Arya Samaj founded in Bombay by Swami Dayananda Saraswati (1875)

Swami Dayananda Saraswati founded the Arya Samaj in Bombay in April 1875. The organization promoted Vedic authority and initially operated with ten principles, which were later finalized in Lahore in 1877. Dayananda had begun reforming orthodox Hinduism prior to this founding, between 1869 and 1873.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. Dayananda Saraswati, born Mool Shankar Tiwari, was a Hindu philosopher and social leader who established the Arya Samaj as a reform movement. The term 'arya' refers to an individual with virtuous attributes, while 'samaj' denotes an organized community. The movement promotes values based on the infallible authority of the Vedas.

Founding in Bombay. Swami Dayananda Saraswati established the Arya Samaj in Bombay in April 1875 with ten principles. These principles were not immediately finalized; they were settled later in 1877 in Lahore. The organization was the first Hindu group to introduce proselytization in Hinduism.

Reform Context. Prior to the formal founding, Dayananda began efforts to reform orthodox Hinduism in India between 1869 and 1873. The Arya Samaj condemned practices such as animal sacrifice, pilgrimages, priest craft, caste discrimination, child marriage, and meat eating.

People involved

Sources

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