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JYOTIBA PHULE

March 1, 2021 by Bhushan Leave a Comment Last Updated March 1, 2021

Table of Contents hide
1 About Jyotiba Phule
2 Education
3 Women empowerment
4 Widow Remarriage
5 Against Caste System
6 Association
7 Literary work

About Jyotiba Phule

  • In 2020, the 130th death anniversary of Jyotiba Phule was observed.
  • He was a prominent social reformer and thinker of the nineteenth century
    India.
  • He was born in the Satara district of Maharastra in 1827.
  • His family belonged to the 'mali' caste of gardeners and vegetable farmers.
  • At the age of thirteen years, Jyotirao was married to Savitribai.
  • After reading Thomas Paine's famous book 'The Rights of Man'(1791), Jyotirao was greatly influenced by his ideas.
  • He believed that enlightenment of the women and lower caste people was the only solution to combat the social evils.
  • He was bestowed with the title of Mahatma by Vithalrao Krishnaji Vandekar in 1988 and passed away in 1890.
  • Efforts Towards social reform

Education

  • Phule suggested compulsory, universal, and creative education
  • He and his wife Savitrirao Phule opened the first-ever school for Dalit girls at Bhide Wada, Pune, in 1848.
  • The curriculum of the school was based on western education and included mathematics, science, and social studies.
  • Savitribai took a teachers' training course and became a qualified teacher in 1847.

Women empowerment

  • Jyotiba believed in the equality of men and women. He stressed women's education and the emancipation of women.
  • He brought women into public life. He strongly opposed social evils like child marriage and female infanticide.
  • In 1863, Jyotirao and Savitribai started the first-ever infanticide prohibition home in India called Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha. It helped pregnant Brahmin widows and rape victims deliver children.

Widow Remarriage

  • Jyotiba realized the pathetic conditions of widows and established an ashram for young widows and eventually became an advocate of the idea of Widow Remarriage.

Against Caste System

  • In the 19th century, Jyotiba Phule was the most radical opponent of untouchability and the caste system as he called for the complete demolition of its oppressive structure.
  • He was the first person to coin the term 'Dalits' to apply to all people considered lower caste and untouchables.
  • He condemned the Vedas and held Brahmins responsible for framing exploitative and inhuman laws in order to maintain their social superiority.
  • He was a source of inspiration for Maharshi Shinde, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Gadgebaba, and Sahu Maharaj.

Association

  • In 1873, he formed the Satya Shodhak Samaj (Society of Seekers of Truth) in Pune.
  • It was a social reform society that fought for equal rights for the depressed classes.
  • The community included Muslims, non-brahmins, Brahmins, and government officials.

Literary work

  • He wrote 16 books that contributed to the social awakening of the downtrodden masses who were subject to the atrocities of the upper castes and the British administrators at that time.
  • His notable published works are
    • Tritiya Ratna
    • Brahmananche Kasab
    • Powada : Chatrapati Shivajiraje Bhosle Yancha (Life of Shivaji)
    • Manav Mahammand (Muhammad) (Abhang)
    • Gulamgiri
    • Satyashodhak Samajokt Mangalashtakasah Sarva Puja-vidhi
    • Sarvajanic Satya Dharmapustak
    • Shetkaryacha Asud

Filed Under: UPSC

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