National Situation in Which Vivekenanda was born and Brought up (contd - 1)

These reformers included sections of many leading Kshatriya family. For their pains they were rewarded with banishment from Society. Many among them were thrown into the fold of the Brahmo Samaj of Maharshi Debendranath Tagore. Formerly the educated young men of the middle class were its ardent followers. But as the Brahmo Samaj was open to all , those who faced social ostracism on different pretexts now came in flocks to join it.
At this time Maharshi Debendranath started a Brahmo school for the young boys and girls at Simulia in order to counteract the missionary influence.The school used to hold its classes in the capacious Puja Dalan of Datta family. Also a life-like oil-painting of the Maharshi used to adorn the school wall. But the young cousin of Kaliprasad, Gopal Chandra Datta, became temporarily insane and returned the picture back to Tagores. The neighbours had threatened Kaliprasad with ostracism from society for harbouring a Pirali Brahman in his house.
Now the Arab migration being checked in the West, began to flow in the East.The Arabs began to plunder Indian Ships manned by the Hindus. This probably led to the then interdiction against the sea-voyage and a term "Kalapani " came to be prominent prohibiting Hindus to cross Sea.But Rammoham Roy broke the ban and led the way.Others began to follow in his footsteps.But those who came from their sojourn in foreign countries used to be ostracised. At last a religious sanction was procured to the effect that it was not a sin to go to a foreign country for education.
This was the situation when Narendranath was born in a liberal burgeois family.  
The society in which he was born has gone through a storm and stress of agitations right from the start of religious reform movements down to the revolutionary upsurge of later days.