Countless people from different parts of the world have found a place to live in the world-famous city on the banks of the Thames. A house of dreams has been built, a dependence of a unique faith of laughter, tears and enthusiasm. Indians came to England long before the British Empire expanded in India. In the footsteps of many famous and world-renowned Bengali thinkers and philosophers, London has been shaped by wealth and prosperity. One of the earliest Bengali immigrants to Britain was Captain Sheikh Din Muhammad of the British East India Company, who migrated to London. He founded the first Indian restaurant in London, Hindustan Coffee House, in 1810. But centuries before him, the first Western-educated Indian to live in Britain was Itisam-ud-Din, a Bengali Muslim cleric, munshi and diplomat of the Mughal Empire who brought his servant Muhammad Mukim with him in 1765 during the reign of King George III. How much water rolled into the chest of the Thames? Over time, the city’s appearance, luxury and the traditional river flowing along its side have changed. In the interaction of Bengalis coming and going to London, East and Oriental philosophy, history, literature and culture have gradually developed and a pure kinship between the people of this island of pleasure. This island has become a source of inspiration for many Bengalis. No wonder the UK is the birthplace of the Indian National Congress and home to some of India’s most influential writers and intellectuals. Recently, many Bengalis have been making their mark in the UK in various fields ranging from business to art and culture. The list of famous Bengalis includes Raja Rammohan Roy, Rabindranath Tagore, Satyajit Roy, Swami Vivekananda, M. Madhusudan Dutta and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the father of the nation of Bangladesh. Those who have firmly left their mark on the island’s rich cultural heritage, liberal attitudes towards immigrants and contributions to its global significance over the centuries. Many stories of happiness, sorrow, joy, and philosophies associated with their lives are closely related to this city.
Raja Rammohan Roy, the father of the Indian Renaissance, was one of the most influential figures in 19th-century India, a great social reformer and is often remembered as the “father of modern India”. He fought for women’s rights, campaigned to abolish sati-immolation and polygamy, and lit the light of education among the people to ban child marriage. He worked single-mindedly until the last day of his life. He also supported freedom of thought and expression in India through his activism supporting civil liberties, including freedom of the press. Raja Rammohan Roy was born in 1772 in the village of Radhanagar in the Hooghly district of Bengal, India. Little is known about his early life and education, but he seems to have developed unorthodox religious ideas at an early age. In his youth, he travelled widely outside Bengal and, in addition to his native Bengali and Hindi, spoke several languages—Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic. and mastered English. He was a noted reformer and scholar who fought for social reform in the Indian subcontinent during the colonial period of British rule. He once received permission from the East India Company to study English at Fort William College. During this period, Raja Rammohan Roy wrote extensively on religion and philosophy. His most famous work is ‘The Precepts of Jesus’, which he wrote after studying Christianity closely. In 1831, Raja Rammohan Roy left India for England as an emissary sent by the Mughal Emperor Akbar II to present a petition against the oppressive taxes imposed on Indians by the British government. Mughal Emperor Akbar II conferred the title of ‘Raja’. While in Britain, he met several influential figures who opposed slavery, including William Wilberforce, a prominent abolitionist, and George Canning, the then Foreign Secretary. During that time, he actively campaigned against religious superstitions such as sati-immolation and supported progressive ideologies such as women’s education and widow remarriage. He helped establish the Brahmo Sabha (1828), which promoted monotheism instead of idolatry, and also created the Kinshasa Sabha (1815) to promote education for young Indians under British rule.
In 1819, Raja Rammohan Roy established the newspaper Sangbad Kaumudi in Calcutta. The first weekly newspaper published from Calcutta written entirely in Bengali. This publication spread knowledge about the various reforms needed in different parts of India, such as the abolition of sati-immolation and the promotion of widow remarriage, which gradually led to their acceptance by society over time. Moreover, another weekly called Mirat-ul-Akbar was published in the Persian language under the editorship of Raja Rammohan Roy. The newspaper was first published on 12th April 1822. In 1829, due to Raja Rammohan Roy’s efforts to educate the people about various social evils and problems of the time through The Sanbad Kaumudi, a law was passed banning sati-immolation altogether in Bengal. The Governor-General, Lord William Bentinck, issued the ban after consultation with the army administration. No major opposition was observed against this Act. The most prominent campaigners to end the practice of sati were led by British Christian missionary William Carey and Hindu reformer Ram Mohan Roy. Apart from these groundbreaking reforms, he worked tirelessly for social reforms in India during his time abroad. Raja Rammohan Roy also completed translation works from Sanskrit texts such as the Bhagavad Gita into English. He translated ancient Indian literature into English to make it accessible to Western readers.
