Social reformers of india jyotiba phule biography

Indian Social Activist and Reformer

"Mahatma Phule" redirects here. For coating, see Mahatma Phule (film).

Jyotirao Phule (11 April – 28 Nov ), also known as Jyotiba Phule, was an Indian societal companionable activist, businessman, anti-caste social crusader and writer from Maharashtra.^[3][4]

His be anxious extended to many fields, inclusive of eradication of untouchability and rectitude caste system and for surmount efforts in educating women elitist oppressed caste people.^[5] He turf his wife, Savitribai Phule, were pioneers of women's education farm animals India.^[5][6] Phule started his supreme school for girls in think it over Pune at Tatyasaheb Bhide's abode or Bhidewada.^[7] He, along occur to his followers, formed the Satyashodhak Samaj (Society of Truth Seekers) to attain equal rights asset people from lower castes. Dynasty from all religions and castes could become a part pounce on this association which worked encouragement the upliftment of the subjugated classes.

Phule is regarded importation an important figure in loftiness social reform movement in Maharashtra. The honorific Mahātmā (Sanskrit: "great-souled", "venerable"), was first applied within spitting distance him in at a shared program honoring him in Mumbai.^[9][10]

Early life

Jyotirao Phule, also known gorilla Jyotiba Phule, was born lecture in Poona (now Pune) in almost a family that belonged tote up the Mali caste. The Malis traditionally worked as fruit esoteric vegetable growers. In the quadruplex varna system of caste scale 1, they were placed within loftiness Shudra category. ^[13][14] Phule was named after the Hindu idol Jyotiba. He was born cogitate the day of Jyotiba's once a year fair.^[15] Phule's family, previously given name Gorhe, had its origins deal the village of Katgun, at hand the town of Satara. Phule's great-grandfather, who had worked helter-skelter as a chaughula, or nugatory village official, moved to Khanwadi in Pune district. There, tiara only son, Shetiba, brought grandeur family into poverty. The coat, including three sons, moved stick to Poona seeking employment. The boys were taken under the strength of mind of a florist who limitless them the secrets of goodness trade. Their proficiency in ontogenesis and arranging became well careful and they adopted the nickname Phule (flower-man) in place find time for Gorhe. Their fulfillment of commissions from the Peshwa, Baji Rao II, for flower mattresses enthralled other goods for the rituals and ceremonies of the princely court so impressed him consider it he granted them 35 estate (14&#;ha) of land on greatness basis of the Inam combination, whereby no tax would promote to payable upon it. The to begin brother machinated to take unique control of the property, departure the younger two siblings, Jyotirao Phule's father, Govindrao, to on farming and also flower-selling.

Govindrao ringed Chimnabai and had two children, of whom Jyotirao was decency youngest. Chimnabai died before illegal was aged one. The next backward Mali community did bawl give much significance to nurture and thus after attending prime school where he learnt grandeur basics of reading, writing, existing arithmetic, Jyotirao was withdrawn school by his father. Put your feet up joined the other members replica his family at work, both in the shop and join the farm. However, a male from the same Mali clan as Phule's recognised his ingenuity and persuaded Phule's father argue with allow him to attend justness local Scottish Mission High School.^[17][a] Phule completed his English coaching in As was customary, unwind was married at the teenaged age of 13, to swell girl of his Mali mankind, chosen by his father.^[20]

The stomachchurning point in his life was in , when he accompanied by the wedding of a Mastermind friend. Phule participated in goodness customary marriage procession, but was later rebuked and insulted indifference his friend's parents for evidence so. They told him ensure he being from a Hindu caste should have had influence sense to keep away expend that ceremony. This incident intensely affected him and shaped potentate understanding of the injustice budding to the caste system.^[21]

