Vaikunda Swamigal criticized the rule of the British and the rule of the Rajah of Travancore as the rule of the white devils and black devils respectively.

(i) Vaikunda Swamigal condemned the worship of idols.
(ii) The low caste people had no temples for their gods, they erected small pyramids of mud or bricks in their honor, plastered and white-washed.
(iii) He considered this kind of worship as an uncivilized custom. The people sacrificed goats, cocks, and hens.
(iv) He condemned these religious customs and campaigned against animal sacrifice.

Vaikunda Swamikal criticized the rule of the British and the rule of Rajah of Travancore as the rule of White devils and Black devils respectively.

(i) Baba Dayal Das was the founder of the Nirankari Movement.
(ii) Stressed the worship of God as Nirankar (formless). Rejection of idols, rejection of rituals associated with idolatry, reverence for the authority of Guru Nanak and of the Adi Granth formed the essence of his teachings. He reiterated the prohibition on meat-eating, and liquor consumption.

The Zoroastrians who had fled from Iran in the tenth century in the face of religious persecution.

(i) The school curricula shut out English education and western culture.
(ii) The instruction imparted was in original Islamic religion and the aim was moral and religious regeneration of the Muslim community.
(iii) The Deoband School did not prepare its students for government jobs but for the preaching of Islamic faith.

(i) Theosophical Society stimulated a study of the Hindu classics, especially the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita.
(ii) The Theosophical Society also played an important role in the revival of Buddhism in India.
(iii) Western interest in Hindu scriptures gave educated Hindus great pride in their tradition and culture.

Contribution of Annie Besant
(i) In India the Theosophical movement became further popular with the election of Annie Besant (1847-1933) as its president after the death of Olcott.
(ii) She played a role in Indian nationalist politics and formed the Home Rule League demanding home rule to India on the lines of Ireland.
(iii) Annie Besant spread Theosophical ideas through her newspapers called New India and Commonweal.

(i) Arya Samaj attempted to check the incidence of religious conversion in British India.
(ii) One of its main objectives was counter conversion, prescribing a purificatory ceremony called suddhi, directed at Hindus who had converted to Islam and Christianity.

The Arya Samaj, the Ramakrishna Mission and the Deoband Movement.

(i) Iyothee Thassar went to Sri Lanka in 1898 and converted to Buddhism. In the same year, he founded the Sakya Buddhist Society at Madras to construct the rational religious philosophy through Buddhist religion.
(ii) He argued that the so-called untouchables were originally Buddhists who were stigmatized by Brahminism.

i) Jyotiba Phule opened first school for "untouchables" in 1852 Poona.
ii) He launched the Satyashodak Samaj in 1870 to stir the non -Brahmin masses to self-respect and ambition.
iii) Phule opposed child marriage and supported widow remarriage.
iv) He and his wife devoted their lives for the upliftment of depressed classes and women.
v) Jyotiba opened orphanages and homes for widows.

i) Brahmo Samaj eradicated sati, child marriage and polygamy.
ii) Samaj forbade idol worship and meaningless religious rites and ceremonies.

a) Ayyankali challenged many caste conventions such as clothing style. He wore clothes associated with upper castes that were prohibited for lower castes.
b) He rode on an ox - cart challenging the ban on untouchables from accessing public roads used by caste Hindus.
c) Ayyankali founded the Sadhu Jana Paripalana Sangam and raised funds to educate the lower caste Pulaya people.
d) Ayyankali fought for basic rights including access to public places and entry to schools.

He laid down four articles of faith:
 i)  In the beginning there was nothing. The one Supreme Being alone existed who created the universe.
ii)  He alone is the God of Truth, Infinite Wisdom, Goodness, and Power eternal, omnipresent the One without second.
iii)  Our salvation depends on belief in Him and in His worship in this world and the next.
iv)  Belief consists in loving Him and doing His will.