Beginning of Reform and Resistance | Maharashtra State PSC (MPSC): Preparation - MPSC (Maharastra) PDF Download

 Page 1


 INTORDUCTION :
In this lesson we will discuss the thoughts and ideas put forward
by educated middle class leaders from the city of Bombay in the first
half of the 19th century . It must be remembered that Bombay was already
enjoying a premier position in the East India Company’s trade with the
East. The contact with Western Civilization had given the inhabitants of
the city of Bombay a new outlook and new interests which in some
respects differed from those of the people in the rest of Maharashtra at
the time of the British Conquest.
The contact with the Western thought and civilization had produced
two streams of impulses one was to bring about social change and
reform the society and bring it on level with the countries of the West.
The second was to resist the foreign rule which exploited the people
and resources of Maharashtra to enrich their home country and
Page 2


 INTORDUCTION :
In this lesson we will discuss the thoughts and ideas put forward
by educated middle class leaders from the city of Bombay in the first
half of the 19th century . It must be remembered that Bombay was already
enjoying a premier position in the East India Company’s trade with the
East. The contact with Western Civilization had given the inhabitants of
the city of Bombay a new outlook and new interests which in some
respects differed from those of the people in the rest of Maharashtra at
the time of the British Conquest.
The contact with the Western thought and civilization had produced
two streams of impulses one was to bring about social change and
reform the society and bring it on level with the countries of the West.
The second was to resist the foreign rule which exploited the people
and resources of Maharashtra to enrich their home country and
consolidate their power to keep the Indians under their subjugation. The
first category of people was represented by Bal Shastri Jambhekar and
the other category was represented by Bhaskar Pandurang T arkhadkar,
Ramkrishna Vishwanath and Bhau Mahajan.
REFORM FROM WITHIN BAL GANGADHAR
SHASTRI JAMBHEKAR [1812-1846] :
He was born at Deogad in the old district of Ratnagiri, now a part
of present Sindhudurg district. Like his contemporaries Dadoba
Pandurang and Bhau Mahajan he was educated at the Elphinstone
Institute. As he began to learn more and more about Englishmen and
their civilization he was inspired to advocate social reforms, like his
counterpart in Bengal Raja Ram Mohan Roy. Soon he came to be
regarded as the Father of Modern Marathi and the Pioneer of the
Renaissance in Western India.
Jambhekar did not approve of the surrender of Ram Mohan Roy
to the Western influence. He wrote in the Bombay Darpan with the love
of general literature, he (Ram Mohan) indulged also in reflection on
religious subjects, which induced him at last totally to forsake the faith in
which he was born and to embrace Deism. This may sound strange as
Jambhekar was closely associated with Bhau Mahajan (Govind Vitthal
Mahajan) and Dadoba Pandurang T arkhadkar who showed inclination
towards reforming Hinduism.
Jambhekar however did not favour obscurantism in religious
matters. He wished to correct the ways of the die-hard reactionaries.
He did not hesitate to oppose the activities of the Christian Missionaries
whenever he thought that they were exploiting the weaknesses of the
Hindus. In 1843 a Brahman boy of 18 Narayan Govind Paralikar, was
converted to Christianity. He began to stay with Rev. Robert Nesbit. He
also took his younger brother Sripat aged 12 with him. Narayan thought
that as his brother stayed and ate with the Christian he would not be
taken back into the Hindu society. Narayan’s father wanted to take back
his younger son with him. Rev. Nesbit was not willing to let him go. Bal
Shastri Jambhekar sought the support of a very influential merchant
Jagannath Shankar Sheth and they began to move in the matter, in spite
of the opposition of another group of Brahmans supported by a wealthy
merchant Seth Sakji Dadaji-Jambhekar took Sripat to Varanasi to
perform the purification rites. After the return of Jambhekar with Sripat
from Varanasi, the Brahman community declared boycott against
Jambhekar, and Sripat was not fully accepted in Hindu Society.
Jambhekar however did not revolt against his community. He had
Page 3


 INTORDUCTION :
In this lesson we will discuss the thoughts and ideas put forward
by educated middle class leaders from the city of Bombay in the first
half of the 19th century . It must be remembered that Bombay was already
enjoying a premier position in the East India Company’s trade with the
East. The contact with Western Civilization had given the inhabitants of
the city of Bombay a new outlook and new interests which in some
respects differed from those of the people in the rest of Maharashtra at
the time of the British Conquest.
