Western Indian Reformers: Jambhekar, Paramahansa Mandali, Lokahitawadi and Agarkar
Modern History › Reform Movements and Their Leaders · Topic 12.5
Western India produced reformers who worked through journalism, secret societies and education: Balshastri Jambhekar (Darpan, 1832), the Paramahansa Mandali (1849), Gopalhari Deshmukh 'Lokahitawadi' (1823-92) and Gopal Ganesh Agarkar (1856-95), who edited Sudharak and co-founded Fergusson College.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · Reform Movements and Their Leaders
At a Glance
- Jambhekar Father of Marathi journalism; Darpan (1832), Digdarshan (1840)
- Paramahansa Mandali Founded 1849; Dadoba Pandurang and Mehtaji Durgaram
- Lokahitawadi Gopalhari Deshmukh (1823-92), rationalist writer
- Agarkar Gopal Ganesh Agarkar (1856-95); Sudharak; Fergusson College
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Modern History: Reform Movements and Their Leaders
Where Does It Fit?
This is the fifth topic of the category on reform movements and their leaders. The previous topic covered Vidyasagar in Bengal. This topic covers four reform efforts of western India, outside the Prarthana Samaj. The next topic covers Jyotirao Phule and the Satyashodhak Samaj. Previous topic: Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar.
Who Was Balshastri Jambhekar?
Balshastri Jambhekar (1812-46) was a pioneer of social reform through journalism in Bombay. He attacked brahminical orthodoxy and tried to reform popular Hinduism. He started the newspaper Darpan in 1832. Known as the father of Marathi journalism, Jambhekar used the Darpan to awaken the people to social reforms such as widow remarriage and to instil a scientific approach to life. In 1840 he started Digdarshan, which published articles on scientific subjects as well as history.
Jambhekar founded the Bombay Native General Library and started the Native Improvement Society, of which an offshoot was the Students’ Literary and Scientific Library. He was the first professor of Hindi at Elphinstone College, and a director of the Colaba Observatory.
What Was the Paramahansa Mandali?
Founded in 1849 in Maharashtra, the Paramahansa Mandali was begun by Dadoba Pandurang, Mehtaji Durgaram and others as a secret society that worked to reform Hindu religion and society in general. Its ideology was closely linked to that of the Manav Dharma Sabha. Besides holding that one God should be worshipped, the society said that real religion is based on love and moral conduct. Freedom of thought and rationality were encouraged.
The founders were primarily interested in breaking caste rules. At their meetings, food cooked by lower-caste people was taken by the members. The Mandali advocated widow remarriage and women’s education, and it had branches in Poona, Satara and other towns of Maharashtra. A precursor of the Prarthana Samaj, as told in Prarthana Samaj, was the Paramahansa Sabha.
Who Was Gopalhari Deshmukh, “Lokahitawadi”?
Gopalhari Deshmukh (1823-92) was a social reformer and rationalist from Maharashtra. He held the post of a judge under the British raj, but wrote on social reform issues in the weekly Prabhakar under the pen name Lokahitawadi. He advocated a reorganisation of Indian society on rational principles and on modern, humanistic and secular values. He attacked Hindu orthodoxy, supported social and religious equality and wrote against the evils of the caste system. He is known for the remark that if religion does not sanction social reform, then religion should be changed.
He started a weekly, Hitechhu, and played a leading role in founding the periodicals Gyan Prakash, Indu Prakash and Lokahitawadi.
Who Was Gopal Ganesh Agarkar?
Gopal Ganesh Agarkar (1856-95) was an educationist and social reformer from Maharashtra. A strong advocate of the power of human reason, he criticised blind dependence on tradition and the false glorification of the past. He was a co-founder of the New English School, the Deccan Education Society and Fergusson College, and was principal of Fergusson College. He was the first editor of Kesari, the journal started by Lokmanya Tilak. Later he started his own periodical, Sudharak, which spoke against untouchability and the caste system.
| Reformer or body | Main work | Medium |
|---|---|---|
| Balshastri Jambhekar | Social reform and scientific outlook | Darpan (1832), Digdarshan (1840) |
| Paramahansa Mandali | Breaking caste rules; widow remarriage; women’s education | Secret society, 1849 |
| Gopalhari Deshmukh | Rational, humanist reform; against caste | Prabhakar, Hitechhu, Gyan Prakash, Indu Prakash |
| Gopal Ganesh Agarkar | Education; reason against blind tradition | Kesari (first editor), Sudharak |
As an analytical point, the common thread in western India was the use of the Marathi press and of schools and libraries, not of new religious organisations, to spread reform. This differs from Bengal, where the Brahmo Samaj and Young Bengal were more organised around religious or intellectual circles, as in Raja Rammohan Roy and the Brahmo Samaj.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Match the following Reformer, journal and place are common Prelims pairs
- Press and reform Shows the role of journalism in social reform
- Maharashtra link Prepares for Phule, Ranade and Tilak
What Came Next?
