Keshab Chandra Sen (1838-1884), a great intellectual and well-known Brahma leader of nineteenth-century Bengal, founded a new 'universal' religion - Naba Bidhan - in 1880 (New Dispensation). He was born into a 'modernist' family and inherited his grandfather's organizational skills as well as his father's spirit of vaisnava devotion. This article focuses on the life and contributions of Keshab Chandra Sen to the UPSC Exams.

Keshab Chandra Sen

Keshab Chandra Sen - Background

• Keshub Chandra Sen was born on November 19, 1838, in an affluent family in Calcutta. He was ten years old when he lost his father, Peary Mohan, and was raised by his uncle.
• He was appointed secretary of the Asiatic Society in 1854. He also worked as a bank clerk, but the monotonous clerical work bore him.
• His grandfather, Ramkamal Sen (1783-1844) was the first Indian secretary of the Asian Society, the compiler of the first English-Bengali Dictionary (two volumes published in 1830 and 1834), and one of the founders of the Hindu College (1817), the Calcutta School-Book Society (1818), and the Sanskrit College (1824).
• He read Theodore Parker's works and was influenced by him as an American Transcendentalist, and he delivered speeches on religion and morality.
• Sen was influenced by Christian teachings and sought to incorporate them into the Hindu framework. He believed that only Christian doctrine could breathe new life into Hindu society.
• He was also impressed by the discipline of Christian missionary work, and he began to practice it himself.

Keshab Chandra Sen - Ideology

• Throughout his life, Keshab Chandra Sen's ideology evolved, and he emphasized different issues at different times.
• He placed more emphasis on religious issues at times, and less emphasis on social changes at other times.
• Keshab Chandra took on the role of a religious Guru in the latter half of his life, preaching his vision of religion.
• He had a charismatic personality, and the religious path he chose is known as new-Vaishnavism.
• Even though he was responsible for many splits in the Brahmo Samaj, including the first schism, he was unquestionably one of the most discussed and popular social reformers in Bengal during the British period.
• He also emerged as a pivotal figure in the history of socio-religious movements in India.

Keshab Chandra Sen - Contributions

• In his early years, he was involved in the activities of the British Indian Association. He joined the Brahmo Samaj in 1857 and was regarded as the movement's most youthful member.
• During this period, in1860, the Sangat Sabha was founded–a society of fellow believers formed to promote mutual spiritual intercourse among its members.
• This sabha sowed the seeds of new Brahmoism in syncretism with Christian tenets to create a truly universal religion. As a result, he significantly expanded and broadened Brahmoism.
• He, along with the Brahmo Samaj of India, worked tirelessly for the upliftment and education of girls.
• Sen was instrumental in the establishment of the Albert College in 1862, as well as the Bethune College for Ladies and several other schools.
• He also spread the goodwill of their philosophy by extensively traveling throughout India, particularly in the south, as well as through the daily "Dharma Tattwa" and the weekly "Indian Mirror."
• He also developed a syncretic religious philosophy known as "The New Dispensation," which promoted fraternity and love while condemning the evils that persisted and enunciating the ideology "God is Conscience."
• He also founded the "Indian Reform Association." While many Brahmo Samaj members opposed it, many others praised it.
• His detractors claimed that Sen had strayed from the Samaj's core ideologies, whereas his supporters claimed that he was realizing Raja Ram Mohan Roy's philosophy of a universal religion.
• He was also considered close to Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and adopted many of his ideas.

Keshab Chandra Sen - Women Upliftment

• Sen advocated widow remarriage and inter-caste marriages while preaching against child marriage. He was also a driving force behind the legalization of native marriages.
• In 1870, he met the British monarch Queen Victoria and expressed his acceptance of British rule, which enraged the people of his home country.
• His acceptance of British rule was theological, but he was harshly criticized in India.
• He was chastised for marrying his daughter to the Prince of Cooch Behar. His daughter was only about 14 years old at the time, and the prince was about 15 years old.
• His associates mocked him for his ostensibly anti-child marriage stance and his actual actions.

Keshab Chandra Sena and Brahmo Samaj

• When Keshab Chandra Sen was appointed acharya by Debendranath Tagore shortly after the latter joined the Brahmo Samaj in 1858, the Brahmo Samaj experienced a new surge of energy.
• Keshab was instrumental in popularizing the movement, and branches of the Samaj were established outside of Bengal, including the United Provinces, Punjab, Bombay, Madras, and other cities.

