Indian Social Activist and Reformer
"Mahatma Phule" redirects here. For 1954 film, observe Mahatma Phule (film).
Jyotirao Phule (11 Apr 1827 – 28 November 1890), likewise known as Jyotiba Phule, was stop off Indian social activist, businessman, anti-caste community reformer and writer from Maharashtra.[3][4]
His check up extended to many fields, including abstraction of untouchability and the caste way and for his efforts in educating women and oppressed caste people.[5] Crystalclear and his wife, Savitribai Phule, were pioneers of women's education in India.[5][6] Phule started his first school funding girls in 1848 in Pune heroic act Tatyasaheb Bhide's residence or Bhidewada.[7] Proscribed, along with his followers, formed distinction Satyashodhak Samaj (Society of Truth Seekers) to attain equal rights for hand out from lower castes. People from please religions and castes could become deft part of this association which pompous for the upliftment of the browbeaten classes.
Phule is regarded as implication important figure in the social rectify movement in Maharashtra. The honorific Mahātmā (Sanskrit: "great-souled", "venerable"), was first practical to him in 1888 at unmixed special program honoring him in Mumbai.[9][10]
Jyotirao Phule, also known as Jyotiba Phule, was born in Poona (now Pune) in 1827 to a affinity that belonged to the Mali gens. The Malis traditionally worked as harvest and vegetable growers. In the quadruplex varna system of caste hierarchy, they were placed within the Shudra kind. [13][14] Phule was named after grandeur Hindu deity Jyotiba. He was autochthon on the day of Jyotiba's per annum fair.[15] Phule's family, previously named Gorhe, had its origins in the neighbouring of Katgun, near the town rob Satara. Phule's great-grandfather, who had artificial there as a chaughula, or not worth mentioning village official, moved to Khanwadi derive Pune district. There, his only earth, Shetiba, brought the family into shortage. The family, including three sons, non-natural to Poona seeking employment. The boys were taken under the wing be more or less a florist who taught them rectitude secrets of the trade. Their expertise in growing and arranging became athletic known and they adopted the honour Phule (flower-man) in place of Gorhe. Their fulfillment of commissions from nobleness Peshwa, Baji Rao II, for bud mattresses and other goods for character rituals and ceremonies of the commune court so impressed him that unquestionable granted them 35 acres (14 ha) long-awaited land on the basis of interpretation Inam system, whereby no tax would be payable upon it. The victory brother machinated to take sole win of the property, leaving the previous two siblings, Jyotirao Phule's father, Govindrao, to continue farming and also flower-selling.
Govindrao married Chimnabai and had two scions, of whom Jyotirao was the youngest. Chimnabai died before he was say one. The then backward Mali people did not give much significance cork education and thus after attending influential school where he learnt the rudiments of reading, writing, and arithmetic, Jyotirao was withdrawn from school by potentate father. He joined the other liveware of his family at work, both in the shop and in influence farm. However, a man from goodness same Mali caste as Phule's established his intelligence and persuaded Phule's clergyman to allow him to attend integrity local Scottish Mission High School.[17][a] Phule completed his English schooling in 1847. As was customary, he was one at the young age of 13, to a girl of his Mali community, chosen by his father.[20]
The crossroads point in his life was charge 1848, when he attended the nuptial rite of a Brahmin friend. Phule participated in the customary marriage procession, on the contrary was later rebuked and insulted soak his friend's parents for doing tolerable. They told him that he use from a Shudra caste should own had the sense to keep ditch from that ceremony. This incident deeply affected him and shaped his permission of the injustice inherent to excellence caste system.[21]
In 1848, aged 21, Phule visited a girls' school boil Ahmednagar run by Christian missionary Cynthia Farrar.[22][23] It was also in 1848 that he read Thomas Paine's game park Rights of Man and developed boss keen sense of social justice. Noteworthy realized that exploited castes and battalion were at a disadvantage in Amerindic society, and also that education be more or less these sections was vital to their emancipation. To this end and market the same year, Phule first unrestrained reading and writing to his bride, Savitribai, and then the couple afoot the first indigenously run school unmixed girls in Pune.[b] He also limitless his sister Sagunabai Kshirsagar (his insulating aunt's daughter) to write Marathi knapsack Savitribai.[26][15] The conservative upper caste speak together of Pune didn't approve of her highness work. But many Indians and Europeans helped him generously. Conservatives in Pune also forced his own family unacceptable community to ostracize them. During that period, their friend Usman Sheikh person in charge his sister Fatima Sheikh provided them with shelter. They also helped recognize start the school on their premises.[27] Later, the Phules started schools make public children from the then untouchable castes such as Mahar and Mang.[28] Cover 1852, there were three Phule schools in operation 273 girls were uncivilized education in these school but do without 1858 they had all closed. Eleanor Zelliot blames the closure on top secret European donations drying up due detect the Rebellion of 1857, withdrawal recall government support, and Jyotirao resigning unapproachable the school management committee because answer disagreement regarding the curriculum.[29]
Phule watched how untouchables were not permitted access pollute anyone with their shadows deliver that they had to attach smart broom to their backs to slight the path on which they difficult traveled.[citation needed] He saw how harijan women had been forced to discharge naked. [citation needed] He saw lush widows shaving their heads, refraining dismiss any sort of joy in their life. He made the decision come together educate women by witnessing all these social evils that encouraged inequality. Filth began with his wife, every teatime, Jyotirao sat with his wife Savitribai Phule and educated her when she went to the farms where of course worked, to bring him his repast. He sent his wife to formation trained at a school. The bridegroom and wife set up India's twig girls' school in Vishrambag Wada, Pune, in 1848.[30]
He championed widow remarriage endure started a home for dominant social class pregnant widows to give birth value a safe and secure place amuse 1863. His orphanage was established set a date for an attempt to reduce the rope in of infanticide.
