Brahmoism is a religious movement which originated from the mid-19th century

Bengali Renaissance The Bengal Renaissance (Bengali: বাংলার নবজাগরণ — ''Banglar Navajagaran''), also known as the Bengali Renaissance, was a cultural, social, intellectual, and artistic movement that took place in the Bengal region of ...

, the nascent

Indian independence movement The Indian independence movement was a series of historic events with the ultimate aim of ending British Raj, British rule in India. It lasted from 1857 to 1947. The first nationalistic revolutionary movement for Indian independence emerged ...

. Adherents, known as ''

Brahmo Bengali Brahmos are those who adhere to Brahmoism, the philosophy of Brahmo Samaj which was founded by Raja Rammohan Roy. A recent publication describes the disproportionate influence of Brahmos on India's development post-19th Century as unpar ...

s'' (singular Brahmo), are mainly of

India India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...

n or

Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million pe ...

i origin or nationality. The

Brahmo Samaj Brahmo Samaj ( bn, ব্রহ্ম সমাজ, Brahmô Sômaj, ) is the societal component of Brahmoism, which began as a monotheistic reformist movement of the Hindu religion that appeared during the Bengal Renaissance. It was one o ...

, literally the "Society of Brahma", was founded as a movement by

Ram Mohan Roy Raja Ram Mohan Roy ( bn, রামমোহন রায়; 22 May 1772 – 27 September 1833) was an Indian reformer who was one of the founders of the Brahmo Sabha in 1828, the precursor of the Brahmo Samaj, a social-religious reform m ...

.Chambers Dictionary Of World History. Editor BP Lenman. Chambers. 2000.

Fundamental principles

The

articles of faith derive from the Fundamental (''Adi'') Principles of the ''

Adi Brahmo Samaj Adi Dharm refers to the religion of Adi Brahmo Samaj ( bn, আদি ব্রাহ্ম সমাজ, Adi Brahmô Shômaj) the first development of Brahmoism and includes those Sadharan Brahmo Samajists who were reintegrated into Brahmoism ...

'' religion. * On God: There is always Infinite (limitless, un-definable, imperceivable, indivisible) Singularity - immanent and transcendent Singular Author and Preserver of Existence - "He" whose Love is manifest everywhere and in everything, in the fire and in the water, in the smallest plant to the mightiest oak. * On Being: Being is created from Singularity. Being is renewed to Singularity. Being exists to be one (again) with Loving Singularity. (''See

Tat Tvam Asi Tat or TAT may refer to: Geography * Tát, a Hungarian village * Tat Ali, an Ethiopian volcano People *Tat, a son and disciple of Hermes Trismegistus *Tiffani Amber Thiessen, initials T.A.T. *Tat Wood, a British author Arts, entertainment, and ...

''.) * On Intelligent Existence: Righteous (worshipful, intelligent, moral) actions alone rule (regulate reserve Existence against Chaos (loss ecay, return, pervading emptiness. Knowledge (Intelligence eason, sentience, intuition of pure Conscience (light within) is the One (Supreme) ruler (authority aw, dharma of Existence with no symbol (creation cripture, book, object or intermediary (being eacher, messiah, ruler. * On Love: Respect all creations and beings but never venerate (worship) them for only Singularity can be loved (adored, worshipped).

Articles of faith

The Articles of faith for Brahmos are: * Brahmos embrace righteousness as the only way of life. * Brahmos embrace truth, knowledge, reason, free will and virtuous intuition (observation) as guides. * Brahmos embrace secular principles but oppose sectarianism and imposition of religious belief into governance (especially propagation of religious belief by government). * Brahmos embrace the co-existence of Brahmo principles with governance, but oppose all governance in conflict with Brahmo principles. * Brahmos reject narrow theism (especially polytheism), idolatry and symbolism. * Brahmos reject the need for formal rituals, priests or places (church, temple, mosque) for worship. * Brahmos reject dogma and superstition. * Brahmos reject scriptures as authority. * Brahmos reject revelations, prophets, gurus, messiahs, or avatars as authority. * Brahmos reject bigotry and irrational distinctions like caste, creed, colour, race, religion which divide beings. * Brahmos reject all forms of totalitarianism. * Brahmos examine the prevalent notion of "sin". * Brahmos examine the prevalent notions of "heaven" or "hell". * Brahmos examine the prevalent notion of "salvation". Adherence to these articles are required only of ''Adi'' Brahmos or such ''Sadharan'' Brahmos who accept ''Adi''-ism i.e. Trust deed of Brahmo Sabha (1830).

