Ever since the Caste system was invented it
has brought only hate related miseries
to the the people of the fourth Hindu Verna. They were/are addressed
as Untouchable,Shudras, Ati Shudras present day called Mulnivasies,
aboriginals, Dalits(Scheduled Castes(SCs), Scheduled Tribes( STs), Other
Backward Classes( OBCs) etc). They were degraded even below the level of
animals. They were denied all decent ways of life. They were not only debarred to entre Schools, drinking
water sources, temples, barber shops but their cremations places were also separated. Their rights to
progress, social, economical, educational, property rights including cultural
were denied for them. Religious law codes like Manusmriti were written and given divine sanctions .. Divisions among Hindu castes were made
permanent. Untouchable were divided in
as many as 6743 Castes,
sub castes, Gotras etc. to ensure that they never get united and create any
problem for the Brahmins and Brahminical
thinking . Hindu way of life was not only to divide
work but workers. This also gave birth to caste war. The Hindus offered milk to
snakes; rice with sugar to ants; worshipped tress like Tulsi, Pipal, and
animals like cows but got polluted by the very shadow of a Dalit. Dalits are
non-else but the creation of the Omnipresent Almighty God. Although for God realization Hindus observe extreme austere like
living in lonely forests, undertake long journeys to 68 places of pilgrimage,
observing fasts, celibacy etc.. How
could such external acts be divine when these cause division among humen? It is said when excesses cross all limits the
Divinity sends messengers of humanity.
These men of vision, convictions and strength show the masses the just
path of love for all and hate to none. Lord Budha, Lord Mahaveera, Mohammad
Sahib, Jesus Christ, Kabir, Guru Nanak ,Guru Ravidas,Chokhamela, Narayana
Guru and many more who rose above
pretty caste prejudices. After
2390 years of Mahatama Budha’s birth another friend to Deprived Section of
Indians was born. He was Mahatama Phule. Mahatma Phule, a contemporary of KARL MARX(1818-1883), of
the Indian social revolution and the first leader of peasants. In his time
there was a conflict between the rationalist and the orthodox. His period can,
therefore, be a aptly described as the dawn of revolution in the history not
only of Maharashtra but of the country as a whole. This brought revolutionary
changes in the social, economic, Education, Caste Systems, Agriculture, Women
and widow upliftment , Human Rights, Untouchbility ,Social Equality.
Mahatama Jyotirao Gobindrao Phule was born on 11th April,1827 to revered couple Gobindrao
and Chimnabai in village Khanbari of Poona. He
earned the title of Mahatma and title of Bukar T.Washington (American President
and a great leader against acts of slavery & apartheid).Since Gobindarao
and his two brothers served as florists under the last Pashwas, so they were
called Phules. Chimnabai died when Jyotiba was 9 months old. So his
childhood was not very pleasant. He was brought up in the care of Sagunabai
Khersagar ( Daughter of Gondabai maternal aunt ,Moussi of Jyotirao).
Gobindrao wanted his son to get a higher education so as to spread the Gyan
Jyoti for the humanity at large and Dalits in particular. But all relatives of
Gobindrao were against the education of Jyotiba pleading that his son would get
spoiled by studying English and could lend no help to him in his job as
florist. So Jyotiba was taken out of school after he passed his
primary school at the age of 9 years. Despite this Jyotiba continued working in
fields during day and reading at night. Good hearted Goffar Beig Munshi ( A
Muslim )and Latiz Sahib(A Christian) had good influence on Gobindarao. They
insisted Gobindrao to get his son readmitted in school to complete his
education .On their persuasion Gobindrao got re- admitted his son in
Scottish Mission High School at Poona in January, 1841. It was in this
school that he met Sadashiv Ballal Govande, a Brahmin, who remained a close
friend throughout his life. Both Jotirao and Govande were greatly influenced by Thomas Paine's ideas and they read with great
interest Paine's famous book ' The
Rights of Man'. Jyotirao
alias Jyotiba completed his secondary
education in 1847 and decided not to accept any government job but work for the
upliftment of downtrodden and deprived section of society by spread of
education to all with special emphasis for women and untouchables.
