Religious Reforms and Public Debates
Different groups responded to the changes occurring inside colonial society in various ways, offering a variety of new interpretations of different religions’ beliefs. Some critiqued established methods and advocated for reform, while others refuted reformers’ claims. These disputes took place both in public and in print. Not only did printed tracts and newspapers propagate new ideas, but they also influenced the tone of the debate. The general public can now engage in these public debates and share their opinions. As a result of these disagreements, new ideas evolved.
Many people began to reinterpret established religious faiths and express their opinions after reading literature. In Italy, Menocchio reinterpreted the Bible’s message and expressed his views about God. This enraged the church, and he was put to death. Following this, the church retained control over publishers and, beginning in 1558, began to keep a list of prohibited books.
This was a period of heated debates between social and religious reformers and Hindu orthodoxy over issues such as widow immolation, monotheism, Brahmanical priesthood, and idolatry. As the dispute progressed in Bengal, pamphlets and newspapers emerged, disseminating a variety of ideas. The concepts were printed in the daily, the spoken language of ordinary people to reach a wider audience. In 1821, Ram Mohan Roy started publishing the Sambad Kaumudi, and Hindu orthodoxy ordered Samachar Chandrika to oppose his beliefs. Jam-i-Jahan Numa and Shamsul Akhbar, two Persian newspapers, began publication in 1822. The Bombay Samachar, a Gujarati daily, debuted the same year.
Religious Reform and Public Debates
Print can be found in books, journals, newspapers, and prints of famous paintings, as well as in everyday goods like theatrical programs, official circulars, calendars, diaries, advertisements, and street corner theatre posters. We read printed literature, see printed images, get news from newspapers, and keep track of public debates in print.
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