SSC
The Dharma Sabha, an orthodox Hindu organisation formed in Calcutta in 1830 to oppose the abolition of sati, was founded by:
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Answer: Option C ā Raja Radhakanta Deb
Detailed Solution
The Dharma Sabha was founded in Calcutta on 17 January 1830 by Raja Radhakanta Deb, along with other orthodox Hindu leaders.
Background:
- In December 1829, the Governor-General's government passed the regulation that banned sati in Bengal.
- Many orthodox Hindus saw this as an interference in their religion.
About the Dharma Sabha:
- It was formed to protect traditional Hindu religion and customs, and to oppose the reforms of Raja Ram Mohan Roy and his followers.
- Its immediate aim was to get the ban on sati repealed.
- It sent a petition to the Privy Council in London against the ban, but the Privy Council rejected it in 1832; Ram Mohan Roy, who was in England, opposed the petition.
- It later opposed other reforms, such as the Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act (1856).
- It published the newspaper "Samachar Chandrika", which defended orthodox views.
About Raja Radhakanta Deb:
- He was born in 1784 in the Sovabazar Raj family of Calcutta.
- He was a scholar of Sanskrit and Persian.
- He compiled the "Shabdakalpadruma", a large Sanskrit encyclopaedic dictionary, in several volumes (1822-1858), which is still valued by scholars.
- Although he was orthodox in religious matters, he supported the education of women (within the home) and modern education; he was associated with the Calcutta School Book Society.
- He was associated with early political associations of Bengal.
- He was honoured with the title "Raja Bahadur" and a knighthood by the British.
- He died at Vrindavan in 1867.
Significance:
- The Dharma Sabha represents the orthodox reaction to the reform movements of the 19th century.
- The debate between reformers and orthodox groups shaped the social and religious history of Bengal.
Why not the other options?
- āRam Mohan Roy was the leading reformer who supported the ban; Debendranath and Dwarkanath Tagore were associated with reform and other activities.
Quick tip
Remember: Dharma Sabha (Calcutta, 1830) = Raja Radhakanta Deb (opposed the ban on sati; "Shabdakalpadruma"; newspaper "Samachar Chandrika").
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Socio-Religious Reform Movements ā Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Socio-Religious Reform Movements, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
In the 19th century, reformers worked to remove social evils and revive Indian society. This topic covers organisations such as the Brahmo Samaj, Arya Samaj, Prarthana Samaj, Ramakrishna Mission, Theosophical Society, Satyashodhak Samaj and the Aligarh Movement, along with their founders and the social reforms they achieved. Questions usually ask who founded an organisation and when, or which reformer is linked to a reform. For example, Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded the Brahmo Samaj and campaigned against sati, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar championed widow remarriage, and Jyotiba Phule founded the Satyashodhak Samaj. A table of organisation, founder, year and place covers most questions. Practise the socio-religious reform movements questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.