Er.Rajesh Pathak
During the British regime in 19th century the one who rose on the social horizon of Maharashtra as a first such social reformer to give his what is truly called an active contribution in socially uplifting the deprived section of people in general and women in particular then he was none other than Jyotiba Phulay. A man of firm resolve, he brought a great upheaval in the prevailing social scene by his diverse kinds of works; and, also, by the approach he adopted in their execution. Among the most pioneering works he initiated was the school for the low-cast girls to be run by him. And, ignoring the rituals then strictly observed in the traditional medieval society, he groomed his own wife Savitribai to have her fulfill the role of a lady teacher for them [girls].
With the active cooperation of Vishnu Shastri Bapat, a renowned personality of contemporary Maharashtra, he launched first ever movement for widow-remarriage. And, when on 25th July 1856 the remarriage of widow was made legal he toured from place to place to generate public support in its favor. Likewise, he greatly condemned the infanticide, and to discourage it he himself ran a child-care home in his own house with the help of his wife. They [Jyotiba and Savitribai] even adopted the son of a Brahmin widow and named him Yashwant. They brought him up like their own son. Not only this, taking unprecedentedly bold step, he even exhorted the barbers to boycott tonsuring the heads of widows, the ill-practice imposed then especially on the Brahmin women.
Making the use of the local custom of Haldi-kumkum [religious celebration for the women-folk to mark their happy and long married life] in the interest of social-harmony, he organized a function of “Get-together” for the women folk to celebrate it. Celebrated so far only by the upper-caste women, in the function a big number of women of all kinds of lower castes were also invited for the first time. Together with his wife the mother of ‘Sarvjanik kaka’ [Ganesh Vasudev Joshi] worked shoulder to shoulder with him for this. In protest against the restriction on the untouchables to consume water from the public water-booth, he made the arrangement of water for them through the water tank of his own house.
Many of his works became the glorious precedents for impending social revolution. Taking inspiration from him, many of his friends and other enlightened personalities of upper-castes like Sakharam Yashwant Pranjpay, Sadashiv Govind Sathe, Sadashiv Gowanday, to name the few, extended their contribution to him. It was the Brahmins who provided the place for the school to be run by him in Budhwar Peth in Pune. Not only this, but Brahmins also took up the responsibility of teaching the students there. So also, ‘Sarvjanik Kaka’ was in forefront in offering every possible help to Jyotiba. Moreover, in the executive committee formed by him to run the school all the members were Brahmins, other than him. Likewise, always keenly engaged in any kind of work for the welfare of deprived and oppressed section of society, Baroda king Sayaji Rao Gayakwad greatly appreciated Jyotiba for his work. He gave his full cooperation to him whenever and wherever he needed, which he [Jyotiba] mentioned in his book ‘Sarvjanik Satyadharma’ with due regard to him.
Though with his aides he continued to work for his mission for many years, but to stabilize it[mission] so that it may continue to work even after his demise he formed an organization ‘Satyasodhak Samaj’ on 24th Sept 1883. Keeping ‘Satyasodhak Samaj’ on forefront, he generated widespread consciousness among the people against many deeply infested social ailments such as child- marriage, sati-system, abortion, prostitution, obscene dance of women, discrimination against women regarding inheritance, illiteracy, injustice against labors and small farmers and so many others.
Thus, wherever he noticed exploitation he acted unflinchingly upon its rectification. His mission of social-emancipation continued to be active for forty years. After his demise, on the persuasion of Bhai Parmanand-one of the founders of Hindu Mahasabha- Baroda king made the arrangement from the Baroda Govt. to provide monetary-relief to his wife and son.
