IOverview
This is not a devotional tradition like Vaishnavism or Shaivism but a group of movements that arose from the 19th century, mainly in Bengal and Punjab, under British rule. What they share is a wish to reinterpret Hinduism for modern times, an emphasis on the Upanishads and Vedanta, and a link between religion and social reform.
The name Neo-Hinduism is a label coined by scholars. Many within these movements reject it, seeing their work as a return to the heart of the tradition rather than the creation of something new. This page uses the name as a classification, with no judgement implied.
IIHistory
The setting was colonial Kolkata and other major cities, where Indian intellectuals encountered English education, Christian missions and European Enlightenment thought. Some sought to purify religion along rational lines, some to return to the Veda, and some found in the spiritual experience of a single teacher an answer for the whole world.
- 1828Brahmo SabhaFounded by Ram Mohan Roy in Kolkata, later the Brahmo Samaj, worshipping one formless God and rejecting image worship.
- 1829Ban on satiThe Bengal government bans widow burning after years of campaigning by Ram Mohan Roy.
- 1875Arya SamajFounded by Dayananda Saraswati in Bombay, calling for a return to the Veda and opposing image worship and birth as the basis of varna.
- 1893Vivekananda in ChicagoVivekananda, a disciple of Ramakrishna, addresses the World's Parliament of Religions and brings Vedanta to a Western public.
- 1894Vedanta Society of New YorkVivekananda founds the first Vedanta Society in the West.
- 1897Ramakrishna MissionFounded by Vivekananda on 1 May 1897, joining monastic life with social service.
IIITeachings and Distinctives
| Movement | Main ideas | Relation to tradition |
|---|---|---|
| Brahmo Samaj | One formless God, reason, social reform, equality of men and women | Rejects image worship and does not hold the Veda infallible. Many regard it as a separate religion |
| Arya Samaj | The Veda as sole authority, rejection of image worship and the Puranas, reform of caste | Sees itself as a return to original Hinduism |
| Ramakrishna Mission | Vedanta, all religions as paths to one Reality, service to people as service to God | Keeps traditional worship and festivals |
A common misunderstanding is that all religions are true is a general teaching of Hinduism. In fact it is a hallmark of Ramakrishna and Vivekananda, shared by many modern Hindus, but not every traditional lineage teaches it, and the Arya Samaj takes a different position.
IVPractice, Liturgy and Life
Each movement has its own practice. Brahmos gather for prayer, hymns and sermons, with no images. Arya Samajis perform the havan fire ritual, recite the Veda and have built a wide network of schools, the first of the DAV system opening in Lahore in 1886. The Ramakrishna organisation has two linked arms: the Ramakrishna Math is the monastic order, while the Ramakrishna Mission runs hospitals, schools and disaster relief. Belur Math on the Hooghly river near Kolkata is its headquarters and a place of pilgrimage.
VOrganisation and Distribution
Unlike the four great traditions, these movements have clear organisations with headquarters and constitutions. The Brahmo Samaj split into several branches in the 19th century and is now small. The Arya Samaj is strong in north India and among communities of Indian origin in Fiji, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad and South Africa. The Ramakrishna Mission has centres in many countries, and the Vedanta Societies in the United States and Europe are linked to it.
According to the World Religion Database for 2020, as cited by Wikipedia, Neo-Hinduism counts about 20.3 million people and Reform Hinduism about 5.2 million. The figures depend heavily on definitions and should be read as rough estimates.
VIIn Vietnam
There is no significant community of these movements in Vietnam, and no source was found for an officially active Ramakrishna Mission, Arya Samaj or Brahmo Samaj centre here. The Hindu temples in Ho Chi Minh City belong to the Tamil tradition. There is, however, an indirect influence: the name of Vivekananda, ideas from Vedanta and modern yoga reach Vietnamese readers through translated books and yoga classes, though most practitioners do not connect this with any religious organisation.
VIISymbol of the Branch
Ramakrishna Mission emblem
Ramakrishna Math and Mission emblem
VIIISub-branches
- Brahmo Samaj
- Arya Samaj
- Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission
IXOther Branches of Hinduism
Vaishnavismवैष्णव VaiṣṇavaThe tradition centred on Vishnu and his avatars, above all Rama and Krishna.
Shaivismशैव ŚaivaThe tradition centred on Shiva, whose main object of worship is the linga.
Shaktismशाक्त ŚāktaThe tradition that takes the Goddess, as Devi, Durga or Kali, as the root principle of power (shakti).
Smartismस्मार्त SmārtaA tradition with no single deity at the centre.
Cham Ahier (Cham Brahmanism)AhiérThe localised Shaiva tradition of Champa kept by the Cham Ahier.Neo-Hindu and Reform MovementsNeo-Hinduism, Reform HinduismMovements from the 19th century onward that reinterpret the tradition for modern times, such as Brahmo Samaj, Arya Samaj and the Ramakrishna Mission.XSources
The library cross-checks the sources below. Where they disagree, the page gives both.
?Quick Questions
Is Neo-Hinduism a new religion?
Not really. It is a scholarly label for movements that reinterpreted Hinduism from the 19th century on. Most people in those movements consider themselves Hindus and do not use the label.
Who was Vivekananda?
A disciple of Ramakrishna who brought Vedanta to the West after his address to the World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893, and who founded the Ramakrishna Mission in 1897.
How does the Arya Samaj differ from the Brahmo Samaj?
Both oppose image worship, but the Arya Samaj takes the Veda as its sole authority, while the Brahmo Samaj does not hold the Veda infallible and relies more on reason.