The contact with the Western thought and civilization had produced
two streams of impulses one was to bring about social change and
reform the society and bring it on level with the countries of the West.
The second was to resist the foreign rule which exploited the people
and resources of Maharashtra to enrich their home country and
consolidate their power to keep the Indians under their subjugation. The
first category of people was represented by Bal Shastri Jambhekar and
the other category was represented by Bhaskar Pandurang T arkhadkar,
Ramkrishna Vishwanath and Bhau Mahajan.
REFORM FROM WITHIN BAL GANGADHAR
SHASTRI JAMBHEKAR [1812-1846] :
He was born at Deogad in the old district of Ratnagiri, now a part
of present Sindhudurg district. Like his contemporaries Dadoba
Pandurang and Bhau Mahajan he was educated at the Elphinstone
Institute. As he began to learn more and more about Englishmen and
their civilization he was inspired to advocate social reforms, like his
counterpart in Bengal Raja Ram Mohan Roy. Soon he came to be
regarded as the Father of Modern Marathi and the Pioneer of the
Renaissance in Western India.
Jambhekar did not approve of the surrender of Ram Mohan Roy
to the Western influence. He wrote in the Bombay Darpan with the love
of general literature, he (Ram Mohan) indulged also in reflection on
religious subjects, which induced him at last totally to forsake the faith in
which he was born and to embrace Deism. This may sound strange as
Jambhekar was closely associated with Bhau Mahajan (Govind Vitthal
Mahajan) and Dadoba Pandurang T arkhadkar who showed inclination
towards reforming Hinduism.
Jambhekar however did not favour obscurantism in religious
matters. He wished to correct the ways of the die-hard reactionaries.
He did not hesitate to oppose the activities of the Christian Missionaries
whenever he thought that they were exploiting the weaknesses of the
Hindus. In 1843 a Brahman boy of 18 Narayan Govind Paralikar, was
converted to Christianity. He began to stay with Rev. Robert Nesbit. He
also took his younger brother Sripat aged 12 with him. Narayan thought
that as his brother stayed and ate with the Christian he would not be
taken back into the Hindu society. Narayan’s father wanted to take back
his younger son with him. Rev. Nesbit was not willing to let him go. Bal
Shastri Jambhekar sought the support of a very influential merchant
Jagannath Shankar Sheth and they began to move in the matter, in spite
of the opposition of another group of Brahmans supported by a wealthy
merchant Seth Sakji Dadaji-Jambhekar took Sripat to Varanasi to
perform the purification rites. After the return of Jambhekar with Sripat
from Varanasi, the Brahman community declared boycott against
Jambhekar, and Sripat was not fully accepted in Hindu Society.
Jambhekar however did not revolt against his community. He had
attempted to restore a minor to his original faith till he attained majority.
Jambhekar had to face the social boycott for about five years.
Another event which provoked the opposition of high classes of
the Hindu Society was when he fearlessly explained the phenomenon of
eclipse in terms of astronomical process. It was a stunning blow to the
so-called traditional knowledge of the elites of the closed society. He
knew that his boldness would incur their hostility. He was prepared for
such bitterness and boycott. He was however not prepared to
compromise his rationalism for the sake of their goodwill.
  Jambhekar’s Attitude towards Religion
Renaissance in Maharashtra and for that matter in the entire
subcontinent of India, had to be rooted in the attitude towards religion.
Any change in the ritual would mean a new way of thinking which had to
get a favourable response. If there were to be opposition, even then,
there was an attempt to mobilise the support by reasoning or an appeal
to higher spiritual values. Balshastri Jambhekar did not wish to offend
the religious faith of his fellowmen. He wished to remove some obvious
absurdities and set the process of rational thinking in motion. He took a
broad view of all religious faiths and maintained that the fundamental
principles of all religions are the same. He did not wish to hurt the
religious sentiments of the orthodox people. He was guided by Lord
Krishna’s message in the Gita i.e. It is better to die with one’s faith' (sva
dharme nidhanam sreyaha). He never doubted the existence of God
AImighty. He nevertheless talked disparagingly of the priests reciting
the religious formulae (mantras) without understanding their meaning.
He insisted that everybody should know the meaning of the holy words
uttered at the ceremonies. Otherwise the Sanskrit words become a
barrier between the priest and the performer of a ceremony;
simplification of the ceremonies he believed would remove many
misconceptions.
