Keshab Chunder Sen, also spelt as
Keshub Chandra Sen, who passed away on
8 January 1884, was a Hindu philosopher who attempted to incorporate Christian
theology within the framework of Hindu thought.
Sen was born to one of the prominent families in
Calcutta and was well educated. At 19, he became part of Brahmo Samaj founded
by reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy.
While Brahmo Samaj was intended to revitalise Hindu religion
through Vedas and ancient sources, Sen held the belief that Christian doctrine
could give new lease of life to stratified Hindu society.
The social reformer in 1866 had established a new
society called, Bharatvarshiya Brahmo Samaj (Brahmo Samaj of India). But
he later organised a new society called Naba Bidhan or Nava Vidhana
(New Dispensation).
He condemned child marriage and was instrumental in having the marriage
rites of his society recognized by law in 1872. He also advocated widow
remarriage and intercaste marriage.
Keshub Chandra had to establish a new society since
his followers broke away after he allowed his 14-year-old daughter to marry son
of maharaja of Cooch Behar despite being in opposition of child marriage.
He restored numerous ancient Vedic rituals and sent 12 students to
preach under a flag with the symbols—a crescent, a cross, and a trident—of
Islam, Christianity, and Shaivism (the branch of Hinduism that worships Shiva
as the ultimate reality).
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