socio-religious reforms in the 19th century

If we have an overall look at 19th century socioreligious reform movement's nature, it becomes clear that this movement was associated with urban middle class and upper class in which rationalism and religious universalism put importance on the social reforms and modernization. 

The process of religious reform had started almost in all Indian religions, India, in the 19th century, witnessed a series of socioreligious reform movements which aimed at reorientations of the Indian society along modern lines. These reform movements can be viewed as the expression of the social aspiration of newly emerging middle class of colonial India. 

Brahmo Samaj in Bengal, Arya Samaj in Punjab, Paramhamsa Mandalis and Prarthana Samaj in Maharashtra, Ahmadiya, Aligarh movements, Singh Sabha, Rehnumai Mazdeyasan Sabha, etc. were some of the socio-religious organisations which tried to relieve their religions from the burdens of blind faith and superstitious. beliefs Religious reformation was a major concern of these movements, but none of them was exclusively religious in character but were strongly humanist in inspiration, their attention was focused on worldly existence. 

The major social problems which came in the preview of the reform movements were emancipation of women in which sati, infanticide, child and widow remarriage, casteism, untouchability were taken up for enlightening the society, and in the religious spheres main issues like idolatry, polytheism, religious superstitions and exploitation by priests were taken up. 

Rationalism and religious universalism were the important idea which influenced these reform movements; a rational and secular outlook was much evident in providing an alternative to prevalent social practice. However, these reform movements were confined by and large to a region or other and also were confined to a particular caste or religion. Even if there were differences in their methods, all of them had a common concern, that is the regeneration of society through social and educational reforms. Much significant contributions were made by these reform movements in the evolution of modern India. They stood for the democratization of the society, removal of superstitions and decadent customs, spread of enlightenment and development of a rational and modern outlook. This led to the national awakening in India.