 Three-sided approach to Reforms
The distinction of planting the seeds of social reforms in Bombay
and in  Maharashtra goes to Bal Gangadhar Shastri Jambhekar. The
reforms that he attempted were three-pronged 1) Religious, 2) Social
and 3) Humanitarian.  In the religious field he had attempted to instill
rational approach among the priestly community. The social reforms
that he attempted were by advocating widow- remarriage and better
treatment to women.  The humanitarian activities contemplated by him
were of the nature of providing asylum to the socially condemned women.
Jambhekar was not a revolutionary and his attempts in these three
directions were not successful. He wanted to accomplish something to
Page 4


 INTORDUCTION :
In this lesson we will discuss the thoughts and ideas put forward
by educated middle class leaders from the city of Bombay in the first
half of the 19th century . It must be remembered that Bombay was already
enjoying a premier position in the East India Company’s trade with the
East. The contact with Western Civilization had given the inhabitants of
the city of Bombay a new outlook and new interests which in some
respects differed from those of the people in the rest of Maharashtra at
the time of the British Conquest.
The contact with the Western thought and civilization had produced
two streams of impulses one was to bring about social change and
reform the society and bring it on level with the countries of the West.
The second was to resist the foreign rule which exploited the people
and resources of Maharashtra to enrich their home country and
consolidate their power to keep the Indians under their subjugation. The
first category of people was represented by Bal Shastri Jambhekar and
the other category was represented by Bhaskar Pandurang T arkhadkar,
Ramkrishna Vishwanath and Bhau Mahajan.
REFORM FROM WITHIN BAL GANGADHAR
SHASTRI JAMBHEKAR [1812-1846] :
He was born at Deogad in the old district of Ratnagiri, now a part
of present Sindhudurg district. Like his contemporaries Dadoba
Pandurang and Bhau Mahajan he was educated at the Elphinstone
Institute. As he began to learn more and more about Englishmen and
their civilization he was inspired to advocate social reforms, like his
counterpart in Bengal Raja Ram Mohan Roy. Soon he came to be
regarded as the Father of Modern Marathi and the Pioneer of the
Renaissance in Western India.
Jambhekar did not approve of the surrender of Ram Mohan Roy
to the Western influence. He wrote in the Bombay Darpan with the love
of general literature, he (Ram Mohan) indulged also in reflection on
religious subjects, which induced him at last totally to forsake the faith in
which he was born and to embrace Deism. This may sound strange as
Jambhekar was closely associated with Bhau Mahajan (Govind Vitthal
Mahajan) and Dadoba Pandurang T arkhadkar who showed inclination
towards reforming Hinduism.
Jambhekar however did not favour obscurantism in religious
matters. He wished to correct the ways of the die-hard reactionaries.
He did not hesitate to oppose the activities of the Christian Missionaries
whenever he thought that they were exploiting the weaknesses of the
Hindus. In 1843 a Brahman boy of 18 Narayan Govind Paralikar, was
converted to Christianity. He began to stay with Rev. Robert Nesbit. He
also took his younger brother Sripat aged 12 with him. Narayan thought
that as his brother stayed and ate with the Christian he would not be
taken back into the Hindu society. Narayan’s father wanted to take back
his younger son with him. Rev. Nesbit was not willing to let him go. Bal
Shastri Jambhekar sought the support of a very influential merchant
Jagannath Shankar Sheth and they began to move in the matter, in spite
of the opposition of another group of Brahmans supported by a wealthy
merchant Seth Sakji Dadaji-Jambhekar took Sripat to Varanasi to
perform the purification rites. After the return of Jambhekar with Sripat
from Varanasi, the Brahman community declared boycott against
Jambhekar, and Sripat was not fully accepted in Hindu Society.
Jambhekar however did not revolt against his community. He had
attempted to restore a minor to his original faith till he attained majority.
Jambhekar had to face the social boycott for about five years.
Another event which provoked the opposition of high classes of
the Hindu Society was when he fearlessly explained the phenomenon of
eclipse in terms of astronomical process. It was a stunning blow to the
so-called traditional knowledge of the elites of the closed society. He
knew that his boldness would incur their hostility. He was prepared for
such bitterness and boycott. He was however not prepared to
compromise his rationalism for the sake of their goodwill.
  Jambhekar’s Attitude towards Religion
Renaissance in Maharashtra and for that matter in the entire
subcontinent of India, had to be rooted in the attitude towards religion.
