I would like to constrain this topic to Maharashtra. There were various social reformers in different part of the country; their work is a guiding spirit for the oppressed people. Sant Kabir, Sant Ravidas, Narayan Gur, Periyar E V Ramaswamy Naykar, sant Ghasidas, Sikh Gurus etc.
Maharashtra, the first thing came into every one mind is state of Shivaji Maharaj and the Marathas. The origin of word Mahsrashtra spilit in many ways, some say Mahars form the largest group of people, so it is mahar+rashtra, some split it as maratha+rashtra, sompe split it as mahan+rashtra.
Sad part was that those who played a major role in establishing Hindavi swaraj, mahars and mang conditions become worst in the peshwa (Bramhin) rule with their royal maratha sardar. Mahars were also heavily recruited by the British East India Company, at one part forming one-sixth of the Company's Bombay Army. The Bombay Army especially favoured the Mahar troops for their bravery and loyalty to the Colours, and also because they could be relied upon during the Maratha Wars. They achieved many successes, most notably on the 1st of January 1818, when 500 men of the 2nd Battalion 1st Regiment of the Bombay Native Light Infantry along with 250 cavalrymen and 24 cannon defeated 20,000 horsemen and 8,000 footsoldiers of the Maratha Army in what would be called the Battle of Koregaon. This battle was commemorated by an obelisk, known as the Koregaon pillar, which featured on the Mahar Regiment crest until Indian Independence.
Mahatama Jyotiba Phule, the father of social reform, champion of women education and rights as well as shudras and untouchables. An incident in 1848 made him aware of the iniquities of the caste system, the predominant position of the Brahmin in the social setup. He was invited to attend a wedding of one of his Brahmin friends. As the bridegroom was taken in a procession, Jotirao accompanied him along with the relatives of his Brahmin friends. Knowing that Jotirao belonged to the Mil caste which was considered to be inferior by the Brahmins, the relatives of the bridegroom insulted and abused him. Jotirao left the procession and retuned home. With tears in his eyes, he narrated his experience to his father who tried to pacify him. After this incident Jotirao made up his mind to defy the caste-system and serve the Shudras and women who were deprived of all their rights as human beings under the caste-system.
Education of women and the lower castes, he believed, deserved priority, Hence he began educating his wife Savitribai and opened a girls' school in August 1848. The orthodox opponents of Jotirao were furious and they started a vicious campaign against him. He refused to be unnerved by their malicious propaganda. As no teacher dared to work in which untouchable were admitted as students, Jotirao asked his wife to teach the girls in his school. Stones and brickbats were thrown at her when she was on her way to the school. The reactionaries threatened Jotirao's father with dire consequences if he did not dissociate himself Yielding to the pressure, Jotirao's father asked his son and the daughter in-law to leave his house as both of them refused to give up their noble endeavor.
Though the school had to be closed for sometime due to lack of funds, Jotirao re-opened it with the help of his Brahmin friends Govande and Valvekar. On 3 July 1851, he founded a girls' school in which eight girls were admittedon the first day. Steadily the number of student increased. Savitribai taught in this school also and had to suffer a lot because of hostility of the orthodox people. Jotirao opened two more girl's schools during 1851-52 in a memorial addressed to the Education Commission (popularly known as the Hunter Commission ) in 1882, he described his activities in the field of education. A year after the institution of the female school also established and indigenous mixed school for the lower classes, especially the Mahars and Mangs. Two more school for these classes were subsequently added and continued to work in them for nearly nine to ten years.
Widow remarriages were banned and child-marriage was very common among the Brahmin and other upper castes in the then Hindu society. Many widows were young and not all of them could live in a manner in which the orthodox people expected them to live. Some of the delinquent widows resorted to abortion or left their illegitimate children to their fate by leaving them on the streets. Out of pity for the orphans, jotirao Phule established an orphanage, possible the first such institution founded by a Hindu. Jotirao gave protection to pregnant widows and assured them that the orphanage would take care of their children. It was in this orphanage run by Jotirao that a Brahmin widow gave birth to a boy in 1873 and Jotirao adopted him as his son.
