a. Reformers of Maharashtra:

The two reformers of Maharashtra who immensely contributed to the cause of women education were Jotiba Phule and Atmaram Pandurang.

b. Prarthana Samaj:

The Prarthana Samaj was founded in Maharashtra in 1867 by Atmaram Pandurang. M. Ranade and Bhanderkar were important members of the Prarthana Samaj.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

The followers of the Prarthana Samaj, unlike the Brahmas, considered themselves very much as Hindus. The Prarthana Samajists adhered to the great religious tradition of the Marathi saints like Ramdas and Tukaram.

The chief feature of the reform movement initiated by the Prarthana Samaj was attention to social reform rather than reform of religion.

With a view to doing away with caste system and untouchability the Prarthana Samaj encouraged inter-dining.

For the emancipation of women also the Samaj made valuable contributions by arranging intercaste-marriage and remarriage of Hindu widows.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

The Parthana Samaj also was in favour of introducing education to the weaker section of the population.

c. Reform Movement of the Parsees:

The Zoroastrians, in India, are known as the Parsees. The Parsees had undertaken reform movement as they had faced a challenge from the Christian missionaries.

The principal aims of the Parsee reform movement were: codification of the Zoroastrian religion and shaping the social life of the Parsees.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

The key figure of the social reform movement among the Parsees was Naoraji Furdonji. He found a reform society of the Parsees in 1851 in Bombay.

Furdonji himself was its President. Under the leadership of the society a reform programme was undertaken.

In short, the Parsee reform movement aimed at modernizing the Parsee society along western lines.

As a result of the reform movement the Parsees emerged as a modernized anglicized community. This community made positive contributions to the Indian freedom movement.