Any change in the ritual would mean a new way of thinking which had to
get a favourable response. If there were to be opposition, even then,
there was an attempt to mobilise the support by reasoning or an appeal
to higher spiritual values. Balshastri Jambhekar did not wish to offend
the religious faith of his fellowmen. He wished to remove some obvious
absurdities and set the process of rational thinking in motion. He took a
broad view of all religious faiths and maintained that the fundamental
principles of all religions are the same. He did not wish to hurt the
religious sentiments of the orthodox people. He was guided by Lord
Krishna’s message in the Gita i.e. It is better to die with one’s faith' (sva
dharme nidhanam sreyaha). He never doubted the existence of God
AImighty. He nevertheless talked disparagingly of the priests reciting
the religious formulae (mantras) without understanding their meaning.
He insisted that everybody should know the meaning of the holy words
uttered at the ceremonies. Otherwise the Sanskrit words become a
barrier between the priest and the performer of a ceremony;
simplification of the ceremonies he believed would remove many
misconceptions.
 Three-sided approach to Reforms
The distinction of planting the seeds of social reforms in Bombay
and in  Maharashtra goes to Bal Gangadhar Shastri Jambhekar. The
reforms that he attempted were three-pronged 1) Religious, 2) Social
and 3) Humanitarian.  In the religious field he had attempted to instill
rational approach among the priestly community. The social reforms
that he attempted were by advocating widow- remarriage and better
treatment to women.  The humanitarian activities contemplated by him
were of the nature of providing asylum to the socially condemned women.
Jambhekar was not a revolutionary and his attempts in these three
directions were not successful. He wanted to accomplish something to
improve the existing condition of the people of Maharashtra. The effective
instrument for bringing about the change was his weekly “Darpan” and
the monthly magazine “Digdarshan”. In this respect he was pioneer. His
appeal might be limited only to the readers of his journals. The dynamic
approach to reform the society that he initiated was of immense potential.
His ideas about the condition of women and the absurdities associated
with religion and the influence of superstitions appealed to many
educated young men. They would not remain silent.
Jambhekar awakened a sense of enquiry among the Western
educated gentry.  He wanted them to lead the society as they were
benefited by the new education and enlightenment. The Literary Society
of Bombay established in 1804 by Sir James Mackintosh and
incorporated into the Bombay Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society in
1830 had stimulated the intellectual life of Bombay. Jambhekar while
appreciating the work of the foreign scholars and rulers to enlighten the
people of Maharashtra wanted his countrymen to take more interest in
that activity. He wrote in The Bombay Darpan, on May 7, 1836.
“We should be glad to see many of our countrymen as much
interested in the antiquities of India, as the strangers, who have come
to sojourn among us, and whose curiosity, industry, and research, are
worthy of the highest commendation.  As there cannot be a doubt that
membership in the Branch Asiatic Society would not now be denied to
intelligent and well instructed natives we indulge the hope that some will
make it a matter of consideration”.
Jambhekar was intensely aware of the importance of new
education. He was a distinguished educator. He was appointed Assistant
Professor of Mathematics in Elphinstone College in Bombay and later
on educational inspector in south Maharashtra. His study was not limited
to his Subject only but he wanted to unravel so many mysteries. He
marvelled at the profound store of knowledge in the European languages
and he wanted to assimilate as much of it as was possible. He remained
a diligent student throughout his short life of thirty-five years. He was
highly impressed by the material progress and the intellectual attainments
of the West and held Mountsuart Elphinstone in high esteem. His
appreciation of Elphinstone is epitomised in his remark “India has not
seen a great Statesman or more enlightened and liberal minded man
than Elphinstone”. The remark does credit to both.
Page 5


 INTORDUCTION :
In this lesson we will discuss the thoughts and ideas put forward
by educated middle class leaders from the city of Bombay in the first
half of the 19th century . It must be remembered that Bombay was already
enjoying a premier position in the East India Company’s trade with the
East. The contact with Western Civilization had given the inhabitants of
the city of Bombay a new outlook and new interests which in some
respects differed from those of the people in the rest of Maharashtra at
the time of the British Conquest.
The contact with the Western thought and civilization had produced
two streams of impulses one was to bring about social change and
reform the society and bring it on level with the countries of the West.
The second was to resist the foreign rule which exploited the people
and resources of Maharashtra to enrich their home country and
consolidate their power to keep the Indians under their subjugation. The
first category of people was represented by Bal Shastri Jambhekar and
the other category was represented by Bhaskar Pandurang T arkhadkar,
Ramkrishna Vishwanath and Bhau Mahajan.
