‘Arya Samaj’ and Socio-Religious Reforms

‘Arya Samaj’ and Socio-Religious Reforms

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·      The ‘Arya Samaj’ rethought religious rituals in order to include more people.

·      It opened the door for women to do ‘yajnas’, recite Vedic ‘mantras’, and take part in rites that had previously been restricted for females.

·      ‘Arya Samaj’ dismantled obstacles that kept women in subordinate positions in society and religion.

·      Arya Samaj's revolutionary reform movements for women tackled the societal inequalities of the day.

·      Many women's lives were bettered as a result of these initiatives, and Indian society as a whole was changed for the better.

·      ‘Arya Samaj’ reclaimed India's spiritual and cultural roots by grounding its reforms in Vedic ideas, which prevented them from being perceived as foreign invaders.

·      A more egalitarian society was made possible by this strategy, which gained extensive support.

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'Arya Samaj' and Promotion of Widow Remarriage

 

'Arya Samaj' and Promotion of Widow Remarriage

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In traditional Indian society, severe restrictions, such as social exclusion and loss of rights were associated with widowhood.

‘Arya Samaj’ fiercely fought against this prejudice, advocating for widow remarriage to give widows a sense of purpose and dignity.

By publicly celebrating second marriages, the ‘Arya Samaj’ was subverting both social mores and religious dogma.

As a result of these initiatives, widow remarriage became more socially acceptable, giving many women a second chance at life.

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'Arya Samaj' and Abolition of Child Marriage

'Arya Samaj' and Abolition of Child Marriage

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Child marriage was very much common in 19th-century India. By this, young girls went through painful weddings at a young age. It was one of the major changes that 'Arya Samaj' fought for.

Leaders of the 'Arya Samaj' worked hard to have this practice outlawed. It was incompatible with respect for human dignity and the teachings of the Vedas. They stressed the significance of education and physical development before to marriage and pushed for an earlier marriage age.

The Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929 was one of several laws enacted as a result of this movement, which struck a chord with liberal intellectuals. The sin of underage marriage contributed more to the decline in society's standards.

Since infant marriage was the root of so many problems, Swami Dayanand waged a protracted fight to end the practice. Swami Dayananda declared in his ‘Satyarth Prakash’, “That nation descends into the depths of despair wherein the people do neither practice ‘brahmacharya’ nor acquire wisdom, where early marriage and marriage between the inappropriate and prevalent females should marry between the ages of 16 and 25.

Child marriage was also denounced by Swami Dayananda Saraswati as anti-Vedic, in addition to the physical grounds. He said that child marriage should be outlawed and that ‘Brahcharya’ should be codified into law. In addition to advising that both partners reach an appropriate level of physical and mental maturity before getting married, Swami Dayanand said that the wedding should only take place with their permission.

The 'Arya Samaj' deserves praise for its successful campaign to change public opinion in opposition to this unnatural practice.

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Sir Chhotu Ram and 'Arya Samaj' Movement in Punjab

 

 Sir Chhotu Ram and 'Arya Samaj' Movement in Punjab 

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During the war years Chhotu Ram developed links with ‘Jat’ and ‘Arya Samajist’ leaders. Chhotu Ram’s association with manager of ‘Gurukul’ at Matindu brought him into contact with Swami Shradhanand .  

Master Nathu Ram was his close ally in Rohtak and he was famous among the ‘Jats’ as an ‘Arya’ preacher. He was with Chhotu Ram at the time of the disturbances of 1919.

Chhotu Ram constituted a committee of ‘Arya’ Samajists in Rohtak. His identification with the ‘Arya Samajists’  made officials to complain that Chhotu Ram undertakes the causes of the ‘Jat’  Community and the propagation of ‘Arya’ doctrines together.

The All India Congress and the ‘Arya Samaj’ both were vigorous movements. Earlier Sir Chhotu Ram had been both, a Congressman and an ‘Arya Samajist’. He resigned from the Congress Party in 1920.

Although he did not cease to be an ‘Arya Samajist’ but he withdrew from the official ‘Arya Samaj’.

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Sir Chhotu Ram in Punjab Politics

 

Sir Chhotu Ram in Punjab Politics

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Sir Chhotu Ram was the ‘Principal Architect’ of the Unionist Party of the Punjab. He was in favour of complete independence of India but without partitioning it. Political ideas of  Chhotu Ram were based on economic issues.

Chhotu Ram emerged as a leader of the ‘Jats’ of Rohtak and gained recognition and acceptance as the leader of the Hindu agriculturists of the Punjab. He served as an Agriculture Minister, Education Minister, Development Minister and Revenue Minister etc.

The Politics of the Unionist Party of Punjab shows the politics of loyalism par excellence. This was made possible by Chhotu Ram, the most important individual in the Unionist politics who forged with the predominant Unionist Muslims of Punjab an enduring political alliance which was instrumental in forming one of the most successful non-Congress Ministries under the Provincial Autonomy.

The main contribution of Chhotu Ram was in championing the cause of the peasantry class and the downtrodden people in Punjab and he stood for their rights. Sir Chhotu Ram was against Communalism.

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'Azad' Punjab Scheme and its Responses

 

'Azad' Punjab Scheme and its Responses

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The Demand for a Separate Sikh State was revived in 1942 when the Pakistan Scheme was being fervently discussed on an all India level. Following the Demand for a ‘Separate Sovereign State’ for the Muslims in the North-West of India, a delegation of the ‘Akali’ leaders. consisting of Baldev Singh, Ujjal Singh, Joginder Singh and Master Tara Singh met Stafford Cripps in 1942 and complained that their (Sikh) cause had been lamentably betrayed. Cripps advised them to bargain with both the Congress and the Muslim League (ML).

In an article in 1943 entitled “Azad Punjab Scheme” Master Tara Singh emphasized “this scheme was conceived to protect the Sikhs from the communal domination of the Muslims.”

Explaining the reason for this demand, Master Tara Singh stated that the Hindu and Muslim minorities could always look upon the provinces where their co-religionists were in a majority for security and protection of their rights, but the Sikhs did not enjoy similar position for they did not have majority anywhere.  

Master Tara Singh insisted upon this form of protection (Azad Punjab) until a better and more practicable form of protection was proposed.

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Demand of ‘Khalistan’ for Sikhs

 

Demand of ‘Khalistan’ for Sikhs

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‘Khalistan’ was first asked for the Sikhs by a medical doctor, Dr. V.S. Bhatti, of Ludhiana immediately after the All India Muslim League had passed the “Lahore Resolution” on March 23, 1940.

Dr. Bhatti had demanded it in a brochure entitled ‘Khalistan’ on the presumption that Pakistan was bound to be established sooner or later and since it was to be a ‘Theocratic State’ of the Muslims.

Dr. Bhatti proposed the ‘Khalistan’ of his conception to act as a buffer between the two unfriendly Independent States. In August, 1940, the opposition of both the ‘Shiromani Akali Dal’ and the Punjab Congress ended the ‘Khalistan’ demand and its place was taken by the demand for ‘Azad Punjab’.

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