Raja Ram Mohan Roy - GS questions based on daily current affairs

1)   Which of the following are features of Roy's Brahmo Samaj?

1. Opposition to idol-worship
2. Practice of collective prayer
3. Ideals of brahmacharya


a. 1 and 2
b. 1 and 3
c. 2 and 3
d. All
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: 1 and 2

Explanation:
- Two major features of Roy's Brahmo Samaj, namely, the opposition t o idol-worship, and the practice of collective prayer were borrowed from Christianity.
- Raja Ram Mohan Roy is called as "the Father of Modern India".
- He attempted to combine the western and eastern philosophy.
- He established the Brahmo Samaj in 1828. The Samaj provided a forum for religious and philosophical contemplation and discussion.


2)   Which of the following statements is/are correct about Raja Ram Mohan Roy?

1. He celebrated the establishment of constitutional governments in
Spain and Portugal .
2. He propagated Sanskrit learning.


a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both
d. None
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:
- Raja Ram Mohan Roy's ambition was to change the educational system completely.
- He was convinced that only a modern, science education could instill new awareness and new capabilities in the Indian people.
- Without this kind of education, social reform in lndia would be very weak and the country would always remain backward.
- Though Roy himself was a great scholar of Sanskrit, he always felt that the Sanskrit learning was irrelevant to modern lndia and hence he strongly opposed it.
- He appealed to the rulers that instead of perpetuating irrelevant Sanskrit learning, they should help equip the new generations of Indians with useful modern scientific knowledge.
- Roy wanted instruction in useful modern sciences like chemistry, mathematics, anatomy, natural philosophy and not load young minds with grammatical complexities, and speculative or imaginary knowledge.


3)   Which of the following statements is/are correct about Atmiya Sabha?

1. Raja Ram Mohan Roy established the Atmiya Sabha.
2. Atmiya Sabha vehemently protested against the prevalent practice of selling young girls to prospective husbands.


a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both
d. None
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Both

Explanation:
- Roy started his public life in 1815 with the establishment of the Atmiya Sabha. This sabha vehemently protested against the prevalent practice of selling young girls to prospective husbands due to some pecuniary interests, in the name of the Kuleen tradition.
- It also opposed polygamy and worked for the removal of caste disabilities.


4)   Which of the following social reformer propagated the concept of universal religion?

a. Jyotirao Phule
b. Raja Ram Mohan Roy
c. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
d. Mahadev Govind Ranade
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Raja Ram Mohan Roy

Explanation:
- Raja Ram Mohan Roy was interested not only in reforming the Hindu religion, but also tried to remove the discrepancies among the various religions of the world.
- He undertook a serious study of comparative religions and realized in due course that true Hinduism, true Islam and true Christianity are not fundamentally different from each other.
- He hoped that the universal religion for mankind could be established by combining the best elements of all religions.
- This concept of universal religion meant not merely religious tolerance, but also transcending all the sectarian barriers of separate religion. Roy, thus attempted a spiritual synthesis, stressing the unity of all religious experience.