REFORM FROM WITHIN BAL GANGADHAR
SHASTRI JAMBHEKAR [1812-1846] :
He was born at Deogad in the old district of Ratnagiri, now a part
of present Sindhudurg district. Like his contemporaries Dadoba
Pandurang and Bhau Mahajan he was educated at the Elphinstone
Institute. As he began to learn more and more about Englishmen and
their civilization he was inspired to advocate social reforms, like his
counterpart in Bengal Raja Ram Mohan Roy. Soon he came to be
regarded as the Father of Modern Marathi and the Pioneer of the
Renaissance in Western India.
Jambhekar did not approve of the surrender of Ram Mohan Roy
to the Western influence. He wrote in the Bombay Darpan with the love
of general literature, he (Ram Mohan) indulged also in reflection on
religious subjects, which induced him at last totally to forsake the faith in
which he was born and to embrace Deism. This may sound strange as
Jambhekar was closely associated with Bhau Mahajan (Govind Vitthal
Mahajan) and Dadoba Pandurang T arkhadkar who showed inclination
towards reforming Hinduism.
Jambhekar however did not favour obscurantism in religious
matters. He wished to correct the ways of the die-hard reactionaries.
He did not hesitate to oppose the activities of the Christian Missionaries
whenever he thought that they were exploiting the weaknesses of the
Hindus. In 1843 a Brahman boy of 18 Narayan Govind Paralikar, was
converted to Christianity. He began to stay with Rev. Robert Nesbit. He
also took his younger brother Sripat aged 12 with him. Narayan thought
that as his brother stayed and ate with the Christian he would not be
taken back into the Hindu society. Narayan’s father wanted to take back
his younger son with him. Rev. Nesbit was not willing to let him go. Bal
Shastri Jambhekar sought the support of a very influential merchant
Jagannath Shankar Sheth and they began to move in the matter, in spite
of the opposition of another group of Brahmans supported by a wealthy
merchant Seth Sakji Dadaji-Jambhekar took Sripat to Varanasi to
perform the purification rites. After the return of Jambhekar with Sripat
from Varanasi, the Brahman community declared boycott against
Jambhekar, and Sripat was not fully accepted in Hindu Society.
Jambhekar however did not revolt against his community. He had
attempted to restore a minor to his original faith till he attained majority.
Jambhekar had to face the social boycott for about five years.
Another event which provoked the opposition of high classes of
the Hindu Society was when he fearlessly explained the phenomenon of
eclipse in terms of astronomical process. It was a stunning blow to the
so-called traditional knowledge of the elites of the closed society. He
knew that his boldness would incur their hostility. He was prepared for
such bitterness and boycott. He was however not prepared to
compromise his rationalism for the sake of their goodwill.
  Jambhekar’s Attitude towards Religion
Renaissance in Maharashtra and for that matter in the entire
subcontinent of India, had to be rooted in the attitude towards religion.
Any change in the ritual would mean a new way of thinking which had to
get a favourable response. If there were to be opposition, even then,
there was an attempt to mobilise the support by reasoning or an appeal
to higher spiritual values. Balshastri Jambhekar did not wish to offend
the religious faith of his fellowmen. He wished to remove some obvious
absurdities and set the process of rational thinking in motion. He took a
broad view of all religious faiths and maintained that the fundamental
principles of all religions are the same. He did not wish to hurt the
religious sentiments of the orthodox people. He was guided by Lord
Krishna’s message in the Gita i.e. It is better to die with one’s faith' (sva
dharme nidhanam sreyaha). He never doubted the existence of God
AImighty. He nevertheless talked disparagingly of the priests reciting
the religious formulae (mantras) without understanding their meaning.
He insisted that everybody should know the meaning of the holy words
uttered at the ceremonies. Otherwise the Sanskrit words become a
barrier between the priest and the performer of a ceremony;
simplification of the ceremonies he believed would remove many
misconceptions.
 Three-sided approach to Reforms
The distinction of planting the seeds of social reforms in Bombay
and in  Maharashtra goes to Bal Gangadhar Shastri Jambhekar. The
reforms that he attempted were three-pronged 1) Religious, 2) Social
and 3) Humanitarian.  In the religious field he had attempted to instill
rational approach among the priestly community. The social reforms
that he attempted were by advocating widow- remarriage and better
treatment to women.  The humanitarian activities contemplated by him
were of the nature of providing asylum to the socially condemned women.