In his book Shetcaryacha Asud : He wrote
Without education wisdom was lost; without wisdom morals were lost; without morals development was lost; without development wealth was lost; without wealth the Shudras were ruined; so much has happened through lack of education.
-Mahatama Jyotiba Phule
He rejected the religious book of bramhins. He wrote:-
“I hereby strongly condemn all those religious book of the bramhins which declares us to be their vassals, and also those articles to be found in some other book written byhtem to the same effect, or any other similar religious books propounding a similar obnoxious theory. I venerate those book which propound that all human beings are entiteled to enjoy human rights in equal measure.
Secondly, there are people in India who treat their own countrymen as mean, inferior, and inhumane, on the arrogant authority of their misconceived notion of religious bigotry, forced unilaterally on others. I shall not allow them freedom so to behave towards others. Where I to accept their authority in this behalf I shall be guilty of the crime of violating the sacred rights by our creator and conferred in equal measure on us all.”
Mahatma Phule occupies a unique position among the social reformers of Maharashtra in the nineteenth century. While other reformers concentrated more on reforming the social institutions of amily and marriage with special emphasis on the status and right of women, Jotirao Phule revolted against the unjust caste system under which millions of people had suffered for centuries. In particular, he courageously upheld the cause of the untouchables and look up the cudgels for the poorer peasants. He was a militant advocate of their right. The story of his stormy life is an inspiring saga of a continuous struggle which he waged relentlessly against the forces of reaction. Though some keen observers of the social scene in Maharashtra like Narayan Mahadeo Parmananda did acknowledge his greatness in his lifetime, it is only in is only in recent decades that there is increasing appreciation of his service and sacrifice in uplifting the masses.
-Dr. Y. D. Phadke
Chatrapati Shahu Maharaj, maharaja of Kolhapur Kingdom was champion of social and economic equality. He reserved 50% seats in state services for the backward class vide Gazzet notification of July 26, 1902. The notification said :
“In all offices in which the prpoportion of officers of the backward classes is at present less than 50%, the next appointed shall be given to the members of these classes.”
He was the first man to give a tangible shape to the dreams of Jyotirao Phule. He oppose the very existence of caste system. He fought for the abolition of untouchability.
He declared: -
“It is shameless on the part of a person to be a leader, if he consider his countrymen brethren to be worse than cow dung and beasts. Some say what connection is there between politics and untouchability and if there is any they try to promise to remove it; but I ask how will politics fare well unless the untouchables are treated like human being. Those who take part in politics must treat men as men; that is, as they are treated in other countries. The country will not be otherwise well served. He will be said to have served his country who treats men in this manner and none else.”
Shahu maharaj helped Dr. Ambedkar financially as well as morally to start a journal Mooknayak and other activities for the emancipation of untouchables.
The man with no introduction required and his work, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, champion of social reforms, women’s rights, father of Indian Constitution.
Nearly 58 years came to an end after the nirvana of Dr Ambedkar on December 6, 1956. Those who take the benefit of reservation and those who are in urban areas are now in some extent elite one, whereas those who are in rural areas are not advanced too much. But still the old age oppression continues. The condition may vary from place to place, density of people, awareness among people for their rights. For them who still face the oppressed condition: Educate, Agitate and Organise is a best tool given if it convey properly by giving the example of Dr Ambedkar work and various revolutionary.
The condition of urban Bahujans in India by Food Insecurity Atlas of Urban India by M.S Swaminathan Research Foundation & World Food Programme is , “ there is a disproportionate representation of the schedule caste (SCs) in the poorest section of the urban population. In urban lower income classes, SCs outnumbered other social groups. For urban India as a whole, 47.5 per cent of the urban SC population is in the fourth lowest monthly expenditurre classes. For urban Schedule Tribe (STs) population, the proportion was 36.9 per cent . In comparision for sections of society other than SCs & STs and OBCs , only 20 per cent belongs to the fourth lowest group . ”
What urban Bahujans do is followed by rural Bahujans. Urban Bahujans are mostly educated, well aware of their problem but confused. To disparage the Bahujans, silent conspiracy takes place by a dominant class, attack is on social, mental or intellectual, educational progress which directy effect on the economic emancipation of masses, so that they are not able to challenge the supremacy of a dominants.