Schism between Keshab Chandra Sen and Others

• Debendranath did not agree with some of Sen's radical ideas, such as cosmopolitanisation of Samaj meetings by including teachings from all religions and his strong opposition to the caste system, including open support for inter-caste marriages.
• In 1865, Keshab Chandra Sen was removed from the position of acharya.
• In 1866, Keshab and his followers established the Brahmo Samaj of India, while Debendranath Tagore's Samaj became known as the Adi Brahmo Samaj.
• Keshab's inexplicable act of marrying his 13-year-old daughter to the minor Hindu Maharaja of Cooch-Behar with all the orthodox Hindu rituals in 1878 caused another split in Keshab's Brahmo Samaj of India.
• Earlier, some of Keshab's followers began to regard him as an incarnation, much to the chagrin of his progressive followers. Furthermore, Keshab was being accused of authoritarianism.
• After 1878, Keshab's disgruntled followers formed a new organization, the Sadharan Brahmo Samaj. Ananda Mohan Bose, Sib Chandra Deb, and Umeshchandra Dutta founded the Sadharan Brahmo Samaj.
• It reaffirmed the Brahmo doctrines of belief in a Supreme Being, one God, the belief that no scripture or man is infallible, and faith in the dictates of reason, truth, and morality.

Conclusion

Keshab Sen's work in the field of social reform left a lasting impression on Bengali society. Keshab Sen's identity as a religious and social reformer shifted constantly - from scientist of religion to exponent of Neo-Vaishnavism and Mother goddess, from revolutionary social reformer to restrained theoretician, from ardent constitutionalist to defender of authoritarianism, from nationalist to champion of 'providential' British rule.

FAQs

MCQs

1. Which movement was Keshab Chandra Sen associated with?

A) Arya Samaj
B) Brahmo Samaj
C) Theosophical Society
D) Aligarh Movement

2. What was the primary reason for Keshab Chandra Sen's split from the Brahmo Samaj?

A) Political differences
B) Religious differences
C) Ideological differences on social reform
D) Personal disputes

3. Which reform was Keshab Chandra Sen NOT associated with?

A) Abolition of child marriage
B) Promotion of widow remarriage
C) Formation of labor unions
D) Promotion of inter-caste marriage

4. Which of the following organizations did Keshab Chandra Sen establish?

A) Arya Samaj
B) Bharatvarshiya Brahmo Samaj
C) Indian National Congress
D) Theosophical Society

5. What was Keshab Chandra Sen's perspective on nationalism?

A) Political Nationalism
B) Economic Nationalism
C) Spiritual Nationalism
D) Cultural Nationalism

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

Q1: Discuss the contributions of Keshab Chandra Sen to social reform and religious thought in India.

Answer: Keshab Chandra Sen was a key figure in the Brahmo Samaj movement and made significant contributions to social reform and religious thought in India. He advocated for progressive reforms such as the abolition of child marriage, widow remarriage, and inter-caste marriage. His belief in spiritual nationalism and inter-religious harmony reflected his efforts to modernize Indian society by blending Eastern spirituality with Western rationalism. Sen's work in promoting women's education and his establishment of the Bharatvarshiya Brahmo Samaj demonstrated his commitment to both social and religious reform.

Q2: Analyze the role of Keshab Chandra Sen in advancing women's rights and education in India.

Answer: Keshab Chandra Sen played a crucial role in advancing women's rights and education in India. He advocated for the abolition of child marriage and promoted widow remarriage, challenging societal norms that restricted women's freedom. Sen believed that education was the key to empowering women and worked to ensure greater access to education for women, making it a central part of his reform agenda. His contributions laid the foundation for future women's rights movements in India and helped to bring about social change during the 19th century.

Q3: Examine the reasons behind Keshab Chandra Sen’s split from the Brahmo Samaj and the formation of the Bharatvarshiya Brahmo Samaj.

Answer: Keshab Chandra Sen’s split from the Brahmo Samaj was largely due to ideological differences with Debendranath Tagore regarding the role of social reforms within religious practice. Sen believed that the Brahmo Samaj should take a more active role in addressing social issues like child marriage and widow remarriage, while Tagore was more focused on spiritual matters. This led Sen to form the Bharatvarshiya Brahmo Samaj in 1866, where he could pursue both social and religious reforms. His new organization reflected his commitment to modernizing Indian society by blending religious reform with social activism.

Previous Year Questions on Keshab Chandra Sen

1. UPSC CSE Mains 2017 (GS Paper 1)

Question: How did the social reform movements of the 19th century, such as the Brahmo Samaj, contribute to the empowerment of women in India?

Answer: The Brahmo Samaj and other social reform movements of the 19th century played a pivotal role in the empowerment of women in India. Reformers like Keshab Chandra Sen advocated for the abolition of child marriage, promotion of widow remarriage, and women's education. These movements challenged deeply entrenched social practices that limited women's rights and freedom. By promoting progressive reforms, the Brahmo Samaj helped create a foundation for the future women's rights movement in India and brought about significant changes in attitudes toward gender equality.

2. UPSC CSE Prelims 2018

Question: Which of the following reformers was associated with the formation of the Bharatvarshiya Brahmo Samaj?

A) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
B) Debendranath Tagore
C) Keshab Chandra Sen
D) Swami Vivekananda

Answer: C

Keshab Chandra Sen formed the Bharatvarshiya Brahmo Samaj after splitting from the original Brahmo Samaj due to ideological differences with Debendranath Tagore.