History

While Raja

aimed at reforming the Hindu religion through

Unitarianism Unitarianism (from Latin ''unitas'' "unity, oneness", from ''unus'' "one") is a nontrinitarian branch of Christian theology. Most other branches of Christianity and the major Churches accept the doctrine of the Trinity which states that there ...

, his successor Maharshi

Debendranath Tagore Debendranath Tagore (15 May 1817 – 19 January 1905) was an Indian Hindu philosopher and religious reformer, active in the Brahmo Samaj (earlier called Bhramho Sabha) ("Society of Brahma", also translated as ''Society of God''). He joined Brahm ...

in 1850 rejected the infallibility of the Vedas. Tagore tried to retain some Hidu customs, but a series of schisms eventually resulted in the formation of the breakaway Sadharan Brahmo Samaj in 1878. So, in 1901, a decision of the Privy Council of

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...

found that "the vast majority of Brahmo religionists are not Hindus and have their own religion". The Brahma Dharma was first codified by Debendranath Tagore with the formulation of the Brahmo Dharma Beej and publication of the ''Brahma Dharma'', a book of 1848 or 1850 in two parts. The Brahma Dharma is the source of every Brahmo's spiritual faith and reflects

repudiation of the Hindu Vedas as authority and the shift away from

's Unitary version of God. The traditional seed principles and Debendranath's ''Brahmo Dharma'' (or religious and moral law) now stand evolved as the "Fundamental Principles of Brahmoism" and are supplemented by precise evolving rules for adherents, akin to "Articles of Faith" which regulate the Brahmo way of life. In addition the assembly of Brahmos (and also Brahmo Samajists) for meeting or worship is always consonant with the Trust Principles of 1830 or its derivatives.

Brief history and timeline

* 1828 : Raja Ram Mohun Roy establishes ''Brahma Sabha'' (assembly of Brahmins). * 1829 :

Asiatic Society The Asiatic Society is a government of India organisation founded during the Company rule in India to enhance and further the cause of "Oriental research", in this case, research into India and the surrounding regions. It was founded by the p ...

admits the first Indians to its membership, the first of whom are

Ramkamal Sen Ramkamal Sen (1783–1844) was the Diwan of the Treasury, Treasurer of the Bank of Bengal and Secretary of the Asiatic Society, Calcutta. Childhood Born at Garifa, Naihati town in North 24 pargana district. on the banks of the Hooghly River in ...

Dwarkanath Tagore Dwarkanath Tagore ( bn, দ্বারকানাথ ঠাকুর, ''Darokanath Ţhakur''; 1794–1846) was one of the first Indian industrialists to form an enterprise with British partners. He was the son of Ramlochon Tagore, the founder ...

and

Prasanna Coomar Tagore Prasanna may refer to: People As sole name * Prasanna (actor) (Prasanna Venkatesan, active from 2001), Indian film actor * Prasanna (theatre director) (born 1951), Indian theatre director and playwright * V. V. Prasanna, a Tamil playback singe ...

. * 1830 :

and Ors. establish the first Brahmo Place for Worship through a legal Trust Deed at Chitpur (

Jorasanko Jorasanko is a neighbourhood of North Kolkata, in Kolkata district Kolkata district (formerly known as Calcutta district) is a district in the Indian state of West Bengal, headquartered in Kolkata. History Long before the British came to ...

Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...

). Ram Mohun departs for Britain. * 1833 : Ram Mohun dies in Bristol. * 1839 :

forms ''Tattwabodhini (@Tattvaranjini) Sabha'', the "Truth & Life Purpose Seekers" association on 6 October 1839. * 1843 : Tattwabodini Sabha merged with Brahmo Sabha and Calcutta Brahmo Samaj established. Dwarkanath Tagore founds the Great Western Bengal Railway Co. in conflict with the State. * 1850 : Publication of ''Brahma Dharma'' book in 2 parts by Debendranath. Repudiation of Vedic infallibility, separation from Hinduism, establishment of the new religion. * 1855 :

Keshub Chunder Sen Keshub Chandra Sen ( bn, কেশবচন্দ্র সেন; also spelled Keshab Chunder Sen; 19 November 1838 – 8 January 1884) was a Hindu philosopher and social reformer who attempted to incorporate Christian theology withi ...

founds "The British India Society" later associated with

Christian mission A Christian mission is an organized effort for the propagation of the Christian faith. Missions involve sending individuals and groups across boundaries, most commonly geographical boundaries, to carry on evangelism or other activities, such as ...

aries James Long and

Charles Dall Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was " ...

