Raja Rammohan Roy founded the Brahmo Sabha in 1828, later renamed Brahmo Samaj. Its goal was to reform Hinduism and preach monotheism based on reason, the Vedas, and the Upanishads. The movement emphasized human dignity, opposed idolatry, and criticized social evils like sati.
Features of Brahmo Samaj:
- Denunciation of polytheism and idol worship.
- Rejection of belief in divine incarnations.
- Emphasis on human reason and conscience over scripture.
- No definitive stance on karma and transmigration of the soul, leaving it to individual belief.
- Criticism of the caste system.
Significance of the Brahmo Samaj:
- The Samaj was active in social reform, advocating against dogmas and superstitions.
- It opposed the bias against traveling overseas and pushed for a respectable status for women in society.
- The Samaj condemned sati, worked to end the purdah system, discouraged child marriage and polygamy, and supported widow remarriage.
- It promoted education and opposed casteism and untouchability, although its impact in these areas was limited.
Despite its social reform efforts, the influence of Brahmo Samaj was mainly confined to Calcutta and Bengal, and it did not have a lasting impact beyond these regions.