Yogendra Singh, a prominent Indian sociologist, has contributed significantly to the understanding of Indian society and its transformation in the context of modernization. His book, “Modernization of Indian Tradition,” published in 1973, is a seminal work that examines the process of modernization in India and its impact on traditional social institutions, values, and norms. Singh’s thesis is based on the premise that modernization is not a homogenizing force that leads to the erosion of cultural diversity, but rather a complex and multidimensional process that interacts with and transforms traditional structures in unique ways.

• The Indian society in the first half of the 19^thcentury was caste ridden, decadent and rigid.
  • It followed certain practices which are not in keeping with humanitarian feelings or values but were still being followed in the name of religion.
• Some enlightened Indians like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chand Vidyasagar,Dayanand Saraswati and many others started to bring in reforms in society so that it could face the challenges of the West.
• The reform movements could broadly be classified into two categories:
  • Reformist movementslike the Brahmo Samaj, the Prarthana Samaj, the Aligarh Movement.
  • Revivalist movementslike Arya Samaj and the Deoband movement.
• The reformist as well as the revivalist movement depended, to varying degrees, on an appeal to the lost purity of the religion they sought to reform.
• The only difference between one reform movement and the other lay in the degree to which it relied on tradition or on reason and conscience.

 Arya Samaj Movement

• The Arya Samaj Movement was revivalist in form though not in content,as the result of a reaction to Western influences.
• The first Arya Samaj unit was formally set up byDayananda Saraswati at Bombay in 1875 and later the headquarters of the Samaj were established at Lahore.
• Guiding principles of the Arya Samaj are:
  • God is the primary source of all true knowledge;
  • God, as all-truth, all-knowledge, almighty, immortal, creator of Universe, is alone worthy of worship;
  • The Vedas are the books of true knowledge;
  • An Arya should always be ready to accept truth and abandon untruth;
  • Dharma, that is, due consideration of right and wrong, should be the guiding principle of all actions;
  • The principal aim of the Samaj is to promote world’s well-being in the material, spiritual and social sense;
  • Everybody should be treated with love and justice;
  • Ignorance is to be dispelled and knowledge increased;
  • One’s own progress should depend on the uplift of all others;
  • Social well-being of mankind is to be placed above an individual’s well-being.
• The nucleus for this movement was provided by the Dayanand Anglo-Vedic (D.A.V.)schools, established first at Lahore in 1886, which sought to emphasise the importance of Western education.
• The Arya Samaj was able togive self-respect and self confidence to the Hindus which helped to undermine the myth of superiority of whites and the Western culture.
• The Arya Samaj started theshuddhi (purification) movement to reconvert to the Hindu fold the converts to Christianity and Islam.
  • This led to increasing communalisation of social life during the 1920s and later snowballed into communal political consciousness.
• The work of the Swami after his death was carried forward by Lala Hansraj, Pandit Gurudutt, Lala Lajpat Rai and Swami Shraddhanand, among others.
• Dayananda’s views were published in his famous work, Satyarth Prakash (The True Exposition).

Ramakrishna Movement

• Ramakrishna Paramhansawas a mystic who sought religious salvation in the traditional ways of renunciation, meditation and devotion.
• He was a saintly person who recognized the fundamental oneness of all religions and emphasized that there were many roads to God and salvation and the service of man is the service of God.
• The teaching of Ramakrishna Paramhansa formed the basis of the Ramakrishna Movement.
• The two objectives of the movements were:
  • To bring into existence a band of monks dedicated to a life of renunciation and practical spirituality, from among whom teachers and workers would be sent out to spread the Universal message of Vedanta as illustrated in the life of Ramakrishna.
  • In conjunction with lay disciples to carry on preaching, philanthropic and charitable works, looking upon all men, women and children, irrespective of caste, creed or color, as veritable manifestations of the Divine.
• Swami Vivekanandaestablished Ramakrishna Mission in 1987, named after his Guru Swami Ramakrishna Paramhansa. The institution did extensive educational and philanthropic work in India.
  • He also represented India in the first Parliament of Religion held in Chicago (U.S.) in 1893.
• He used the Ramakrishna Mission for humanitarian relief and social work.
• The mission stands for religious and social reform. Vivekananda advocated the doctrine of service- the service of all beings.
  • The service of jiva(living objects) is the worship of Shiva. Life itself is religion.
  • By service, the Divine exists within man. Vivekananda was for using technology and modern science in the service of mankind.