The conscious attempts at state intervention in India’s social practices customs were extremely limited in their impact. The colonial government by al tiring the political configuration of pre-colonial Indian did trigger of significant structural social changes. The British consciously denied political power and privileges to the pre-colonial ruling Indian groups while recognising their social and caste status.
The small Western educated Bengali intelligentsia engaged in debates with the state on policy matters, responded to policy changes and independently tried to bring about social changes in Bengal. These groups of intelligentsia which included personalities like Rammohan Roy and Keshub Chandra Sen were impressed by Britain’s progress and convinced that Indian society needed urgent social changes. At the same time the resisted Anglicisation as Christina missionary attempts to convert Indians.
Intellectuals like Rammohan Roy offered to their countrymen a reformed Indian religion, Vedantist, free of superstition and priesthood. The Brahmo Samaj, which was their organisational form, coupled Hindu reformation with an adoption of progressive Western values. Unfortunately the Brahmos and the Bengal reformist groups could not extend their campaign beyond the restricted Western educated urban Bengali population.
The message of social reform, however, spread gradually to many parts of India and brought about reform movement under Indian initiative independent of governmental support. It may therefore be reiterated that the pragmatic considerations of the British Indian government acted as a strong check to the translation of reformist ideas into state polices in India.
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Social and religious institutions were an area in which the government intervened with great caution. Even the policy of limited state intervention in social affairs, surveyed above, suffered a total reversal in the period after the 1857 revolt. From then onwards social reform was left mainly to indigenous initiative.