Prologue
A research team visited Raja Rammohun Roy's birth place Radhanagar in 2000 in fact Rohit BarotSociologist from Bristol University was keen to visit Raja's village. A small village with few pucca buildings, now having a small gunge like composition. It is situated far away from the railway route, hence acute backwardness is exposed. The original thatched cottage where Raja took his first breath in the dim light of a Pradeep (earthen lamp) being collapsed longback, anewly built structurer has been placed there. Radhanagar though now in Hooghly district, sub-division Khanakul, formerly was in Burdwan districton the side of river Dwarakeswar, Krishnagar City lies on the other side of Dwarakeswar. A descendant of Rammohun Roy, one Mr. Mukherjee usually would receive any visitorof significance, and describe the ancedotres of Raja's early life. He led us to a big pond enclosed by boundary wall where the family members including Raja were supposed to take bath. A small stone-plate with inscriptions was shown. It says, from this place Jagmohun's wife started her last journey towards the burning ghat to become a Suttee. When Rammohun's elder brother Jagmohun died in 1912, it is said, Rammohun tried to persuade her against the terrible step. Mukherjee narrated the story. According to Rammohun's biographer Collet, 'when she felt the flames she tried to get up and escape from the pile. But orthodox relatives and Priests forced her down with bamboo poles and kept her there to die, while drums and brazen instruments were loadly sounded to drown her shrieks. Rammohun, unable to save her, filled with unspeakable indignation and pity, vowed within himself then and there that he would never rest until the atrocious custom was rooted out.'" Mr. Mukherjee was just parroting the story heard of, and passed through lips. The legends, anecdotes thus take the form of myth about supernatural prowess of cult figures. Mukherjee narrated another story about Raja's concept of religion. He relates it to Tarinidevi, Rammohun's mother. But it was an incident ralated to Uma, Raja's third wife. Supposedly, it ocurred in Raghunathpur village house where Rammohun family shifted after disputes on property, and disturbances created by orthodox neighbours. Mukherjee's version narrated it as Raja's answer to his mother's question. Collet described it as, once while Rammohun, after offering Pronam at the religious platform built at the entrance of his Raghunathpur house. Uma asked, which religion could be considered best. Rammohun replied that cows are of different colours, but the colour of their milk is same. Such anecdotes take mythical form in course of agelong Shruti and tales circulated through lips. One may question the historicity of such stories. Moreso, in the case of Rammohun Roy whose major contribution in the abolition of suttee, founding the Hindu College etc. has been put to sceptical comments by histrorians. The Bengalees, as such are prone to delegitimising and discrediting the calibre of renaissance figures. Even Bengal Renaissance as a whole has been delegitimised by some progressive ideologues. 'Historians of 19th Century Bengal will have to rid themselves of untold misconceptions and explode these inflated mythologies that hinder honest and critical historical judgement. We must not ignore Rammohun Roy's healthy profit motive but at the sametime get entangled in the local Brahmo-Brahmin controversy about the men. However, the tradition of Bengalee intellectuals and ideologues to anatomise the historic personalities in postdated western theoretical frames leaving the context of time and space, has continued. As we took up this project of compiling monographs on Rammohun Roy, with the initiative of Amit (Das), I'd a dilemma in selection of subject and writers. The monographs mainly taken from the Centenary Publicity Booklet 1933, contain speeches, writings, publised articles. This was published on the eve of death centenary of Rammohun Roy in 1933. All the writings could not be included for obvious reasons. Subsequently, as the concept of this book developed, some other writings were taken from Asiatic Society's publications authored by Ramesh Chandra Majumdar and Soumyendra Nath Tagore. The President of the Society, Prof. Amalendra De was kind enough to give permission. An article of Prabhat Ganguli has been taken from Atul Gupta's authentic book 'On Bengal Renaissance'. As we all know, Rammohun Roy was born 'at a time when our country having lost its link with the inmost truths of its being, struggled under'a crushing load of unreason, in abject slavery to circumstances.' He 'inaugurated the Modern Age in India' (Tagore). As a biographer observes, during Rammohun's childhood, i.e. during Warren Hastings rule, there was no book in the Pathshalas, before 1818 no Primar was written or published. Rammohun has to learn counting through collective recitation of numerals, handwriting was to be practised on Tal leaves. The invention of slate, pencil was later events. By his herculean effort and energy, he learned Parsian in Patna, read Islamic Shastras. Perhaps, he might have observed there the rituals of Sikh monism and its prayer. He was also in Beneras for learning Sanskrit. Subsequently,
About The Author
Dr. Basu (1941-) an experienced researcher and sociala ctivist, was a Senior Fellow in Indian Inst. of Advanced Study (Shimla), ICSSR (New Delhi), Director of several survey research projects. He has authored books in English and Bengali, edited volumes and biography of Bengal revolutionaries, his recent publications: Bharate Samajik Andalon (ed), Gandhi Chinta (ed), Indian Emergency 50. Banglar Rajnitir Padabali (1947-2022), Bhasa Andolan; Rajniti O Manchitra, in press; Underground Literature during Emergency (ed).
About The Book
Rammohun Roy (1774-1833) was a synthesizer of tradition and modernisation in all spheres education, language, law, human right, press freedom, women's liberation. He stood firm both against the Hindu conservatives and western imitators. As elaborated in the writings of great thinkers as Tagore, Sir Jagadish Bose, Ramesh Chandra Majumdar, Brajen Sil, Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, Biman Behari Majumdar, Soumyendra Nath Tagore, Sitanath Tattvabhushan, Humanyun Kabir. He was the first moderniser and reformer in India. Rammohun's revolutionary act of establishing Brahmo Samaj (1828), Anglo Bengali Hindu School (1823), Hindu College (1817), publishing bilingual magazine, Brahman samvad (1821), Sambad Kamudi in Bengali (1821), Mirat Akhar in Parsee (1822) initiated the process of modern education and modern thinking. He was a theoretician, social activist and a great moderator of science and religion. This anthology intend to reawaken readers' source of identity and synthesis.
Hindu (931)
Agriculture (123)
Ancient (1105)
Archaeology (798)
Architecture (566)
Art & Culture (927)
Biography (730)
Buddhist (551)
Cookery (165)
Emperor & Queen (579)
Islam (245)
Jainism (322)
Literary (890)
Mahatma Gandhi (391)
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