Prarthana Samaj

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Prarthana Samaj Mandir, 2022 & 1922
Old Members of Prarthana Samaj

Prarthana Samaj or "Prayer Society" in Sanskrit, was a movement for religious and social reform in

reform movements. Prarthana Samaj was founded by Atmaram Pandurang in 31 March 1867 when Keshub Chandra Sen visited Maharashtra, with an aim to make people believe in one God and worship only one God. It became popular after Mahadev Govind Ranade joined. The main reformers were the intellectuals who advocated reforms of the social system of the Hindus. It was spread to southern India by noted Telugu reformer and writer, Kandukuri Veeresalingam
.

The movement was started as a movement for religious and social reform.[citation needed]. The precursor of the Prarthana Samaj in Mumbai was the Paramahamsa Sabha, a secret society for the furtherance of liberal ideas by Ram Balkrishna Jaykar and others in Mumbai. It was secret in order to avoid the wrath of the powerful and conservative elements.

The Prarthana Samaj members were followers of the great religious tradition of the

Mughals
. But, beyond religious concerns, the primary focus of the Prarthana Samaj was on social and cultural reform.

Social reforms

Prarthana Samaj critically examined the relations between contemporary social and cultural systems and religious beliefs and gave priority to social reform as compared with the political changes already initiated by the British government. Their comprehensive reform movement has led many impressive projects of

Narayan Chandavarkar, and Mahadev Govind Ranade
. Ranade emphasized that "the reformer must attempt to deal with the whole man and not to carry out reform on one side only".

See also

Literature

  • Suresh K. Sharma and Usha Sharma, Cultural and Religious Heritage of India, vol. VIII: Cultural and Religious Reform Movements, New Delhi, Mittal, (2004) .

References