A three-day all India convention of the Brahmo Samaj concluded on Thursday after having lots of deliberations on the contribution and relevance of philosophy of Raja Ram Mohan Roy.
As many as 110 scholars across the country and abroad participated and expressed their views.
The speakers mentioned about the contributions of Roy when practices like child marriage, polygamy and Sati were prevalent that affected women in the society. The most brutal among these customs was the Sati Pratha. The custom involved self-immolation of widows at their husband’s funeral pyre.
On Wednesday, attending the meeting as chief guest, Director of Integrated Test Range (ITR) Dr BK Das deliberated on the multi-prong approach perceived by Roy.
He, besides stating that woman community in India has been held at high esteem since Vedic age, said Roy is considered as the pioneer of modern Indian Renaissance for the remarkable reforms he brought in the 18th and 19th century India. Among his efforts, the abolition of the brutal and inhuman Sati Pratha was the most prominent. Woman had hardly any position in the society due to eroding values.
His efforts were also instrumental in eradicating the purodah system as well as child marriage.
“Today in India woman is treated at par with man and empowered with all facilities and access to everything. Had Roy not brought the renaissance through his movement fighting against the orthodox and superstitious beliefs, the things would have been different. His efforts are replicated now,” said Dr Das.
Ram Mohan Roy formed the Brahmo Samaj, uniting the Bhramos in Calcutta, a group of people, who had no faith in idol worship and were against caste restrictions. The title 'Raja' was bestowed upon him by the Mughal emperor Akbar II in 1831.
The meeting while held under the chairmanship of Brahmo Samaj president DS Jog. Suchitra Das offered the vote of thanks.