Thyer in his biography of Theodore Roosevelt when he say about social forces is now completely fit for Bahujan Samaj, some may be the abberations: “There comes a time in every sect, party, institution when it stop growing, its arteries harden, its young men see no visions, its old men dream no dreams; it lives on the past and desperately tries to perpetuate the past.”
The answer lies in Dr Ambedkar words (Ranade Gandhi and Ginnah): “The other kind of situation is not one of decay but of destruction. The possiblities of it are always present whenever there is a crisis. The old ways, old habits and old thoughts fails to lift society and lead it on. Unless newness are found there is no possibility of survival. No society has a smooth sailing. There are periods of decay and possibolities of destruction through which every society has to pass some survive, some are destroyed, and some undergo stagnation and decay.”
Some survive what is the reason that some survive? Carlyle has furnished an answer. He put in his characteristic way: “No time need have gone to ruin, could it have found a great enough, a man wise and good enough; wisdom to discern truly what the Time Wanted, Valour to lead it on to the right road thither, these are the solvation of any Time.”
Summary: This article focused on the opportunity and oppersion of Dalits in Maharashtra. I try to put some assemblage of points, to cover the four centuries history of Dalits upliftment. From these four centuries of struggle, we as a second generations take the benefits of reservation in real sense. It took another four, five centuries to develop a culture which Mahatama Phule, Dr. Ambedkar dream. Cultural development is the solution of our problem with the support of self governance.
Maharashtra, the first thing came into every one mind is state of Shivaji Maharaj and the Marathas. The origin of word Mahsrashtra spilit in many ways, some say Mahars form the largest group of people, so it is mahar+rashtra, some split it as maratha+rashtra, sompe split it as mahan+rashtra.
Mahars were considered as untouchables in maharashtra. The first chance given to them by the Shivaji Maharaj to come into the mainstream of the society. Although not one of the traditional warrior castes in Maharashtra, the Mahars were recruited by the Maratha king Shivaji as scouts and fort guards in his army. Not only mahars but mangs too. This was the reason for shivaji success, as people of his small empire unitedly fight (expert in gurella tactics) with foreigners. After successfully establish his empire, the brahmins of maharashtre refused to perform his coronation. Bramhins called him a shudra. At last shivaji was coronate by Gagabhat , a kashi bramhin by using puranokto mantra and “tilak” him with toe of his legs. For supporting his stand, he wrote the book gagabhati which explain why he had done this.
Sad part was that those who played a major role in establishing Hindavi swaraj, mahars and mang conditions become worst in the peshwa (Bramhin) rule with their royal maratha sardar. Mahars were also heavily recruited by the British East India Company, at one part forming one-sixth of the Company's Bombay Army. The Bombay Army especially favoured the Mahar troops for their bravery and loyalty to the Colours, and also because they could be relied upon during the Maratha Wars. They achieved many successes, most notably on the 1st of January 1818, when 500 men of the 2nd Battalion 1st Regiment of the Bombay Native Light Infantry along with 250 cavalrymen and 24 cannon defeated 20,000 horsemen and 8,000 footsoldiers of the Maratha Army in what would be called the Battle of Koregaon. This battle was commemorated by an obelisk, known as the Koregaon pillar, which featured on the Mahar Regiment crest until Indian Independence.
