Ramakrishna Mission and Aligarh Movement | KPSC KAS Preparation: All subjects - KPSC KAS (Karnataka) PDF Download

Rama Krishna Mission – 1897

• Rama Krishna Paramahamsa was a priest at a Kali temple in Dakshineswar near Kolkata.
• He deeply believed in the fundamental truth of all religions and preached their unity.
• He explained the principles of the Vedas and Upanishads through simple stories known as parables.
• He emphasized that every individual is a part of God, teaching that "service to man means service to God."
• His teachings were widely propagated by his great disciple, Swami Vivekananda.
• Swami Vivekananda's childhood name was Narendra Nath.
• He received an English education and graduated, studying the works of Western philosophers.
• He was drawn to and became close to Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.
• After Ramakrishna's death, Vivekananda spread his master's teachings throughout India.
• Vivekananda believed that "the best way to serve God is to serve the poor and the downtrodden," which became his guiding principle.
• He participated in the World Religious Congress in Chicago, USA, in 1893, elevating the global perception of Indian culture and religion.
• Swami Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Mission in 1897 at Belur near Kolkata.
• The mission has branches across India and other parts of the world, with the motto "Service to humanity."
• It focuses on education, the upliftment of women, and the alleviation of poverty among the poor and downtrodden.

Muslim Reform Movements

• For a long time, Muslims remained outside the influence of Western education and British rule.
• Reform movements within the Muslim community began in the latter half of the 19th century.
• These movements aimed to promote modern education and eliminate social issues like the Purdah system and polygamy.
• The Mohammedan Literary Society of Kolkata was established in 1863 by Nawab Abdul Latif.
• The society played a significant role in spreading education among Muslims and established several schools in Bengal.

Syed Ahmed Khan and Aligarh Movement

• The most significant movement for modern education and social reform among Muslims was initiated by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan.
• Sir Syed Ahmed Khan served as a judicial officer under the British Government.
• He remained loyal to the British during the revolt of 1857 and advocated for Muslim cooperation with the British Government.
• He promoted unity between Hindus and Muslims.
• In 1864, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan established a school at Ghazipur, which later became known as the Scientific Society.
• His major achievement was founding the Mohammedan Anglo Oriental College (MAO) at Aligarh in 1875, which eventually evolved into the Aligarh Muslim University.
• The reform movement led by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was known as the Aligarh Movement.
• He supported the abolition of the Purdah system and the education of women.
• He disseminated his ideas through his magazine, Tahlil-ud-Akhlaq (Reform of Morals).