Bengal Temperance Society
| Formation | 1905 |
|---|---|
| Type | Social reform |
| Purpose | Promoting total abstinence from alcohol, countering liquor trafficking, and addressing socio-economic impacts of drinking in colonial Bengal |
| Headquarters | Calcutta, Bengal, British India |
Region served | Bengal |
Official languages | English, Bengali |
The Bengal Temperance Society was a social reform organization established in British India by Peary Charan Sarkar[1] during the early 20th century (founded around May 1905). Operating primarily out of Calcutta, the society was part of a broader wave of temperance and anti-liquor campaigns influenced by contemporary movements in Great Britain and the United States.[2][3]
History
The organization emerged during a period of heightened social reform and nationalist awakening in colonial Bengal.[4] In May 1905, the society organized prominent public discussions, such as a landmark conference presided over by the Reverend Fawcett Shaw, which focused on youth education, moral purity, and curbing alcohol accessibility through local options and essay contests.[5][6] The group later coordinated with broader coalitions, including the Calcutta Temperance Federation, the Women's Christian Temperance Union, and the Drink Problem Committee, to lobby against colonial liquor policies leading up to the Bengal Excise Act of 1909.[7]
See also
- Temperance movement in India
- Indian Reform Association
- Calcutta Temperance Federation
- Partition of Bengal (1905)
References
- ↑ Ghosha, Lokanātha (1881). The Modern History of the Indian Chiefs, Rajas, Zamindars, & C: The native aristocracy and gentry. J.N. Ghose. p. 161.
- ↑ "Temperance, Children, and Colonial Governance in Bengal (1880–1909):A Case Study | Journal of Historical Studies and Research". Retrieved 2026-08-24.
- ↑ Rakshit, Soumen (2014-10-22). "Temperance Movement and Bengali Theatre An Analysis by Soumen Rakshit". Sharad Sankhya. 15th: 156.
- ↑ Sen, Subhash Chandra (2003). The Landed Middle Class and Their Politics in Hooghly: A Study in Horizontal Mobilisation, 1859-1914. Progressive Publishers. ISBN 978-81-8064-043-8.
- ↑ Majumdar, Bhagaban Prasad (1973). First Fruits of English Education, 1817-1857. Bookland. p. 78.
- ↑ Sen, Priyaranjan (1966). Western Influence in Bengali Literature. Academic Publishers. p. 85.
- ↑ Bose, Nemai Sadhan (1960). The Indian Awakening and Bengal. Firma K. L. Mukhopadhyay. p. 227.