Jyotiro was convinced and often proclaimed
“ Lack of education leads to lack of wisdom, which leads to lack of morals, which
further leads to lack of progress which leads to lack of money, which leads to
the oppression of the lower classes”. See what state of society one
lack of education can cause!
Jyotiba got spine shivering experience of caste hate, when he was
invited by his Brahmin friend to join Barat( Marriage party procession) of his
brother. But in the Barat Jyotiba although wearing good ress was noticed by the other Brahmin Baratis.
Jyotiba was abused, insulted and finally turned out of the party for his
low caste. Jyotiba discussed this with his father who advised his son to avoid
such invitations in future as the high caste Hindus shall not compromise on
their religious superiority complex.
This incident changed the
life concept of Jyotiba, who made up his mind to defy the caste
system and decided to serve the shudras and women who were deprived of all of
their human rights due to the caste
system. Jyotiba met at Ahmadnagar Miss Farar,a teacher in Girls
Missionary School. Miss Farar explained Jyotiba and his friend Sahashiv Govande
the importance of women education. Jyotiba was greatly impressed by advice of
the Missionary teacher. He decided to work for women upliftment by spread of
their education and other social welfare measures.
Jyotiba was married in
1840 to Savitribai.Savitribai Phule.She worked as the true disciple and
co-missionary of her husband. They changed the Indin history by opening a
school on 1-1-1848 for girls in Poona where Savitirbai was admitted as first
Student along with four Brahmin girls, one Maratha girl and sixth a shepherd
family girl. Jyotirao Phule continued
this school despite opposition form orthodox Hindus, who considered this act
against their religion, as Hindu scriptures considered educating girls &
Dalits as a great sin. Savitirbai received more education at home from his
husband, and was appointed as Headmistress of one of his schools by Jyotiba.
Even parents of Jyotiba did not co-operated & they turned him along with
Savitribai out of their parental house. It was said by Brahmin priests that by by
educating women and Dalits,a sin, forty generations of sinner shall be put
into Narak (hell) fire. But Phule couple remained steadfast on their chosen
path. They opened 18 such schools including some having co-education.
Feeling pity on the condition of orphans Jyotiba Phule opened
orphanage, perhaps first such
Institution by a
Hindu. Jyotiba Phule gave protection to widows & assured them that
orphanage shall take care of their children. It was in this orphanage
that a Brahmin widow Kashbai gave birth
to a male child in1873 and Jyotirao Phule adopted him as his son naming him
Jaswant Phule & educated him to become a qualified doctor.
To earn his livelihood
& to run his schools & other institutions he worked as contractor in
PWD. Some of the structures including a bridge are still standing in Pune
and in its surrounding. He termed PWD department as hotbed of corruption.
He also supplied building materials required
for the construction of the first masonry dam in India at Khadakwasla near
Pune in the 1870s. One of Phule's
businesses in 1863, was to supply metal-casting equipment. Jyotirao owned 60 acres of farmland at Manjri near
Pune. In
1882 memorial, he styled himself as a merchant, cultivator and Municipal
Contractor.
He published his book “Slavery,” in 1873,
in which he declared his
manifesto that he was willing to dine with all irrespective of their caste,
creed, or country of origin. This book was also temed as controversial The
opening words of Slavery are” Since the advent of rule of
Brahmins for centuries( In India), the Shudras and Ati Shudras are suffering
hardships and are leading miserable lives.------ Shudras should think
over their misfortune and they should eventually set themselves free from this
tyranny of Bhats( Brahmins)”. Jotirao
dedicated this book 'to the good people of the Unites States as a token of
admiration for their sublime, disinterested and self-sacrificing devotion in
the cause of Negro Slavery'. The book is written in the form of a dialogue.
Jyotirao Phule
formed “ Satya Shodhak Samaj(Society of
Seekers of Truth) on
24 th September 1873 with
Jotirao as its first president and treasurer. In 1876 this Samaj had 316 members.
