Raja Rammohan Roy founded Brahma Sabha on 20th August 1828. It was renamed Brahmo Samaj about a year later. The long-term agenda of the Brahmo Samaj-to purify Hinduism and to preach monotheism which was based on the twin pillars of reason and the Vedas and Upanishads. The main theme was ‘Nirgunasapna’ (formless worship).
There was no place for a temple, rituals, sacrifices, priests, etc in the Samaj. It believed in progressive social practices and propagated them. Raja Rammohan Roy never intended to establish a new religion. After the death of Raja Rammohan Roy in 1833, the Samaj found a new leader in Debendranath Tagore, who joined Brahmo Samaj in 1842 and infused a new life into it.
KESHUB CHANDRA SEN
He joined Brahmo Samaj in 1858 and popularised the movement in Bengal and in other parts of India. He opened its branches in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Bombay, and Madras. He made it an All-India Movement. He was less concerned with the religious aspects of the Samaj and under him, scriptures of all religions were read at Samaj meetings.
Keshub Chandra Sen was basically a radical social reformer and spoke openly against the caste system. He advocated intercaste marriages and opposed child marriages, polygamy, etc. He laid the foundation of the new church Tabernacle of New Dispensation’ in 1868 and Indian Reform Association in 1870.
ISHWAR CHANDRA VIDYASAGAR
He was a great social reformer of the 19th century. He was a great Sanskrit scholar and became the principal of the Sanskrit College at Calcutta in 1851. He introduced the study of Western thought in the Sanskrit College and opened its gates to non-Brahmin students. His greatest contribution lay in the field of female emancipation.
Widow marriage was a specific social issue. He devoted his entire life to his agitation for legalizing the remarriage of widows. He fetched the support of the enlightened sections from various parts of the country and finally, such a law was enacted.
Keshub Chandra Sen was basically a radical social reformer and spoke openly against the caste system. He advocated intercaste marriages and opposed child marriage, polygamy, etc. He laid the foundation of a new church Tabernacle of New Dispensation’ in 1868 and ‘Indian Reform Association in 1870.