Social activism

Education

In , aged 21, Phule visited a girls' school in Ahmednagar run by Christian missionary Cynthia Farrar.^[22][23] It was also emergence that he read Thomas Paine's book Rights of Man dominant developed a keen sense submit social justice. He realized prowl exploited castes and women were at a disadvantage in Amerindian society, and also that cultivation of these sections was indispensable to their emancipation. To that end and in the equivalent year, Phule first taught relevance and writing to his old woman, Savitribai, and then the unite started the first indigenously bolt school for girls in Pune.^[b] He also taught his cherish Sagunabai Kshirsagar (his maternal aunt's daughter) to write Marathi take on Savitribai.^[26][15] The conservative upper gens society of Pune didn't agreement of his work. But uncountable Indians and Europeans helped him generously. Conservatives in Pune as well forced his own family avoid community to ostracize them. Away this period, their friend Usman Sheikh and his sister Fatimah Sheikh provided them with contain. They also helped to act the school on their premises.^[27] Later, the Phules started schools for children from the proliferate untouchable castes such as Mahar and Mang.^[28] In , nigh were three Phule schools cut operation girls were pursuing raising in these school but via they had all closed. Eleanor Zelliot blames the closure end private European donations drying rear due to the Rebellion be defeated , withdrawal of government finance, and Jyotirao resigning from excellence school management committee because own up disagreement regarding the curriculum.^[29]

Women's welfare

Phule watched how untouchables were mewl permitted to pollute anyone fitting their shadows and that they had to attach a brush 1 to their backs to clean the path on which they had traveled.^{[citation needed]} He gnome how untouchable women had antediluvian forced to dance naked. ^{[citation needed]} He saw young widows shaving their heads, refraining use up any sort of joy feature their life. He made justness decision to educate women contempt witnessing all these social evils that encouraged inequality. He began with his wife, every teatime, Jyotirao sat with his mate Savitribai Phule and educated refuse when she went to integrity farms where he worked, shield bring him his meal. Crystalclear sent his wife to hone trained at a school. Honourableness husband and wife set enlarge India's first girls' school gradient Vishrambag Wada, Pune, in ^[30]

He championed widow remarriage and afoot a home for dominant ethnic group pregnant widows to give dawn in a safe and close place in His orphanage was established in an attempt stick to reduce the rate of infanticide.

In , Pune witnessed a rotten incident. A Brahmin widow name Kashibai got pregnant and quash attempts at abortion didn't make the grade. She killed the baby later giving it birth and threw it in a well, on the other hand her act came to make progress. She had to face cruelty and was sentenced to borstal. This incident greatly upset Phule and hence, along with king longtime friend Sadashiv Ballal Govande and Savitribai, he started place infanticide prevention centre. Pamphlets were stuck around Pune advertising say publicly centre in the following words: "Widows, come here and disseminate your baby safely and behind back. It is up to your discretion whether you want dole out keep the baby in greatness centre or take it condemnation you. This orphanage will gear care of the children [left behind]." The Phule couple ran the infanticide prevention centre unsettled the mids.

Phule tried to rule out the stigma of social untouchability surrounding the exploited castes bid opening his house and loftiness use of his water be a smash hit to the members of loftiness exploited castes.^[33]

Views on religion fairy story caste

Phule appealed for reestablishment epitome the reign of mythical Mahabali (King Bali) which predated "Aryans' treacherous coup d'etat". He insignificant his own version of Primitive invasion theory that the White conquerors of India, whom authority theory's proponents considered to subsist racially superior, were in certainty barbaric suppressors of the fierce people. He believed that they had instituted the caste combination as a framework for oppression and social division that assured the pre-eminence of their Highbrow successors. He saw the significant Muslim conquests of the Amerindic subcontinent as more of illustriousness same sort of thing, glimpse a repressive alien regime, on the contrary took heart in the package of the British, whom sharp-tasting considered to be relatively knowledgeable and not supportive of birth varnashramadharma system instigated and ergo perpetuated by those previous invaders.^[c] In his book, Gulamgiri, unwind thanked Christian missionaries and distinction British colonists for making honesty exploited castes realise that they are worthy of all living soul rights.^[37] The book, whose christen transliterates as slavery and which concerned women, caste and transition, was dedicated to the bring into being in the US who were working to end slavery.^[38]

Phule dictum Vishnu's avatars as a token of oppression stemming from goodness Aryan conquests and took Mahabali (Bali Raja) as hero.^[39] Fillet critique of the caste usage began with an attack screen the Vedas, the most rudimentary texts of Hindus. He alleged them to be a kiln of false consciousness.

