Vidyasagar’s Social Reform Movement And The Cultural Hegemony Of British Colonial Power

Abstract

In today’s world, despite living through the era of capitalism and post-capitalism, and having reached a post-modern stage, one still encounters stark proclamations on newspaper pages demanding a ‘fair, slim, beautiful, and domestically skilled bride.’ Standing at such a juncture, one must question whether we truly possess the right or the capacity to invoke the name of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. Even after one and a half centuries since the passage of the Widow Remarriage Act, we continue to harbor narrow-mindedness and patriarchal attitudes – prompting the question that circles back repeatedly: have we truly become the heirs of Vidyasagar’s legacy? To what extent did the Renaissance usher in a ‘new age’? While it is true that the Renaissance did disrupt entrenched social and cultural structures, it is equally pertinent to ask whether we have simply become captive to a new form of rigidity.