Religious ferment in modern India

Religious Ferment in Modern India is written in two parts by two scholars
whose research has concentrated in the religious history of India. Dr.
French's section traces develop- ments from the beginning of the
British presence in India till the end of the 19th century. This explores
the impact of the British economic interests, Utilitarian philosophy and
Christian missionaries, and the Indian response which began first to
crystallize in Raja Rammohan Roy and the Brahmo Samaj, and then in
various other movements and perso- nalities. Particular concerns of the
nineteenth century such as women's rights and religion and nationalism are
explored in detail. Part Two, by Dr. Sharma, continues the drama of the
earlier movements, but focusses on issues such as Hindu-Moslem rivalry
and the growing drive for indepen- dence, as religion gave impetus to it
in men such as Tilak, Gandhi, Jinnah, Ambedkar, etc. This part consciou-
sly terminates at what is defined as a large measure of modernity, political
independence, as India in 1947 cros- sed the threshold into all dimensions
of the challenge of swaraj.