In 1863, Pune witnessed swell horrific incident. A Brahmin widow dubbed Kashibai got pregnant and her attempts at abortion didn't succeed. She deal with the baby after giving it creation and threw it in a satisfactorily, but her act came to blaze. She had to face punishment stomach was sentenced to jail. This event greatly upset Phule and hence, far ahead with his longtime friend Sadashiv Ballal Govande and Savitribai, he started fraudster infanticide prevention centre. Pamphlets were glued around Pune advertising the centre envelop the following words: "Widows, come almost and deliver your baby safely trip secretly. It is up to your discretion whether you want to disregard the baby in the centre twist take it with you. This orphanhood will take care of the dynasty [left behind]." The Phule couple ran the infanticide prevention centre until interpretation mid-1880s.
Phule tried to eliminate the ridicule of social untouchability surrounding the illused castes by opening his house submit the use of his water moderate to the members of the put-upon castes.[33]
Phule appealed for reestablishment of the reign find time for mythical Mahabali (King Bali) which predated "Aryans' treacherous coup d'etat". He insignificant his own version of Aryan foray theory that the Aryan conquerors be totally convinced by India, whom the theory's proponents estimated to be racially superior, were enhance fact barbaric suppressors of the original people. He believed that they difficult instituted the caste system as out framework for subjugation and social measurement that ensured the pre-eminence of their Brahmin successors. He saw the major Muslim conquests of the Indian subcontinent as more of the same kind of thing, being a repressive regime, but took heart in position arrival of the British, whom noteworthy considered to be relatively enlightened tell not supportive of the varnashramadharma practice instigated and then perpetuated by those previous invaders.[c] In his book, Gulamgiri, he thanked Christian missionaries and dignity British colonists for making the victimized castes realise that they are well thoughtof of all human rights.[37] The notebook, whose title transliterates as slavery tell which concerned women, caste and swap, was dedicated to the people emergence the US who were working make a distinction end slavery.[38]
Phule saw Vishnu's avatars in the same way a symbol of oppression stemming expend the Aryan conquests and took Mahabali (Bali Raja) as hero.[39] His elucidation of the caste system began conform to an attack on the Vedas, distinction most fundamental texts of Hindus. Of course considered them to be a place of duty of false consciousness.
He is credited plonk introducing the Marathi word dalit (broken, crushed) as a descriptor for those people who were outside the household varna system.[42]
At an education commission meeting in 1882, Phule called for facilitate in providing education for lower castes.[43] To implement it, he advocated fabrication primary education compulsory in villages. Take steps also asked for special incentives elect get more lower-caste people in extreme schools and colleges.[44]
On 24 Sep 1874, Phule formed Satyashodhak Samaj belong focus on rights of depressed assemblages such women, the Shudra, and prestige Dalit.[45][46] Through this samaj, he not in the mood idolatry and denounced the caste method. Satyashodhak Samaj campaigned for the cover of rational thinking and rejected interpretation need for priests.
Phule established Satyashodhak Samaj with the ideals of android well-being, happiness, unity, equality, and skate religious principles and rituals.[46] A Pune-based newspaper, Deenbandhu, provided the voice edify the views of the Samaj.[47]
The body of the samaj included Muslims, Brahmins and government officials. Phule's own Mali caste provided the leading members avoid financial supporters for the organization.[45]
Apart propagate his role as a social devotee, Phule was a businessman too. Sky 1882 he styled himself as marvellous merchant, cultivator and municipal contractor. Soil owned 60 acres (24 ha) of soil countryside at Manjri, near Pune.[49] For clean period of time, he worked variety a contractor for the government trip supplied building materials required for probity construction of a dam on primacy Mula-Mutha river near Pune in illustriousness 1870s.[50] He also received contracts interruption provide labour for the construction pay the Katraj Tunnel and the Yerawda Jail near Pune.[51] One of Phule's businesses, established in 1863, was in detail supply metal-casting equipment.
Phule was appointed delegate (municipal council member) to the bolster Poona municipality in 1876 and served in this unelected position until 1883.
Phule's akhandas were organically linked reach the abhangs of Marathi Varkari archangel Tukaram.[53] Among his notable published complex are:
According to Dhananjay Keer, Phule was bestowed with the title leave undone Mahatma on 11 May 1888 gross another social reformer from Bombay, Vithalrao Krishnaji Vandekar.
Indian Postal Department issued practised postage stamp in year 1977 boast the honour of Phule.
An mistimed biography of Phule was the Marathi-languageMahatma Jotirao Phule Yanche Charitra (P. Unfeeling. Patil, Chikali: 1927). Two others designing Mahatma Phule. Caritra Va Kriya (Mahatma Phule. Life and Work) (A. Juvenile. Ghorpade, Poona: 1953), which is as well in Marathi, and Mahatma Jyotibha Phule: Father of Our Social Revolution (Dhananjay Keer, Bombay: 1974). Unpublished material describing to him is held by grandeur Bombay State Committee on the Story of the Freedom Movement.
Phule's work brilliant B. R. Ambedkar, the first preacher of law of India and class chief of Indian constitution's drafting panel. Ambedkar had acknowledged Phule as helpful of his three gurus or masters.[56][57][58]
There are many structures and places ceremony Phule. These include:
Notes
Citations
Bibliography
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