Jambhekar was not a revolutionary and his attempts in these three
directions were not successful. He wanted to accomplish something to
improve the existing condition of the people of Maharashtra. The effective
instrument for bringing about the change was his weekly “Darpan” and
the monthly magazine “Digdarshan”. In this respect he was pioneer. His
appeal might be limited only to the readers of his journals. The dynamic
approach to reform the society that he initiated was of immense potential.
His ideas about the condition of women and the absurdities associated
with religion and the influence of superstitions appealed to many
educated young men. They would not remain silent.
Jambhekar awakened a sense of enquiry among the Western
educated gentry.  He wanted them to lead the society as they were
benefited by the new education and enlightenment. The Literary Society
of Bombay established in 1804 by Sir James Mackintosh and
incorporated into the Bombay Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society in
1830 had stimulated the intellectual life of Bombay. Jambhekar while
appreciating the work of the foreign scholars and rulers to enlighten the
people of Maharashtra wanted his countrymen to take more interest in
that activity. He wrote in The Bombay Darpan, on May 7, 1836.
“We should be glad to see many of our countrymen as much
interested in the antiquities of India, as the strangers, who have come
to sojourn among us, and whose curiosity, industry, and research, are
worthy of the highest commendation.  As there cannot be a doubt that
membership in the Branch Asiatic Society would not now be denied to
intelligent and well instructed natives we indulge the hope that some will
make it a matter of consideration”.
Jambhekar was intensely aware of the importance of new
education. He was a distinguished educator. He was appointed Assistant
Professor of Mathematics in Elphinstone College in Bombay and later
on educational inspector in south Maharashtra. His study was not limited
to his Subject only but he wanted to unravel so many mysteries. He
marvelled at the profound store of knowledge in the European languages
and he wanted to assimilate as much of it as was possible. He remained
a diligent student throughout his short life of thirty-five years. He was
highly impressed by the material progress and the intellectual attainments
of the West and held Mountsuart Elphinstone in high esteem. His
appreciation of Elphinstone is epitomised in his remark “India has not
seen a great Statesman or more enlightened and liberal minded man
than Elphinstone”. The remark does credit to both.
  INTELLECTUAL RESISTANCE AND ECONOMIC
NATIONALISM :
The full title of the topic as noted at beginning of the lesson is ‘Early
intellectual resistance to British Colonial Rule and the rise of nascent
economic nationalism. It would be instructive to get clear idea of the
meaning of the terms used here.  Intellectual resistance is the expression
of opinions and arguments to point out defects or shortcomings of the
rulers etc. Nationalism can be described as a strong feeling of oneness,
togetherness, a sense of belonging to the people in a definite area or
country, under the same government having a common history and
heritage. An economic nationalism is thus a feeling of pride in the
progress and prosperity and dejection or sorrow at its losses and
failures.
Now colonial rule is not mere political and military domination like
that of khaljis and the Tughluqs in the Medieval history of India. It may be
described as a practice or system of government imposed on another
country after military conquest or peaceful occupation. The rulers exploit
the inhabitants and the natural resources of the subject country to
subserve the interests of their mother country.
It will be clear from the above that the British rule in India was that
of a colonial empire. A trading Company political and military ascendancy
in India was bound to enrich itself and its mother country. The popular
philosophy of ‘Free Trade and ‘Division of Labour’ had helped the East
India Company to consolidate its position in India. The British Crown
used to revise the Company’s Charter every 20 years, with progressive
checks on its powers.
The people of Maharashtra did not feel the rigours and humiliations
after the conquest as an enlightened governor like Mountstuart
Elphinstone was at the helm of affairs of the Bombay Presidency. Things
changed when Sir Robert Grant became the governor of Bombay and
Lord Auckland succeeded Lord William Bentinck in 1836. Intellectual
resistance began from that time.
Bhaskar Pandurang Tarkhadkar (1816-1847)
Among the first critics of the East India Company’s Government in
India were the British journalists themselves.  Some press restrictions
were imposed from 1823 to 1835.  Sir Charles Metcalfe who was
officiating as Governor-General of the Company made the press free of
all restrictions.  This freedom of the Press continued for the next forty
years or so. The educated people in Bombay city availed themselves of
that opportunity.  Bombay city in 1816 had a substantial number of
Europeans and the indigenous Christians.  They numbered about 10%