Many from across the country came together by Rajah Ram Mohan Roy’s Chattri September 2023 and paid their respects to the great Indian reformer, who died 190 years ago in Bristol. The Rajah was a social reformer, religious thinker and activist, who is celebrated for his work across the globe. 

The Rajah was a good friend of the Unitarians and social reformers Lant and Mary Carpenter, and Mary is laid to rest in the Cemetery too. Much of Mary’s social activism was influenced by the Rajah, as was her interest in India, where she visited and went on to make great social change.  

The event started with Unitarian Shana Parvin Begum sharing a poem by renowned Indian poet and social reformer Rabindranath Tagore, which was synonymous of the Rajah’s visit to Bristol. We then heard from Peter Bruce of the Frenchay Unitarians, who shared his thoughts on the Rajah’s Influence, speaking on what we can learn from the Rajah’s social activism in our current social and political climate. 

Flowers were then laid by the dignitaries of the day, a representative of the Indian High Commission and Sharon Foster-PJ, High Sheriff of the County and City of Bristol. Sharon spoke on the impact that the Rajah’s campaigns have had across the world for women, and how this inspires her work as High Sheriff today. The Rajah was influential in improving the rights of women in India, and is remembered most for his campaign against the ancient outdated Hindu practice of Sati- the burning of a Widow on her husband’s Funeral pyre. We were very honoured to see flowers laid by Sri Sanjay Kumar Suter, first secretary (political) of the Indian High Commission. He spoke on the Rajah’s influence across the educational system in India, and how he continues to be a prevalent figure across the country to this day.  

Carla Contractor, Unitarian, Arnos Vale Life Trustee and Rajah expert, provided a bit of history for those who knew little on the Rajah. She discussed the Rajah’s relations with the British Parliament which let to the implementation of wonderful change across the globe. Carla went on to describe the wonders of Kolkata’s anniversary remembrance events for the Rajah, and the Rajah’s connection with Mary Carpenter. 

The Rajah was the founder of the Brahmo Samaj, which is a theistic movement within Hinduism. On behalf of the Brahmo Samaj today, we heard a number of moving prayers and songs. We heard beautiful words from Manju Chaudhuri, followed by a Brahmo Prayer from Manoshi Barua and two devotional hymns sung by Manoshi and Mrs Mitali Ganguly. Deepali Gaskell read us a beautiful poem, ‘Amar Shokol Tumi’. Deepali speaks about the work she read –

I have chosen two songs today from the considerable repertoire of Bramha Sangeet, composed from the early 19th C, following the Rajah’s invitation to people to join the Society he created, the ‘Atmiya Samaj’ (the fore-runner of the Bramha Samaj), where to gather and to reflect on the nature of existence.  
I will read the first few lines from each song, followed by my translations of them into English.
The reason I chose these two songs from the large repertoire is because they conveyed to me beautifully and very simply the essence of Bramha thought, based on Vedic philosophy – the Concept of the all-pervasive energy, embodied by Bramha, of which all Existence is a manifestation.

The first song I chose was composed in 1885 by ManMohan Chakraborty, who had embraced the`Bramha culture and had joined the Samaj.  The second song of my choice was composed by none other than the Rajah himself.

The first song says:“Amar shokol tumi, shokol tumi, shokoli to tumi,
Jemon Kaya chhere chhaya  noy he, temon tumi ami “
In English:
All of me is You, All is You,  All,  is just You.
As with no body there is no shadow, so You are me… I am, You

The second Song, by Rajah Rammohan Roy says:
‘’ Bhabo shei Eke, Joley Sthholey Shoonnye, je shoman bhabe thhakey 
Je rochilo e shongshar, aadi anto nahi jnaar 
Je jaaney  shob, keho nahi jaaney thnaake,
Tameshwaranang  Paramang  Maheshwarang  tang Devataanang Paramancha 
Devanang 
Patinang Paramang Parastang Bidaam Devang Bhubaneshwarang “
In English:
“Think.. .of That, and that only,  in Water, Earth,  and Stone and in Nothing 
is present, constant and unchanging
And That that composed the world, has no beginning, no end…
And That that is All-knowing, and that none know..
That is You, O Lord, the Lord of All, the Ultimate, the Great, 
The Beginning and the End,  the Lord of the Universe.”

The event was finalised with a beautiful song by Anindya Sen from the Brahmo Sangeet, a devotional song in the name of the Brahmā (a Hindu God).