The next topic covers Jyotirao Phule and the Satyashodhak Samaj. Next topic: Satyashodhak Samaj and Jyotirao Phule.
Key People and Terms
- Darpan Jambhekar’s 1832 newspaper
- Digdarshan Jambhekar’s 1840 journal on science and history
- Paramahansa Mandali The 1849 secret reform society of Maharashtra
- Lokahitawadi Pen name of Gopalhari Deshmukh
- Sudharak Agarkar’s periodical against caste and untouchability
- Deccan Education Society The society Agarkar co-founded
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Jambhekar: Darpan 1832, Digdarshan 1840; father of Marathi journalism.
- Paramahansa Mandali: 1849; Dadoba Pandurang, Mehtaji Durgaram.
- Lokahitawadi: Gopalhari Deshmukh; Prabhakar.
- Agarkar: Sudharak; first editor of Kesari.
- Agarkar co-founded Deccan Education Society and Fergusson College.
Do Not Confuse With
- Paramahansa Sabha and Paramahansa Mandali The Sabha was the precursor of the Prarthana Samaj; the Mandali was founded in 1849
- Lokahitawadi and Lokmanya Lokahitawadi: Deshmukh; Lokmanya: Tilak
- Kesari and Sudharak Agarkar edited Kesari at first; Sudharak was his own paper
Memory Hook
Press, secret society, rationalist pen and a college: reform in Maharashtra.
Mains Angle
Questions ask for the role of the press and education in social reform. These points add depth.
- Press as a tool Darpan, Prabhakar and Sudharak spread reform ideas
- Rationalism Deshmukh and Agarkar based reform on reason
- Direct action The Mandali broke caste rules at its meetings
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Describe the contribution of the western Indian reformers to social reform in the nineteenth century.”
How to Answer
- Press Jambhekar, Deshmukh and Agarkar.
- Society The Paramahansa Mandali.
- Education Agarkar and Fergusson College.
- Conclude Compare with Bengal.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Balshastri Jambhekar?
Balshastri Jambhekar (1812-46) was a pioneer of social reform through journalism in Bombay and is called the father of Marathi journalism. He started Darpan in 1832 and Digdarshan in 1840 to spread reform and a scientific outlook.
What was the Paramahansa Mandali?
The Paramahansa Mandali was a secret society founded in 1849 in Maharashtra by Dadoba Pandurang, Mehtaji Durgaram and others. It worked to reform Hindu religion and society, break caste rules, and promote widow remarriage and women's education.
Who was Lokahitawadi?
Lokahitawadi was the pen name of Gopalhari Deshmukh (1823-92), a judge and rationalist who wrote on social reform in the weekly Prabhakar. He attacked orthodoxy and caste and called for a reorganisation of society on rational, humanistic and secular values.
What did Gopal Ganesh Agarkar do?
Agarkar (1856-95) was an educationist and social reformer who criticised blind tradition and the false glorification of the past. He co-founded the New English School, the Deccan Education Society and Fergusson College, and edited Kesari and then Sudharak.
Which periodicals were linked with western Indian reformers?
Jambhekar began Darpan and Digdarshan, Deshmukh wrote in Prabhakar and founded Hitechhu and helped found Gyan Prakash and Indu Prakash, and Agarkar edited Kesari first and later published Sudharak, which spoke against caste and untouchability.
What did the Paramahansa Mandali do at its meetings?
At the Mandali's meetings food cooked by lower-caste people was eaten by members, because its founders were mainly interested in breaking caste rules. It also had branches in Poona, Satara and other towns of Maharashtra.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Balshastri Jambhekar started the newspaper Darpan in 1832.
He is called the father of Marathi journalism.
2 The Paramahansa Mandali was founded in 1849.
It was a secret society.
3 Gopal Ganesh Agarkar was the first editor of Kesari.
He later started Sudharak.
4 Lokahitawadi was the pen name of Agarkar.
It was the pen name of Gopalhari Deshmukh.
5 Jambhekar founded Fergusson College.
Agarkar co-founded Fergusson College.
Related Topics
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