During the late 19th century, another notable reform movement in Bengal, which soon spread to other parts of the country, was the Rama Krishna Mission. The movement began under an ascetic and priest Gadadhar Chatterjee or Swami Ramakrishna Paramahansa who achieved enlightenment in 1871-72. He preached universality of all religions and favoured preserving beliefs and rituals of Hinduism.
Among his important disciple was Narendranath or Swami Vivekananda who accepted Ramakrishna as his guru in 1885. Swami Vivekananda spread the message of spiritual Hinduism in America and Europe during his tour of 1893-97.
Swami Vivekananda established Ramakrishna Mission in 1897 and set up a Math in Belur in Bengal. He died at a young age of forty in 1902. Vivekananda was opposed to degeneration in religion, manifold divisions, caste rigidities, practice of untouchability, superstitions, etc. He pointed out that the present condition of Hindus was due to their ignorance and their political suppression. He attempted to establish Hindu spiritual supremacy vis-à-vis the selfish civilization of the West. However, he believed that India had to learn work ethics, forms of organization and technological advances from the West.
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