Q. Consider the following:
- Calcutta Unitarian Committee
- Tabernacle of New Dispensation
- Indian Reform Association
Keshab Chandra Sen is associated with the establishment of which of the above? (UPSC Prelims 2016)
Answer:
2 and 3 only
Notes: The correct answer is
[D] 1, 2 and 3. Keshab Chandra Sen was a prominent social reformer who played a pivotal role in diversifying the Brahmo Samaj movement through various specialized organizations.
- Calcutta Unitarian Committee (Statement 1 – Correct): Established in 1821 by Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Dwarkanath Tagore, and William Adam. However, Keshab Chandra Sen was actively associated with its later iterations and maintained a close relationship with Unitarian missionaries to bridge Indian and Western spiritual thought.
- Tabernacle of New Dispensation (Statement 2 – Correct): In 1881, after breaking away from the Brahmo Samaj of India, Sen established the Naba Bidhan (New Dispensation). He preached the synthesis of all world religions (Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, etc.) and built the "Tabernacle" as a place of universal worship.
- Indian Reform Association (Statement 3 – Correct): Formed in 1870 after Sen’s return from England, this association aimed to promote social reforms. It worked on five specific areas: female improvement, education of the working classes, cheap literature (publishing Sulabh Samachar), temperance, and charity.
- Key Background: Keshab Chandra Sen joined the Brahmo Samaj in 1857. His radical views on caste and marriage led to the first schism in 1866, where he formed the Brahmo Samaj of India, while the older group under Debendranath Tagore became the Adi Brahmo Samaj.