Prarthana Samaj

Prarthana Samaj is founded by Dr. Atmaram Pandurang in 1867 with an aim to make people believe in one God and worship only one God. The main reformers were the intellectuals who advocate reforms of the social system of the Hindus.

The movement was started for religious and social reform in Maharashtra and can was much more alike Brahmo Samaj. The precursor of the Prarthana Samaj in Mumbai was the Paramahamsa Sabha, a secret society for the furtherance of liberal ideas by Ram Balkrishna Jaykar and others in Mumbai.

The worship of God was done by singing the hymns of the devotional poems written by Vitthalas or Varkari Panth, especially those of Tukaram.