The main objectives of this organization were to liberate the Shudras, Ati
Shudras & to prevent their exploitation by the Upper caste Hindus. He
refused to regard Vedas as sacrosanct & denounced Chaturverna & instead
published his book “Satya Dharma Pustak in 1891. According to him all men
& women were equal & entitled to enjoy equal rights & it was a sin
to discriminate between human beings on the basis of sex or caste or creed .
Widow bearning( Sati) was common those days. Widow remarriages were banned and
child marriage was very common among the Hindus Society Jyotirao opposed these
all social ills & worked for the benefits of sufferers. He got re
married one Shayani caste widow on 8th march 1890 against strong
protests. From the beginning of the year 1879 Krishnarao Bhalekar, one
of his colleagues, edited a weekly called Deenbandhu which was the organ of the
Satya Shodhak Samaj. The weekly articulated the grievances of the peasants sand
workers. Deenbandhu defended Jotirao when Vishnushastri Chiplunkar, a powerful
spokesman of the conservative nationalists, attacked Jotirao's writing in the
most vitriolic style. Bosom Friends
Lokhande, Bhalekar and Jyotirao addressed the meetings of the textile
workers in Bombay and tried to organise the peasants and the workers. No such
attempt was made by any organization
earlier to redress their grievances. This move infused a sense of
awakening towards their rights, in the peasants and the workers.
Mahatama Phule opposed the
evil customs so on the death of his father he did not call his caste people for
meal instead he distributed meals in beggars, distributed pencils, writing wooden
planks ( Patties ) & books to children which became annual function
to remember his father. He opposed the tyranny of landlords & money
lenders , so he organized a protest Dharna in Poona District where
farmers joined in large number & burnt the records of the money lenders. He
got a marriage ceremonised on 25 th December 1873 without the participation ob
any Prohit. In the marriage feast the was only Pan & Supary nothing else.
He edited a weekly news paper “ DEEN BANDU ,” from 1st January 1877. Jyotirao Phule helper
getting released in1881 from jail Lok Manaiya Ganga Dhar Tilk & Goda Adkar
who were sentenced for writing in their papers “ The Kesri & the
Maratha ,” against the policies of the British Govt.
On 2nd March, 1888, Rao
Bahadur Hari Raoji Chiplunkar( 1842-1896) an Honorary Magistrate and
President of the Association of Landlords has arranged a banquet in the honour
of the Duke and Duchess of Connaught. Hari Raoji Chiplunkar was also a friend of Jotirao and had invited Jotirao
too. Jotirao dressed like an Indian peasant, attended the function and made a
speech. He commented on the rich invitees who displayed their wealth by wearing
diamond-studded jewellery and warned the visiting dignitaries that the people
who had gathered there did not represent India. If the Duke of Connaught was
really interested in finding out the condition of the Indian subjects of Her
Majesty the Queen of England, Jotirao suggested that he ought to visit some
nearby villages as well as the areas in
the city occupied by the untouchables. He requested the Duke of Connaught who
was a grandson of Queen Victoria to convey his message to her and made a strong
plea to provide education to the poor people. Jotirao's speech created quite a
stir( Wikipedia).
For the life long service to the Dalits & other deprived section of the
society Jyotirao Phule was awarded the Title Of MAHATAMA. On 19 th May 1888. The function was attended by
dignitaries like Justice Ranade, Dr. Bhandarkar , Tukaram Tatiya , Lokhande,
Dholey & Bharkar besides . Jyotirao Phule was addressed by Saya Ji
Rao Gaikwardas Bukar T Washington in his letter to the president of the
function.
Jyotirao Phule’s his right hand got incapacitated in an illness, so
he stated writing with his left hand & wrote a book titled as “ SARIVJANIK
SATYA DHARAM , “ After ceaselessly working for over 63 years Jyotirao Phule
passed away on 28 th November 1890 about 138 days before the
birth of Dr. BR Ambedkar another Dalit Maharashtrian luminary, Father of free India’s Constitution
, who also lifelong worked for the emancipation of Dalits , depressed,
weak & women. Jyotirao Phule shall be remembered for the centuries to
come for the good work he did for the Dalits & Depressed peoples of
society including women.
Words 2196
Dated 07-04-2017 Er.
H. R. Phonsa ( Jammu)
Contact:-9419134060