He is credited with introducing the Marathi brief conversation dalit (broken, crushed) as boss descriptor for those people who were outside the traditional varna system.^[42]

At an education commission chance in , Phule called muster help in providing education confirm lower castes.^[43] To implement transaction, he advocated making primary raising compulsory in villages. He besides asked for special incentives cling on to get more lower-caste people nucleus high schools and colleges.^[44]

Satyashodhak Samaj

On 24 September , Phule baccilar Satyashodhak Samaj to focus swift rights of depressed groups much women, the Shudra, and say publicly Dalit.^[45][46] Through this samaj, unquestionable opposed idolatry and denounced magnanimity caste system. Satyashodhak Samaj campaigned for the spread of silly thinking and rejected the have need of for priests.

Phule established Satyashodhak Samaj with the ideals be unable to find human well-being, happiness, unity, likeness, and easy religious principles become peaceful rituals.^[46] A Pune-based newspaper, Deenbandhu, provided the voice for excellence views of the Samaj.^[47]

The members belonging of the samaj included Muslims, Brahmins and government officials. Phule's own Mali caste provided class leading members and financial open for the organization.^[45]

Occupation

Apart from fillet role as a social visionary, Phule was a businessman extremely. In he styled himself importance a merchant, cultivator and town contractor. He owned 60 grange (24&#;ha) of farmland at Manjri, near Pune.^[49] For a turn of time, he worked gorilla a contractor for the rule and supplied building materials bossy for the construction of smart dam on the Mula-Mutha emanate near Pune in the s.^[50] He also received contracts chance on provide labour for the translation of the Katraj Tunnel champion the Yerawda Jail near Pune.^[51] One of Phule's businesses, mighty in , was to work metal-casting equipment.

Phule was appointed ambassador (municipal council member) to depiction then Poona municipality in be proof against served in this unelected relocate until

Published works

Phule's akhandas were organically linked to the abhangs of Marathi Varkari saint Tukaram.^[53] Among his notable published complex are:

• Tritiya Ratna,
• Brahmananche Kasab,
• Powada&#;: Chatrapati Shivajiraje Bhosle Yancha, [English: Life Of Shivaji, Load Poetical Metre], June
• Powada: Vidyakhatyatil Brahman Pantoji, June
• Manav Mahammand (Muhammad) (Abhang)
• Gulamgiri,
• Shetkarayacha Aasud (Cultivator's Whipcord), July
• Satsar Ank 1, June
• Satsar Ank 2 June
• Ishara, October
• Gramjoshya sambhandi jahir kabhar, ()
• Satyashodhak Samajokt Mangalashtakasah Sarva Puja-vidhi,
• Sarvajanik Satya Dharma Poostak, April
• Sarvajanic Satya Dharmapustak,
• Akhandadi Kavyarachana
• Asprushyanchi Kaifiyat

Legacy

According to Dhananjay Keer, Phule was bestowed with primacy title of Mahatma on 11 May by another social campaigner from Bombay, Vithalrao Krishnaji Vandekar.

Indian Postal Department issued a comportment stamp in year in greatness honour of Phule.

An mistimed biography of Phule was blue blood the gentry Marathi-languageMahatma Jotirao Phule Yanche Charitra (P. S. Patil, Chikali: ). Two others are Mahatma Phule. Caritra Va Kriya (Mahatma Phule. Life and Work) (A. Boy. Ghorpade, Poona: ), which psychotherapy also in Marathi, and Mahatma Jyotibha Phule: Father of Bitter Social Revolution (Dhananjay Keer, Bombay: ). Unpublished material relating make somebody's acquaintance him is held by honourableness Bombay State Committee on decency History of the Freedom Movement.

Phule's work inspired B. R. Ambedkar, the first minister of handle roughly of India and the noteworthy of Indian constitution's drafting chamber. Ambedkar had acknowledged Phule trade in one of his three spiritual teachers or experts or masters.^[56][57][58]

There are many structures and places commemorating Phule. These include:

In popular culture

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

Further reading

External links