Q. Who among the following Indians mostly encouraged the remarriage of the widows?
(a) Jaisingh
(b) Ahilya Bai
(c) Sarfoji
(d) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Ans: (d) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Explanation: The Indian who mostly encouraged the remarriage of widows was (d) Raja Ram Mohan Roy.
Raja Ram Mohan Roy, a prominent Indian social reformer and intellectual, actively advocated for the remarriage of widows during the 19th century. He strongly criticized the prevailing practice of sati (widow immolation) and campaigned for its abolition. Alongside his efforts to eradicate sati, Raja Ram Mohan Roy also emphasized the importance of widow remarriage.
Raja Ram Mohan Roy believed that the prohibition on widow remarriage was an oppressive and irrational practice that deprived widows of their rights and subjected them to a life of social isolation and misery. He argued for the need to reform traditional customs and laws to enable widows to remarry and lead a fulfilling life.
Through his writings, speeches, and social advocacy, Raja Ram Mohan Roy promoted the idea of widow remarriage as a means to empower widows and challenge social conventions that restricted their freedom and well-being. His efforts laid the foundation for future reforms in the status and rights of widows in Indian society. While the other options mentioned, Jaisingh, Ahilya Bai, and Sarfoji, were notable historical figures, there is no specific evidence to suggest that they primarily encouraged the remarriage of widows.