Mahatama Jyotiba Phule, the father of social reform, champion of women education and rights as well as shudras and untouchables. An incident in 1848 made him aware of the iniquities of the caste system, the predominant position of the Brahmin in the social setup. He was invited to attend a wedding of one of his Brahmin friends. As the bridegroom was taken in a procession, Jotirao accompanied him along with the relatives of his Brahmin friends. Knowing that Jotirao belonged to the Mil caste which was considered to be inferior by the Brahmins, the relatives of the bridegroom insulted and abused him. Jotirao left the procession and retuned home. With tears in his eyes, he narrated his experience to his father who tried to pacify him. After this incident Jotirao made up his mind to defy the caste-system and serve the Shudras and women who were deprived of all their rights as human beings under the caste-system.
Education of women and the lower castes, he believed, deserved priority, Hence he began educating his wife Savitribai and opened a girls' school in August 1848. The orthodox opponents of Jotirao were furious and they started a vicious campaign against him. He refused to be unnerved by their malicious propaganda. As no teacher dared to work in which untouchable were admitted as students, Jotirao asked his wife to teach the girls in his school. Stones and brickbats were thrown at her when she was on her way to the school. The reactionaries threatened Jotirao's father with dire consequences if he did not dissociate himself Yielding to the pressure, Jotirao's father asked his son and the daughter in-law to leave his house as both of them refused to give up their noble endeavor.
Though the school had to be closed for sometime due to lack of funds, Jotirao re-opened it with the help of his Brahmin friends Govande and Valvekar. On 3 July 1851, he founded a girls' school in which eight girls were admittedon the first day. Steadily the number of student increased. Savitribai taught in this school also and had to suffer a lot because of hostility of the orthodox people. Jotirao opened two more girl's schools during 1851-52 in a memorial addressed to the Education Commission (popularly known as the Hunter Commission ) in 1882, he described his activities in the field of education. A year after the institution of the female school also established and indigenous mixed school for the lower classes, especially the Mahars and Mangs. Two more school for these classes were subsequently added and continued to work in them for nearly nine to ten years.
Widow remarriages were banned and child-marriage was very common among the Brahmin and other upper castes in the then Hindu society. Many widows were young and not all of them could live in a manner in which the orthodox people expected them to live. Some of the delinquent widows resorted to abortion or left their illegitimate children to their fate by leaving them on the streets. Out of pity for the orphans, jotirao Phule established an orphanage, possible the first such institution founded by a Hindu. Jotirao gave protection to pregnant widows and assured them that the orphanage would take care of their children. It was in this orphanage run by Jotirao that a Brahmin widow gave birth to a boy in 1873 and Jotirao adopted him as his son.
In his book Shetcaryacha Asud : He wrote
Without education wisdom was lost; without wisdom morals were lost; without morals development was lost; without development wealth was lost; without wealth the Shudras were ruined; so much has happened through lack of education.
-Mahatama Jyotiba Phule
He rejected the religious book of bramhins. He wrote:-
“I hereby strongly condemn all those religious book of the bramhins which declares us to be their vassals, and also those articles to be found in some other book written byhtem to the same effect, or any other similar religious books propounding a similar obnoxious theory. I venerate those book which propound that all human beings are entiteled to enjoy human rights in equal measure.
Secondly, there are people in India who treat their own countrymen as mean, inferior, and inhumane, on the arrogant authority of their misconceived notion of religious bigotry, forced unilaterally on others. I shall not allow them freedom so to behave towards others. Where I to accept their authority in this behalf I shall be guilty of the crime of violating the sacred rights by our creator and conferred in equal measure on us all.”
Mahatma Phule occupies a unique position among the social reformers of Maharashtra in the nineteenth century. While other reformers concentrated more on reforming the social institutions of amily and marriage with special emphasis on the status and right of women, Jotirao Phule revolted against the unjust caste system under which millions of people had suffered for centuries. In particular, he courageously upheld the cause of the untouchables and look up the cudgels for the poorer peasants. He was a militant advocate of their right. The story of his stormy life is an inspiring saga of a continuous struggle which he waged relentlessly against the forces of reaction. Though some keen observers of the social scene in Maharashtra like Narayan Mahadeo Parmananda did acknowledge his greatness in his lifetime, it is only in is only in recent decades that there is increasing appreciation of his service and sacrifice in uplifting the masses.
