The hero of widow re-marriage, and of the abolition of polygamy.
Sister Nivedita wrote that Swami Vivekananda called Vidyasagar “the hero of widow remarriage, and of the aboliton of polygamy.”
His favourite story about him was of that day when he went home from the Legislative Council, pondering over the question of whether or not to-adopt English dress on such occasions. Suddenly some one came up to a fat Mogul who was proceeding homewards in leisurely and pompous fashion, in front of him, with the news ” Sir, your house is on fire! The Mogul went neither faster nor slower for this information, and presently the messenger contrived to express a discreet astonishment. Whereupon his master turned upon him angrily.
“Wretch” he said, “Am I to abandon the gait of my ancestors, because a few sticks happen to be burning.” And Vidyasagar, walking behind, determined to stick to the chudder, dhoti and sandals, not even adopting coat and slippers.