then that the contradiction between nationalism and internationalism can be ended.
Rammohan was an internationalist with a vision beyond his times. He stood for cooperation of thought and activity and brotherhood among nations. His understanding of the universal character of the principles of liberty, equality and justice indicated that he well understood the significance of the modern age.
According to Roy differences in political perspectives could be eliminated by thrashing out the differences on the common platforms composed of equal number of delegates from each of the contestant countries. Such a common forum could also be useful for the settlement of all international issues, which would enable mankind to live in peace for generations together.
RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY ON LAW AND JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION
Roy argued that the English parliament, before finalising every piece of legislation relating to India should take into account the views of the economic and intellectual elites in this country.
Another important Idea that Roy has contributed in the context of law relates to the codification of law. He thinks that such codification was in the interest of both the rulers and ruled. Codified law should be simple, clear and exact. Codification would make the interpretations of laws more impersonal and its application more uniform.
Roy had a clear perception of the distinction between law, custom and morality. Roy’s suggestions of reform in the judicial field are more numerous because for him an efficient, impartial and an independent judiciary was the supreme guarantee of liberty.
PRACTICE QUESTIONS
QUES . Consider the following statements about Raja Ram Mohan Roy: UPSC PRELIMS 2025
I. He possessed great love and respect for the traditional philosophical systems of the East.
II. He desired his countrymen to accept the rational and scientific approach and the principle of
human dignity and social equality of all men and women.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) I only
(b) II only
(c) Both I and II
(d) Neither I nor II
Answer – (c)
