Rammohan got his primary education at home. After that he was admitted to a village school. After his superb innings at school, he made up his mind to go to Patna. In Patna he wanted to get higher education in Arabic and Persian languages, because these languages were mostly used in the royal court. In Patna, he seeked higher education for 2-3 years. After that, he came back to his home.
Rammohan was so highly impressed by the Sufi religion that he started reading the compositions of the Sufi poets. After a few days, his parents sent him to Varanasi to learn Sanskrit. Those days, Varanasi was considered the primary centre for learning Sanskrit language. Here he studied the sacred Sanskrit books thoroughly.
In the Vedic books, he felt the presence of Brahma and one God only. When he returned home form Varanasi, he was totally transformed. Now he openly criticised the religious customs and rituals.
Why Worship of idols?
He considered all these things as humbugs. He had doubts about true religion, rituals and idol worship. He started hating idol worship. Ramakant was utterly surprised by such a kind of Rammohan’s behaviour. He felt highly depressed upon his attitude. In a few days, there developed differences between father and son on the question of religion, rituals and customs.
By critising idol worship through his modern way of thinking, Rammohan created a sensation around. He became a disputed man in the eyes of people. When he severely criticised the ‘Sati Pratha’ and supported widow remarriage, then many people turned against him.
Though Rammakant was criticising his son, Rammohan, yet he could not stop himself from helping him out as his father. Despite being angry with his son, he helped him financially. Rammohan was unmoved by his father’s anger. He was firm against all the evils prevailing in the society. Inspite of severe criticisms from people all around, he continued his struggle against all the evils of the society.
Rammohan had a thorough study of religion, politics, science and economics. He studied each subject with very keen interest. Besides studying he was continuing with his reforming activities for the upliftment of the society. In 1800 with the establishment of Fort William College in Kolkata, a new chapter began in his life. William Kary was appointed the principle of that college.
That college was established to provide education in main languages to the workers of the East India Company. But after a few days many Indian and European experts began gathering in the college. People were fortunate enough to know about two different cultures.
Rammohan showed his decency by visiting that college. Professers of the college were surprised by his intelligence. He dealt with them in friendly manner. In 1803, Rammohan started working as an officer in East India Company.
He got this job because of Tomas Woodford. Woodford was a high ranked officer in East India Company. In their very first meeting, Rammohan got the chance of working with him.
Not many days had passed, when Rammohan’s father died. He was highly shocked by this episode.
After a year, Woodford was transferred as a registrar to Murshidbad. Rammohan also went with him. After coming here, a change occurred in his way of thinking. Here he started writing about one God only.
He wrote his first book in Arabic and Persian languages—‘Tuhafatul Muvahideen’. In Hindi it means—‘Gift for one God’.
This book criticised firmly those people who believed in non-fundamental principles of religion. Those people feared their recognition. That is why they criticised Rammohan’s book. Rammohan was unmoved by their criticism, because he was by then used to such kind of attitude of people. Such kind of criticism gave him inspiration and strength to do revolutionary activities.
All the words of Rammohan’s book were proving disastrous for the staunch believers of religion. These people were feeling hurt by this. Being moving in the darkness of ignorance and illiteracy, they considered Rammohan as their biggest enemy.
The reason of this was that Rammohan had proved their centuries long belief in God wrong. The way he was criticising the idol worship it was not acceptable to any religious person. He suggested people not to worship idols. He believed that even without idol worship one could make God happy with his simplicity and high thoughts. Rammohan severely criticised ‘Sati Pratha’ and said—‘‘After husband’s death, burning his wife with his dead body is equal to murder. This is no less than a brutal sin. I desire all women to get equal rights as man because she is the one who gives birth to a man. We should honour all women. I only want to say that people should not be a part of sin by murdering a woman.”
His criticisers had no answers to Rammohan’s words. Even then, they were continuing with their criticism against him. They never realised that there was how much truth in his reasoning. The way a mirror displays a clear picture of a person, there seemed to be undefeatable truth in his views in the same way.
Once, he was sitting with his friend Kashi Ram, a person came to him with a conch in his hand. He said to Rammohan, ‘‘I am selling this conch. It costs merely five hundred rupees. The one who wants can buy it. The buyer will be fortunate enough in his life.’’
Impressed by him Kashi Ram asked Rammohan, ‘‘Friend! I want to buy this conch. What is your suggestion.
Rammohan said smiling, ‘‘Kashi Ram! See this man. He himself is not a big man. If this conch has not fetched him happiness and satisfaction in life, then how can it provide the same to others. This man is only showing his speaking skills to sell his conch. You can buy this conch, I don’t disagree, but friend! This conch will not get you rid of poverty.’’
On hearing this, the conch seller went away from there. They both bursted into laughter. This episode explains how Rammohan was dedicated to make people wise. Those days, ojhas and neem hakeem were cheating people in big way by befooling them. People had great faith in them. Though they were cheated by them yet they had firm belief in them. Rammohan wanted these people to be freed from the clutches of those betraying people. He decided to make the people aware and transform their inside feelings about these ojhas and neem hakeems.
