Socio-Religious Movements (Parts-I)

1. Which of the following were not protested by Raja Ram Mohan Roy? [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1992]

(a) Child marriage
(b) Sati system
(c) Western education
(d) Idolatry

Correct Answer: (c) Western education

Solution:Raja Ram Mohan was an ardent advocate of western education through the medium of English. In a letter, dated 11 December, 1823, to Lord Amherst, he wrote, “We now find that the Government is establishing a Sanskrit school under Hindu pandits to impart knowledge as is already current in India. This seminary can only be expected to load the minds of the physical distinctions of little or no practical use to the society... The Sanskrit system of education would be calculated to keep this country in darkness... But as the improvement of the British native population is the object of the Government it will consequently promote a more liberal and enlightened system of instruction, embracing mathematics, natural philosophy, chemistry and anatomy with other useful sciences which may be accomplished with the sum proposed by employing a few gentlemen of talent and learning educated in Europe, and providing a college furnished with the unnecessary books, instruments and other apparatus.” He protested social evils like idolatry, child marriage, Sati system.

2. Which of the above following was started in opposition to the religious/social ideas of Ram Mohan Roy? [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2017]

(a) Digdarshan
(b) Samachar Chandrika
(c) Samvad Kaumudi
(d) Bengal Gazette

Correct Answer: (b) Samachar Chandrika

Solution:Bhavani Charan Bandyopadhyay published ‘Samachar Chandrika’ in 1822. It was started to oppose the religious/social ideas of Raja Ram Mohan Roy. Earlier he was the editor of ‘Samvad Kaumudi’.

3. Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding Brahmo Samaj? [I.A.S. (Pre) 2012]

It opposed idolatry.
It denied the need for a priestly class for interpreting the religious texts.
It popularized the doctrine that the Vedas are infallible.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) Only 1
(b) 1 and 2
(c) Only 3
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: (b) 1 and 2

Solution:Brahmo Samaj was founded by Raja Ram Mohan Roy in 1828. The principles of Brahmo Samaj were as follows:
(1) Belief in Monotheism and to free Hinduism from evils.
(2) Opposing idolatry and the dominance of priests.
(3) Improving the situation of women.
Swami Dayanand Saraswati popularized the doctrine that the Vedas are infallible. 1 and 2 are correct in the context to Brahmo Samaj, while statement 3 is incorrect. Thus, (b) is the correct answer.

4. Given below are two statements, in which one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R): [U.P. R.O./A.R.O. (Pre) 2023]

Assertion (A): Raja Ram Mohan Roy was the Editor of "Sambad Kaumudi", a Bengali weekly.
Reason (R): His articles condemning the custom of widow burning were published in it.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Code:

(a) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is correct explanation of (A).
(b) (A) is false but (R) is true.
(c) Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not correct explanation of (A).
(d) (A) is true but (R) is false.

Correct Answer: (c) Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not correct explanation of (A).

Solution:On December 4, 1821, Raja Rammohan Roy launched a weekly newspaper named ‘Sambad Kaumudi’. Interestingly, Rammohan Roy’s name was not in the credits of the newspaper. Instead, the newspaper was officially edited by Bhavicharan Bandyopadhyay. The newspaper was not only at the forefront of the movement to abolish Sati-daha (the practice of widow burning), but it supported many other progressive values.

5. The best representative of Neo-Hinduism in the second half of the nineteenth century was – [41st B.P.S.C. (Pre) 1996]

(a) Ramkrishna Paramhans
(b) Swami Vivekanand
(c) Bankim Chandra Chatterji
(d) Raja Rammohan Roy

Correct Answer: (b) Swami Vivekanand

Solution:Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902) was credited to interpret the teachings of Ramakrishna Paramhansa. He described these teachings in simple language. Swami Vivekanand emerged as the advocate of Neo-Hinduism. In 1893, he went to Chicago, where he delivered his famous speech in the Parliament of the world’s Religions. In his speech, Vivekanand gave a short introduction of Hinduism and spoke on “The meaning of the Hindu religion.” After that, he emphasized the need for modernism in Hinduism and the incorporation of elements of western thought.

6. Vivekanand attended the ‘Parliament of the World’s Religions’ held at Chicago in [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2015]

(a) 1872
(b) 1890
(c) 1893
(d) 1901

Correct Answer: (c) 1893

Solution:Swami Vivekanand (1863-1902) was credited to interpret the teachings of Ramakrishna Paramhans. He described these teachings in simple language. Swami Vivekanand emerged as the advocate of Neo-Hinduism. In 1893, he went to Chicago, where he delivered his famous speech in the Parliament of the world’s Religions. In his speech, Vivekanand gave a short introduction of Hinduism and spoke on “The meaning of the Hindu religion.” After that, he emphasized the need for modernism in Hinduism and the incorporation of elements of western thought.

7. When did Swami Vivekanand deliver his speech in ‘World Religion Conference’ in Chicago [M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2013]

Correct Answer: (e) 1893

Solution:In 1893, Swami Vivekananda went to Chicago, where he delivered his famous speech in the Parliament of the World’s Religions. In his speech, Vivekananda gave a short introduction of Hinduism and spoke on “The meaning of the Hindu religion.”

8. Who among the following represented India at the World Parliament of Religions at Chicago in 1893? [U.P.P.C.S. (Spl) (Mains) 2004 M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1993]

(a) Swami Dayanand Saraswati
(b) Ram Krishna Paramhans
(c) Swami Vivekanand
(d) Raja Ram Mohan Roy

Correct Answer: (c) Swami Vivekanand

Solution:In 1893, Swami Vivekananda went to Chicago, where he delivered his famous speech in the Parliament of the World’s Religions. In his speech, Vivekananda gave a short introduction of Hinduism and spoke on “The meaning of the Hindu religion.” All the given options are wrong, and M.P.P.S.C.

9. In which year Swami Vivekananda took part in Parliament of World Religion? [U.P.P.C.S. (Spl) (Pre) 2008]

(a) 1893
(b) 1895
(c) 1897
(d) 1899

Correct Answer: (a) 1893