Mahatma Jyotirao Phule was an important social reformer. He lived in Maharashtra during the nineteenth century. He is famous because he strongly worked against social injustice. He especially fought against the Hindu caste system. He spent his whole life working for the rights of people from lower castes and for the rights of women.
Table of Contents
Know Mahatma Jyotirao Phule in 10 points
- Mahatma Jyotirao Phule was an important social reformer.
- He especially fought against the Hindu caste system.
- Jyotirao Phule was born in Maharashtra in nineteenth century in a family that belonged to the Mali caste.
- Jyotirao Phule believe the caste system was created by invaders.
- Mahatma Phule started the Satyashodhak Samaj in the year 1873.
- Jyotirao Phule and his wife, Savitribai Phule, did very important work in the field of education. In the year 1848, they started the very first school for girls in Pune.
- Jyotirao Phule also wrote a book called ‘Gulamgiri’.
- Dr. Ambedkar considered Mahatma Phule as one of his main teachers or ‘gurus’.
- Mahatma Jyotirao Phule fought against the unfair treatment based on caste.
- He felt that the British rule could be used mainly to fight against the strong power and unfair practices of the old system that was controlled by the Brahmins.
Belief of Jyotirao Phule about caste system
Jyotirao Phule believe the caste system was created by invaders. He said that people called Aryans came to India from another place, perhaps from Iran. He believed that these Aryans defeated the people who lived in India originally. According to him, these Aryans then started the caste system. They used religious books to keep power over the local people and use them unfairly. He did not think that God created the caste system.
Satyashodhak Samaj
Mahatma Phule started the Satyashodhak Samaj in the year 1873. Its name means the Society of Truth Seekers. The main goals of this society were:
To search for truth (‘Satya’).
To bring equality and justice for everyone.
To free the lower castes and women from the unfair treatment by the Brahmins.
The society allowed people from all castes and religions to become members.
Savitribai Phule, wife of Jyotirao Phule
Jyotirao Phule and his wife, Savitribai Phule, did very important work in the field of education. In the year 1848, they started the very first school for girls in Pune. This school was special because it was run by Indian people themselves. They also started schools for children who belonged to the lowest castes, such as the Mahars and the Mangs. In those times, these children were treated very badly and were called untouchables. Jyotirao and Savitribai strongly believed that getting education was the best way for people to become free and to make their lives better.
Savitribai Phule – first woman to work as a teacher in India
Savitribai Phule was a very important helper to Jyotirao Phule in his work to bring about changes in society. Jyotirao Phule taught her himself. After that, she became the first woman to work as a teacher in India. Both of them worked together and started many schools. Savitribai also took the lead in the women’s section of the Satyashodhak Samaj. She started an organisation called the Mahila Seva Mandal to work for the rights of women. The way they worked together showed a true example of the idea of treating everyone equally, which both of them believed in very strongly.
Gulamgiri – The book written by Jyotirao Phule
Jyotirao Phule also wrote a book called ‘Gulamgiri’. The word ‘Gulamgiri’ means ‘being a slave’ or ‘slavery’. This book is thought to be one of the most important books written by Mahatma Phule. It was printed in the year 1873. In this book, Phule wrote very strongly against the system of castes. He said that the caste system is just like slavery.
He argued that the people who came to India from outside, the Aryans, forced this system on the people who were already living here. He gave this book as a mark of respect to the people in America who had fought against slavery. By doing this, he showed that there was a similarity between the fight for freedom in India and the fight against slavery in America.
Mahatma Phule – The Guru of Dr. Ambedkar
Mahatma Phule’s thoughts and the work he did had a very big impact on many important people. One of the most important people who was influenced by him was Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. He was a very important person who helped in making the Constitution of India. Dr. Ambedkar considered Mahatma Phule as one of his main teachers or ‘gurus’.
Mahatma Jyotirao Phule’s fights against the unfair treatment based on caste
Apart from writing and giving speeches, Jyotirao Phule also did things in his daily life to fight against the unfair treatment based on caste. For example, in the year 1868, he did something very important. He allowed people who were called untouchables to take water from the well in his own house. This was a very significant thing to do because at that time, people believed that some castes were pure and others were impure. By letting the so-called untouchables use his well, he directly went against these old ideas.
He also encouraged people to have marriage ceremonies without the need for Brahmin priests. This was also a way of going against the traditional caste system. The fight that Phule started against the caste system made it easier for the Dalit movement to grow later on. Other important leaders, like Mahatma Gandhi and Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, who was a king from Kolhapur, also got inspiration from the work done by Mahatma Phule.
Jyotirao Phule’s Caste
Jyotirao Phule was born in a family that belonged to the Mali caste. People of the Mali caste usually worked as gardeners or sold vegetables. In the society at that time, the Mali caste was considered as Shudra. This was one of the lower caste groups and they were treated unfairly. Since Jyotirao Phule himself belonged to this caste, he had personally experienced the unfair treatment that people faced because of their caste. This personal experience had a very strong influence on all the work he did throughout his life to fight against the injustice of the caste system.
Jyotirao Phule’s thoughts about the rule of the British in India
Mahatma Phule had different thoughts about the rule of the British in India. He knew that the British rule also had its own problems, like treating people unfairly. But sometimes, he thought that the British rule could also be seen as an opportunity. He felt that this opportunity could be used mainly to fight against the strong power and unfair practices of the old system that was controlled by the Brahmins. He was very much against this system that was led by the Brahmins.