Today, independent women in India are breaking the age-old cultural, social and traditional barriers. But it was not like this forever. Today girls are studying in schools and colleges, working in an organization, getting equal opportunities as men. The credit for this goes only to ‘Mahatma Jyotirao Phule’. The Mahatma and his wife Savitribai dedicated their entire lives for the upliftment of women, against gender equality and caste discrimination.
Jyotirao was born on April 11, 1827 in Pune to Govindrao and Chimnabai. Govindrao and his brothers were working as florists for the Peshwas and hence were called ‘Phule’ in Marathi. He was born in a lower caste, but he never faced caste discrimination, as the family was working together for the Peshwas. Jyotirao had to stop his education to help his family. But in keeping with his ability, his neighbors (a Muslim teacher and a Christian man) persuaded his father to complete Jyotirao’s education. This is how he completed his education at the Scottish Mission High School in 1847. At the same time, according to the ‘child marriage’ prevalent at that time, 13-year-old Jyotirao was married to 9-year-old Savitribai.
first caste discrimination
Due to Phule’s close ties with the Peshwas, the family never faced caste discrimination. But everything happens the first time. He experienced caste discrimination for the first time in 1848 when he attended the marriage ceremony of his Brahmin friend. The groom’s family members insulted him when he attended the ceremony.
School started 100 years before independence
The incident of ‘caste discrimination’ had a great impact on his mind and he started a school for untouchables and girls within a year. Jyotiba first taught his wife Savitribai to read and write and thus in 1848 she became the first female teacher. He made people aware of the importance of education in his poems. The society accepted this initiative with open arms. However, the Phule couple also faced a lot of criticism. Later he had to leave his parents’ house to go against the society.
home for upper caste widows
Child marriage was a practice at that time. Younger girls were married to older men. Due to which the number of young widows increased. Upper caste widows had to lead a miserable life. In which- shaving of widow, abortion of her child, not entering the kitchen, many such restrictions were imposed. Seeing this problem, the Phule couple started a home for upper caste widows, where they could live their lives. At that time the children of widows were also abandoned. So the Phule couple started the country’s first orphanage and later adopted a child. Not only this, he also advocated widow remarriage. He was again openly criticized for this initiative but the couple paid no heed.
title of Mahatma
Social reformer Vithalrao Krishnaji Wadekar honored him with the title of ‘Mahatma’ for his great contribution in the welfare of the society. Unfortunately the Mahatma passed away on November 28, 1890, but Savitribai continued the initiative. The Mahatma has been honored many times in Maharashtra and other states of India. Many places including universities, museums and vegetable markets are named after the great man.
Now is the time to start honoring the real heroes and thank them for who we are today.