JYOTIBA PHULE: BIOGRAPHY, WIFE, CONTRIBUTIONS, LEGACY

Why In News?

The President  of India paid floral tributes to Jyotiba Phule at Prerna Sthal in the Parliament House complex.

Who was Jyotirao Phule?

Jyotirao Govindrao Phule (1827–1890), regarded as the "Father of the Indian Social Revolution," worked against caste discrimination, untouchability, and gender inequality. 

Early Life and Influences

Born: On April 11, 1827, in Pune, belonged to the Mali (gardener) community. 

Education: Though he initially dropped out, he later completed his education at the Scottish Mission High School

Intellectual Awakening: He was influenced by Thomas Paine’s book The Rights of Man, which shaped his belief that the only solution to combat social evils was the enlightenment of women and lower caste members.

Turning Point: In 1848 Phule was insulted and thrown out of a Brahmin friend’s wedding procession because of his "lower" caste. This personal humiliation ignited his lifelong crusade against the caste system.

Role in Educational Revolution

Phule viewed education as the "trinetra" (third eye) for liberating the oppressed. He identified lack of education as the primary cause of misery for the Shudras.

First Girls' School: In 1848, Jyotiba, along with his wife Savitribai Phule, opened the first school for girls in India at Bhidewada, Pune.

Teaching the Untouchables: He opened the first school for children of the Mahar and Mang castes (then considered untouchables) in 1851.

Night Schools: Recognizing the economic constraints of the working class, he started night schools for agriculturists and laborers in 1855.

Free Education: In 1882, Phule appeared before the Hunter Commission on Education and demanded free and compulsory primary education for all children up to age 12.

Founded Satyashodhak Samaj (1873)  

Primary Goal: To liberate the Shudras and Ati-Shudras from the exploitation of the priestly class and to establish a society based on human equality.

Rationalism: The Samaj rejected the need for intermediaries (priests) to connect with God. 

• They encouraged the "Satyashodhak Marriage", a wedding ceremony conducted without Brahmin priests, where the couple took an oath of loyalty and equality.

Motto: "All human beings are the children of one God (Nirmik), so there is no need for an intermediary". 

Major Social Reforms

Widow Remarriage & Infanticide Prevention: In 1863, he established a "Home for the Prevention of Infanticide" (Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha) in his own house to help pregnant widows.

Water for All: In 1868, he opened his private household water tank to the "untouchables," a revolutionary act of defying pollution norms of that era.

Barbers' Strike: He organized a strike of barbers in Pune to oppose the practice of shaving the heads of widows, a ritual that stripped women of their dignity.

Literary Contributions

Phule used literature as a weapon for social change. His writing style was direct, employing the "khandyacha" (colloquial) Marathi to reach the masses.

Legacy and Recognition

The Title "Mahatma": He was given the title "Mahatma" in 1888, by social activist Vithalrao Krishnaji Vandekar at a public gathering in Mumbai.

Influence on Dr. Ambedkar: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar formally acknowledged Phule as one of his three Gurus (the other two being Buddha and Kabir), crediting Phule for laying the foundation of the anti-caste movement.

Precursor to the Right to Education (RTE) Act: In his testimony before the Hunter Commission on Education in 1882, Phule demanded free and compulsory primary education for all children. 

• This vision was constitutionally realized 120 years later through Article 21A and the subsequent RTE Act, 2009.

Source: NEWSONAI