Police
The Satnami movement, which worked for the dignity of the Chamar (leather-worker) community in Chhattisgarh, was started in the 19th century by:
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option D — Guru Ghasidas
Detailed Solution
The Satnami movement in Chhattisgarh was started by Guru Ghasidas (1756-1850) in the early 19th century, and worked for the dignity and social upliftment of the Chamar (leather-worker) community.
About Guru Ghasidas:
- He was born in 1756 at Girod, in the present-day Baloda Bazar district of Chhattisgarh, in a Chamar family.
- He experienced caste discrimination, and after spiritual experiences, he began to preach a new path.
His teachings:
- "Satnam" (the True Name of God): God is one, formless and true, and should be worshipped through his name, not through idols.
- He rejected the caste system and untouchability, and taught the equality of all human beings.
- He opposed idol worship, animal sacrifice, and the domination of Brahmanas.
- He asked his followers to give up meat, alcohol and tobacco, and to lead a pure life.
- He taught honesty, non-violence and kindness.
The Satnami panth:
- His followers are called Satnamis; the movement gave the Chamars of Chhattisgarh a new identity and self-respect.
- The symbol of the sect is the "jaitkhamb", a white pole with a white flag, which stands in Satnami villages.
- Girodpuri, his birthplace, is the main pilgrimage centre; a tall "Jaitkhamb" tower (taller than the Qutub Minar) has been built there.
- His birth anniversary (18 December) is celebrated as "Guru Ghasidas Jayanti" in Chhattisgarh.
- Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya (a central university) in Bilaspur is named after him.
Other Satnami movements:
An earlier group of Satnamis in the Narnaul region (Haryana) rebelled against Aurangzeb in 1672; it was a different movement.
Other anti-caste reformers:
- Jyotiba Phule: founded the Satyashodhak Samaj in Maharashtra (1873).
- Sree Narayana Guru: led the movement of the Ezhavas in Kerala.
- Sant Ravidas: a 15th-16th century Bhakti saint from a leather-worker family.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Ravidas, Phule and Narayana Guru were other reformers.
Quick tip
Remember: Satnami movement (Chhattisgarh) = Guru Ghasidas (Satnam; against caste; jaitkhamb; Girodpuri); different from the Satnami revolt against Aurangzeb (1672).
💬 Discussions on this question
Ask a doubt ›Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.
Ask a doubtMore Socio-Religious Reform Movements Questions
View all ›More General Knowledge Questions
- Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?Indian Dance Forms
- Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?Indian Dance Forms
- Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:Indian Dance Forms
- Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?Indian Dance Forms
- Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:Indian Dance Forms
Socio-Religious Reform Movements — 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.