Atmaram Pandurang was the founder of Prarthana Samaj along with his brother Dadoba Pandurang. It was established on 31st March 1867 and became a social and religious reform movement known as Prarthana Samaj meant “ Prayer Society” which emerged in India, aiming to promote social equality, education and religious reform. In this blog, let us learn more about Prarthana Samaj founders.
Who Was Atmaram Pandurang?
Atmaram Pandurang, also known as Atmaram Pandurang Turkhadekar, was a social reformer and Prarthana Samaj founder. He was born in 1823 in Maharashtra, India. Atmaram Pandurang was deeply influenced by the teachings of Swami Dayanand Saraswati and Raja Ram Mohan Roy, two other prominent social reformers of the time. Pandurang dedicated his life to promoting social equality, education, and religious reform. He believed in the power of prayer and the importance of maintaining a personal connection with the divine.
The Ideals of Prarthana Samaj
Prarthana Samaj, which translates to “Prayer Society,” was founded to promote social reforms and religious tolerance in Indian society. The main ideals of Prarthana Samaj included:
- Promoting the worship of one God
- Advocating for the education of all members of society
- Encouraging the abolition of untouchability and caste discrimination
- Supporting the empowerment of women and their right to education
- Emphasizing the importance of moral values and ethics in daily life
- Abolish child marriage and infanticide
- Remarriage of widows
Also Read – Prarthana Samaj: History, Founder, Principles & Impact
Later leaders like Ramakrishna Gopal Bhandarkar, Dadabhai Naoroji and Mahadev Govind Ranade joined the samaj, giving a new height to the prevailing goals to achieve.
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