Prarthana Samaj

It was spread to southern India by noted Telugu reformer and writer, Kandukuri Veeresalingam.

They drew their nourishment from the Hindu scriptures such as Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads and used the hymns of the old Marathi "poet-saints" in their prayers.

But, beyond religious concerns, the primary focus of the Prarthana Samaj was on social and cultural reform.

Their comprehensive reform movement has led many impressive projects of cultural change and social reform in India, such as the improvement of the lot of women and depressed classes, an end to the caste system, abolition of child marriages and infanticide, educational opportunities for women, and remarriage of widows.

Its success was guided by R. G. Bhandarkar, a noted Sanskrit scholar, Atmaram Pandurang, Narayan Chandavarkar, and Mahadev Govind Ranade.