-Dr. Y. D. Phadke
Chatrapati Shahu Maharaj, maharaja of Kolhapur Kingdom was champion of social and economic equality. He reserved 50% seats in state services for the backward class vide Gazzet notification of July 26, 1902. The notification said :
“In all offices in which the prpoportion of officers of the backward classes is at present less than 50%, the next appointed shall be given to the members of these classes.”
He was the first man to give a tangible shape to the dreams of Jyotirao Phule. He oppose the very existence of caste system. He fought for the abolition of untouchability.
He declared: -
“It is shameless on the part of a person to be a leader, if he consider his countrymen brethren to be worse than cow dung and beasts. Some say what connection is there between politics and untouchability and if there is any they try to promise to remove it; but I ask how will politics fare well unless the untouchables are treated like human being. Those who take part in politics must treat men as men; that is, as they are treated in other countries. The country will not be otherwise well served. He will be said to have served his country who treats men in this manner and none else.”
Shahu maharaj helped Dr. Ambedkar financially as well as morally to start a journal Mooknayak and other activities for the emancipation of untouchables.
The man with no introduction required and his work, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, champion of social reforms, women’s rights, father of Indian Constitution.
Nearly 58 years came to an end after the nirvana of Dr Ambedkar on December 6, 1956. Those who take the benefit of reservation and those who are in urban areas are now in some extent elite one, whereas those who are in rural areas are not advanced too much. But still the old age oppression continues. The condition may vary from place to place, density of people, awareness among people for their rights. For them who still face the oppressed condition: Educate, Agitate and Organise is a best tool given if it convey properly by giving the example of Dr Ambedkar work and various revolutionary.
The condition of urban Bahujans in India by Food Insecurity Atlas of Urban India by M.S Swaminathan Research Foundation & World Food Programme is , “ there is a disproportionate representation of the schedule caste (SCs) in the poorest section of the urban population. In urban lower income classes, SCs outnumbered other social groups. For urban India as a whole, 47.5 per cent of the urban SC population is in the fourth lowest monthly expenditurre classes. For urban Schedule Tribe (STs) population, the proportion was 36.9 per cent . In comparision for sections of society other than SCs & STs and OBCs , only 20 per cent belongs to the fourth lowest group . ”
What urban Bahujans do is followed by rural Bahujans. Urban Bahujans are mostly educated, well aware of their problem but confused. To disparage the Bahujans, silent conspiracy takes place by a dominant class, attack is on social, mental or intellectual, educational progress which directy effect on the economic emancipation of masses, so that they are not able to challenge the supremacy of a dominants.
Thyer in his biography of Theodore Roosevelt when he say about social forces is now completely fit for Bahujan Samaj, some may be the abberations: “There comes a time in every sect, party, institution when it stop growing, its arteries harden, its young men see no visions, its old men dream no dreams; it lives on the past and desperately tries to perpetuate the past.”
The answer lies in Dr Ambedkar words (Ranade Gandhi and Ginnah): “The other kind of situation is not one of decay but of destruction. The possiblities of it are always present whenever there is a crisis. The old ways, old habits and old thoughts fails to lift society and lead it on. Unless newness are found there is no possibility of survival. No society has a smooth sailing. There are periods of decay and possibolities of destruction through which every society has to pass some survive, some are destroyed, and some undergo stagnation and decay.”
Some survive what is the reason that some survive? Carlyle has furnished an answer. He put in his characteristic way: “No time need have gone to ruin, could it have found a great enough, a man wise and good enough; wisdom to discern truly what the Time Wanted, Valour to lead it on to the right road thither, these are the solvation of any Time.”
Summary: This article focused on the opportunity and oppersion of Dalits in Maharashtra. I try to put some assemblage of points, to cover the four centuries history of Dalits upliftment. From these four centuries of struggle, we as a second generations take the benefits of reservation in real sense. It took another four, five centuries to develop a culture which Mahatama Phule, Dr. Ambedkar dream. Cultural development is the solution of our problem with the support of self governance.
