Printing press played a major role in shaping the Indian society of 19th century because it helped the people to unite and strengthen the national movement. This was because printing machines now made the printing of books possible, which led the common man to read and discuss the ideas of their leaders and the events that occurred in India. For instance, newspapers provided everybody with the awareness and spread of the ideals of freedom.
The impacts of print culture on the Indian society and religion were :
(i) From the early 19th century, there were intense debates around religious issues. Different groups in colonial society offered a new interpretation of the beliefs of different religions.
(ii) Newspaper spread the new ideas and also shaped the nature of the debate. New contradictory ideas emerged and a wider public could participate in these discussions and expressed their views.
(iii) In the early 19th century, an intense controversy between social and religious reformers and the Hindu orthodox section emerged. They angered Brahmanical priesthood and idolatry, widow immolation, monotheism etc.
(iv) Raja Rammohun Roy published ‘Sambad Kaumudt and wrote about the social evils at that time. The Hindu orthodoxy commissioned the ‘Samachar Chandrika’ to oppose his opinions. At that time, two Persian newspapers jam-i-Jahan Nama and ‘Shamsul Akhbar’, a Gujarati newspaper, the ‘Bombay Samachar’ were also published.
(v) In North India, the Ulama used cheap lithographic presses to print religious newspapers and published Persian and Urdu translations of holy scriptures. They feared that colonial rule would change their personal laws. Urdu print helped them to battle against this.
Thus, print connected communities and people in different parts of India helped to develop their own views.