. Dall, a roving Unitarian missionary, is in a troubled marriage in Boston with female emancipator Caroline Wells Healey Dall, suffering a series of mental depressions, and is sufficiently persuaded to grant his wife a ''Boston divorce'' by sailing to India forever as the first foreign Unitarian missionary. * 1856 : Devendranath Thakur proceeds to hills of

Simla Shimla (; ; also known as Simla, the official name until 1972) is the capital and the largest city of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared as the summer capital of British India. After independence, the ...

. * 1857 : Debendranath informs Unitarian preacher Charles Dall that he is no longer welcome at Calcutta Brahmo Samaj, and that "he would not hear the name of Jesus spoken in the Samaj". Dall then forms the ''Rammohun Roy Society'' to wean away the liberal Brahmos from Debendranath.Charles Dall
Keshub Sen then subscribes to Calcutta Brahmo Samaj while Devendranath is away in Simla. The

Indian Mutiny The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. The rebellion began on 10 May 1857 in the fo ...

erupts, almost every Trustee of Brahma Samaj supports the Crown while seeking exemplary punishment for the mutineers. * 1860 : Charles Dall now openly attacks Debendranath and affiliates to liberal Brahmo neo-Christian group by promoting Theodore Parker and William Channing's methods to convert Hindus to Christianity. * 1866 : The First Brahmo Schism and Calcutta Brahmo Samaj is renamed as Adi (First) Brahmo Samaj to distinguish it from progressive breakaway group. * 1871 : Adi Brahmo Samaj leaders publicly oppose the progressive faction over the divisive ''Brahmo Marriage Bill, 1871'' with Debendranath stating "We are Brahmos first, and Indians or Hindus second." * 1872 : The Marriage Bill is ostensibly not limited to Brahmos and enacted as the ''Special Marriages Act (Act III) of 1872''. A declaration is required stating "I am not a Hindu or Muslim or Christian or Jew" to marry under this law which is used almost exclusively by Brahmos. * 1878 : The breakaway faction splits again, the majority form the middle-path Sadharan (General) Brahmo Samaj and are formally welcomed back to Brahmoism by Debendranath Tagore and Rajnarayan Basu of the Adi Samaj. The eminent leaders of Sadharan Brahmo Samaj at the time include Sivanath Sastri, Ananda Mohan Bose and Sib Chandra Deb.Primary Source: ''History of Brahmo Samaj'' by ''Sivanath Sastri'' 1911, Secondary Source: Official website brahmosamaj.org *1898 : First branch of Brahmosamaj (At Calicut) (Now Ayathan School which runs under the patronage of Brahmosamaj at Jail road, Calicut))was founded by

Ayyathan Gopalan Rao Sahib Ayyathan Gopalan (3 March 1861 – 2 May 1948), popularly known as Darsarji and Darsar Sahib ("Darsar" means "doctor", derived from Latin word "docere" for doctor), was an Indian doctor, surgeon, professor, writer, philanthropist, s ...

a great social reformer and founder of Sugunavardhini movement in Kerala. *1910 : Translated the "Bible of Brahmosamaj" - "Brahmodarma" written by

Maharshi Debendranath Tagore Debendranath Tagore (15 May 1817 – 19 January 1905) was an Indian Hindu philosopher and religious reformer, active in the Brahmo Samaj (earlier called Bhramho Sabha) ("Society of Brahma", also translated as ''Society of God''). He joined Brah ...

into Malayalam. *1924 : Second Branch of Brahmosamaj in Kerala was set up by Ayyathan Gopalan at Alappuzha (Kerala) Poonthoppu ,Kommady (now Grihalakshmi Gandhi Smaraka seva sangam)

References

External links