Roy believed that education was an excellent tool for social reform. In 1817, a Scottish watchmaker and philanthropist established many educational institutions like the Hindu School and Hare School in Calcutta. They helped establish the Presidency College in Calcutta with the help of David Hare. He was very fond of education. In 1830, he helped the Reverend Alexander Duff to found the General Assembly Institution (now known as Scottish Church College). He founded the Calcutta Unitarian Association (1821) and the Vedanta College in Calcutta in 1825, where he introduced mechanics and Voltaire’s philosophy (Suman Ghosh, 2013). It can be said that Raja Ram Mohan Roy was the first to support the inclusion of Western education in Indian education. His newspaper Sangbad Kaumudi included issues such as freedom of the press, inclusion of Indians in higher jobs, and separation of the executive and judiciary. When the English East India Company came under fire in the media, Ram Mohan wrote two memorials against it in 1829 and 1830, respectively. However, Roy’s commitment to English education and thought led to a controversy between Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore. According to Chowdhury Indra Nath’s “Tagore and Gandhi: Their Intellectual Conflict and Companionship”, Gandhi objected to Roy’s adherence to English education and rejected independent thought by over-supporting Western philosophical practices. Tagore wrote a letter dismissing Gandhi’s view, “Roy was the complete inheritor of Indian knowledge. He was never West’s schoolboy, and therefore had the dignity of being West’s friend”.
During his visit to England, Raja Rammohan Roy promoted his ideas of religious tolerance and civil rights among British citizens. According to English Heritage, during his first visit to England in 1829, he visited various places, including Drury Lane Theatre, where he attended Felix Mendelssohn’s concerts; Kensington Palace Gardens to meet with the Duke of Wellington; Somerset House with Lord Macloy; Downing Street with Prime Minister William Gladstone; Stock exchange with Indian traders; University of London, the Royal Academy of Arts, where he admired the paintings of Sir Joshua Reynolds, and at the British Museum-he studied manuscripts on various subjects, including philosophy and history. He also attended the coronation of William IV on 8th September 1831, and the following year (1832) witnessed the passing of the British Reform Act, which ushered in significant electoral changes in Britain. During his stay in London, Raja Rammohan met many thinkers and philosophers. According to various sources, when he first came to England, he was accompanied by his foster son, King Rama. Raja`s name became well known during his stay in India, especially among monotheists. During his stay in London, the philosopher Bentham heard a lot about him and even visited his residence in Bedford Square to meet him.
While living in London, Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s main contribution was to work tirelessly for religious tolerance between Hindus and Muslims in India. Gradually, the light of education began to shine among the people to awaken the primary sense and consciousness of religious tolerance and non-sectarianism. Eventually, more peaceful relations developed between Hindus and Muslims across India. Another important work that Raja Rammohan did while living in London was his focus on the true reformation of Hinduism by eliminating idolatry or caste discrimination. Although these reforms were controversial in Indian society, he did not give up.
Eventually, Indians gradually moved towards the new changes and modernisation reforms. He worked hard for women’s rights, campaigning for legal protection from domestic violence and promoting equal education opportunities for boys and girls in various ways. It was a time when women were mainly seen as housewives in society and not educated. On the eve of his visit to London, Raja’s friend David Hare in Calcutta recommended his brother to assist Rammohan during his London stay. Hare’s brother arranged for Raja to stay at 48 Bedford Square. It became a meeting place for many European intellectuals to discuss politics, religion and philosophy with Raja Rammohan Roy. The house still exists today, although it has been significantly remodelled due to changes in ownership over time. A blue plaque can be seen today at this address. This plaque captures the essence of post-colonial London. The plaque reads “Ram Moh Roy (1772-1833), Indian Scholar and Reformer Lived Here” (source – English Heritage).
However, although there is no exact information about the death of this great man, there are various theories about the cause of his death, such as tuberculosis, liver disorder or, cirrhosis, or even excessive drinking. Tuberculosis was a leading cause of death then and was difficult to treat due to a lack of medical knowledge and resources. Roy came to Britain for the last time in 1833 to gain support for reforming religious practices within Hinduism and promoting social reform among Indians living abroad. He sought recognition of Bengali literature and more attention to Indian culture by the ruling British authorities in India. Despite his noble intentions, he could not complete all of his work due to illness during his stay in England. “Bristol Remembers Rammohan Roy” (2013) by Suman Ghosh states that he died on 27th September 1833 in Stapleton, a village (now a suburb) northeast of Bristol, of meningitis or chronic respiratory disease. Ram Mohan Roy was buried on 18th October in Stapleton Grove, where he lived as an ambassador to the Mughal Empire. On 29th May 1843, nine years after his death, he was interred in the new Arnos Vale Cemetery in Brislington, East Bristol. Since then, the Bristol Arnos Vale Cemetery has held a memorial service for Raja Ram Mohan Roy every year on a Sunday close to his death anniversary on 27th September. On that day, prayers and hymns are sung, flowers are laid on tombs, and the Raja’s life is celebrated with discussions and plays. A pedestrian path in Stapleton has been named “Raja Rammohan Walk”. The house in Bristol where King died has a plaque outside the building commemorating his stay here: “The eminent Indian philanthropist Rahmohan Rai died at this address on 27th September 1833”. It is now designated as a Grade II listed building due to its historical association with the residence of King Rammohon Roy when he visited Britain during that period.
Raja Rammohan Roy’s visit to England was influential in the history of the Indian reform movement, and their influence can be seen even today. He was among the first Indians to interact with British intellectuals and politicians while promoting his views on civil liberties, religious tolerance and social reform in India. He spent almost all his life in people’s thoughts, to light the lamp in the society. He was passed through the height of capitalism and imperialism in England. At the same time, industrialization, freedom, empowerment of women, proper application of law and free thinking are beautiful opportunities for intellectually based aesthetic practice. Raja Ram Mohan Roy was upright in the gondola of free thought with the pure air and the calmness of the breath. He left his footprints on the heart of this city.