Brahmo Samaj (bräˈmō səmäjˈ) [key] [Hindi, = society of God],
Indian religious movement, founded in Kolkata (Calcutta) in 1828
by Rammohun Roy. It promoted a monotheistic, reformed Hinduism
with strong Islamic and Christian overtones, support for the
rights of women, and opposition to such aspects of Hinduism as
idolatry and animal sacrifice. Under Roy the organization
attained considerable importance in E India until his death in
1833. After a decade of decline, it was revived by Debendranath
Tagore in 1843. A schism divided the organization in 1865, when
Keshub Chunder Sen split with Tagore and formed the Adi Brahmo
Samaj, and in 1878 Sen's group itself divided. Sen's followers
formed a new church, the Nava-Vidhana, while the dissidents
founded the Sadharan Brahmo Samaj, which became dominant. The
Brahmo Samaj movement had great influence in the 19th cent., but
although it still exists, it has had little impact on 20th-
century Hinduism. See P. K. Sen, Biography of a New Faith (2
vol., 1950–54); K. C. Sen, T