Q.1.Write about-

a) Prarthana Samaj

b) Brahma Samaj

you can find it on wikipedia.com

Prarthana Samaj, (Sanskrit: “Prayer Society”), Hindu reform society established in Bombay in the 1860s. In purpose it is similar to, but not affiliated with, the more widespread Brahmo Samaj and had its greatest sphere of influence in and around India’s Mahārāshtra state. The aim of the society is the promulgation of theistic worship and social reform, and its early goals were opposition to thcaste system, the introduction of widow remarriage, the encouragement of female education, and the abolition of child marriage.

The immediate predecessor of the Prarthana Samaj in Bombay was theParamahamsa Sabha, a secret society formed in 1849 for discussion, the singing of hymns, and the sharing of a communal meal prepared by a low-caste cook. In 186Keshab Chunder Sen, founder of the Bharatvarshiya Brahmo Samaj, visited Bombay, and the interest he evoked there bore fruit several months later when the new association was formed. The Prarthana Samaj differed from its Calcutta counterpart by its greater reluctance to break with orthodox Hindu tradition, and the Prarthana never required members to give up caste, idol worship, or the traditional religious sacraments. Early leaders of the movement were M.GRanade (1842–1901), who was a prominent social reformer and a judge of the Bombay High Court, and R.G.Bhandarkar (1837–1925), a noted scholar of Sanskrit.

Activities of the Prarthana Samaj include study groups, the support of missionaries, a journal, night schools for working people, free libraries, women’s and student associations, and an orphanage. Its members were instrumental in the organization of other important social-reform movements that arose at the turn of the century, including the Depressed Classes Mission Society of India and the National Social Conference. Like that of the Brahmo Samaj and the Arya Samaj, the success of the Prarthana Samaj in restoring Hindu self-respect was an important factor in the growth of India nationalism, which led ultimately to political independence.

The Brahmo Samaj

The first phase of the history of the Brahmo Samaj is inextricably associated with the name of Raja Rammohan Roy (1772- 1833). The Brahmo Samaj, launched on August 20, 1828, gave a concrete expression to his concept of universal worship. Their liberal approach is reflected in the fact that they arranged to have the Upanishads read and explained before the entire body of worshippers, which, besides the non-Brahmins, sometimes included Christians and Muslims. After the departure of Raja Rammohan Roy for England (November 1830) and his death there (September 1833), the Brahmo Samaj as an organization faced a severe crisis for survival. However, the selfless efforts of Dwarakanath Tagore and Pandit Ram Chandra Vidyavagis enabled the Samaj to tide over the crisis. After founding the Tattwabodhini Sabha in 1839, Debendranath Tagore joined the Samaj in 1842 and it became the common platform for the intellectual and cultural elite of the mid-19th century Bengal. The era of the Tattwabodhini Sabha (1839- 1859) thus marks a creative phase in the history of the Brahmo Samaj. The Brahmo Movement gained further momentum when the dynamic Keshab Chandra Sen (1838-84) joined the Samaj in1857. However, serious differences regarding ideology and attitude cropped up between Debendranath and Keshab. It came to a head at the close of 1866 with the emergence of two bodies, the Calcutta or Adi Brahmo Samaj and the Brahmo Samaj of India. A number of radical and far-reaching social reforms like female education and total eradication of class distinctions led to the formation of the Indian Reform Association in 1870 and the enactment of the Indian Marriage Act, initially drafted as Brahmo Marriage Act, in 1872, which validated inter-caste marriage. Again, Keshab’s reverence towards all faiths allowed him to achieve a rich synthesis of all religions, which he proclaimed under the title of ‘New Dispensation’ (Navavidhan) on January 25, 1880. In spite of all such developments, a second schism took place in the Samaj in May 1878, when a band of Keshab Chandra Sen's followers left him to start Sadharon Brahmo Samaj. Led by Shiv Chandra Deb, the body consisted of some brilliant names like Sivanath Sastri, Ananda Mohan Bose, Vijay Krishna Goswami and others. It has proved till now a powerful branch of the Bramho Samaj in India. Presently both the wings, viz., the Brahmo Samaj of India and the Sadharan Brahmo Samaj, contribute immensely to the well-being and needs of the entire Brahmo community in India