Biography of ‘Jotirao Phule’
Jotirao Govindrao Phule (11th April 1827-28th Nov. 1890) was born in Satara district of Maharashtra in a family belonging to Mali (Fulmali) caste, a lower caste. His father, Govindrao, was a vegetable vendor. His mother died when he was 9 months old. After completing his primary education Jotirao had to leave school and help his father by working on the family’s farm. He was married at the age of 12. His intelligence was recognised by a Muslim and a Christian neighbour, who persuaded his father to allow Jotirao to attend the local Scottish Mission’s High School, which he completed in 1847. The turning point in Jotiba’s life was in year 1848, when he was insulted by family members of his Brahmin friend, a bridegroom for his participation in the marriage procession, an auspicious occasion. Jotiba was suddenly facing the divide created by the caste system. He was an aboriginal of India and established Satyadharma and never renounced his faith.
He also led campaigns to remove the economic and social handicaps that breed blind faith among women, shudras and ati-shudras. Jyotirao subjected religious texts and religious behaviour to the tests of rationalism. He characterised this faith as outwardly religious but in essence politically motivated movements. He accused them of upholding the teachings of religion and refusing to rationally analyse religious teachings. He maintained that at the root of all calamities was the blind faith that religious books were created or inspired by God. He believed that the true inhabitants of Bharat are the Astik. He also believed that the Brahmins were outsiders to Hinduism.
He was assisted in his work by his wife, Savitribai Phule, and together they started the second school for girls in India in 1848, for which he was forced to leave his home. He initiated widow-remarriage and started a home for upper caste widows in 1854, as well as a home for new-born infants to prevent female infanticide.
He formed the Satya Shodhak Samaj (Society of Seekers of Truth) on 24 September 1873, a group whose main aim was to liberate the social Shudra and from exploitation and Untouchables castes oppression. Phule was a member of the Pune municipality from 1876 to 1882.
The great social reformer Jotirao Phule was bestowed with the unique title of ‘Mahatma’ on 11 May 1888 by another great social reformer from Mumbai, Rao Bahadur Vitthalrao Krishnaji Vandekar.
