InternationalJournalofHumanities andSocialSciences(IJHSS)
ISSN(P):2319–393X;ISSN(E):2319–3948
Vol.11,Issue2,Jul–Dec2022;143–148 ©IASET
WOMEN’SEDUCATION
Dr.NutanV.Chouhan
HeadoftheDepartmentofPoliticalScience,ManoharBhaiPatelCollege,Sakoli,Bhandara, Maharastra,India
ABSTRACT
SavitribaiPhule,thefirstfemaleteacherofthefirstwomen’sschoolinIndiaisapioneerfigure.Sherelentlesslyfought againstthedominantcastesystemandworkedtowardstheupliftmentofthemarginalized.Shedemandeddignityforall women,forwhichshe,alongwithherhusbandJyotiraoPhuleworkedtheirentirelives.Theprinciplesofhumanity, equality,libertyandjusticewereofutmostimportancetoher.Duringatimewhenwomenweremereobjects,sheigniteda sparkthatledtoequalityineducation,whichwasimpossiblebefore.Shestronglyspokeagainstthediscriminatory boundariesimposedonwomen,whichledtotheiroppression.Heremphasisonseculareducationforsocialemancipation inIndiaisthemarkerofhersignificantpersonality.Bygettingtoknowherbetter,byunderstandingherstrugglesand hardships,wewillbelookingintoalifethatnotonlychangedthefaceofeducationinIndia,butalsoenlightenedhumanity initsrealessence.
KEYWORDS:WomenEducation,SavithribaiPhule,FirstFemaleTeacherofIndia
ArticleHistory
Received:11Oct2022|Revised:13Oct2022|Accepted:14Oct2022
INTRODUCTION EARLYLIFEANDWORK
SavitribaiJyotiraoPhulewasbornonJanuary3,1831atNaigaon,about50kmfromPune.Shewastheeldest daughterofmotherLakshmiandfatherKhandojiNeveshePatil.In1840,attheageof10,shewasmarriedto Jyotirao,whowas13atthetime.AftermarriageSavitribaiandJotibalivedinaDalit-workingclasslocalityinPune. Jyotiraoeducatedhiswifeathomeandtrainedhertobecomeateacher.TheresponsibilityofSavitribai’sfurther educationwastakenupbyJyotirao’sfriendsSakharamYeshwantParanjpeandKeshgavShivramBhavalkar(Joshi).
Savitribaialsohadtakenteacher’strainingatMs.Farar’sinstituteinAhmednagarandintheNormalSchoolofMs. MitchellinPune.SavitribaiwentontobecomeIndia’sfirstwomanteacherandheadmistress.Itisherstruggleand storythatmarksthebeginningofmodernIndianwomen’spubliclifeinIndia.Theextraordinarycouplewasengaged inapassionatestruggletobuildamovementforequalitybetweenmenandwomenandafightagainstthecaste system.Theydedicatedtheirlivestospreadingeducationandknowledge.Theystartedthefirstschoolinthecountry forgirlsandthe‘NativeLibrary’.In1863,theystarteda‘homeforthepreventionofinfanticide’intheirownhouse, toensurethesafetyofpregnantandexploitedwidows.TheyalsoestablishedtheSatyashodhakSamaj(Societyfor TruthSeeking),initiatingthepracticeofmarriagewithoutdowryorovertexpenses.Theywereagainstchild
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marriageandsupportedwidowremarriages.TheyhadnochildrenoftheirownbutadoptedachildofaBrahmin widow,educatinghimandarranginganinter-castemarriageforhim.
SavitribaiPhuleandJyotiraoPhuleSavitribaiandJotibabuiltarevolutionarysocialeducationmovementfor shudraandatishudrawomenofthecountry.Afterstartingtheschoolin1848andtrainingSavitribaiPhule,Jotibastarteda schoolfortheMaharsandtheMangs.Butwithinsixmonths,hisfatherthrewthemoutofthehouseandtheschoolwork cametoanabrupthalt.GovandecametoPuneandtookSavitribaiwithhimtoAhmednagar.Aftershecameback,Keshav ShivramBhavalkartookuptheresponsibilityofeducatingher.JyotiraoandSavitribaifocusedonprovidinggirlsandboys vocationalandpracticaleducation,tomakethemcapableofindependentthought.Theybelievedthatanindustrial departmentshouldbeattachedtotheschoolswherechildrencouldlearnusefultradesandcraftsandbeabletomanage theirlivescomfortablyandindependently.Theyinsistedthat‘educationshouldgiveonetheabilitytochoosebetweenright andwrongandbetweentruthanduntruthinlife.’Theytookspecialeffortstocreatespaceswherethecreativityofboys andgirlscouldbloom.Theirsuccessisevidentfromthefactthatyounggirlslovedtostudyundertheirguidance,somuch sothattheirparentswouldcomplainofthegirls’dedicationtostudies.StudentswholivedinthehostelrunbyJyotiraoand Savitribaihadthefollowingtosayabouther.LaxmanKaradiJaayafromMumbaisaid,“Ihavenotseenanotherwomanas kindandlovingasSavitribai.Shegaveusmorelovethanevenamothercould.”AnotherstudentMahaduSahaduWaghole wrote,“Savitribaiwasverygenerous,andherheartwasfullofkindness.Shewouldbeverycompassionatetothepoorand theneedy.Shewouldconstantlygivethegiftoffood;shewouldoffereveryonemeals.Ifshesawtatteredclothesonthe bodyofpoorwomen,shewouldgivethemsarisfromherownhouse.Duetothis,theirexpensesrose.Tatya(Jyotirao) wouldsometimessaytoher,‘Oneshouldnotspendsomuch.’Tothis,shewouldsmileandask‘Whatdowehavetotake withuswhenwedie?’Tatyawouldsitquietlyforsometimeafterthisashehadnoresponsetothequestion.Theyloved eachotherimmensely.”
Savitribai’sstrugglewasfraughtwithmanydifficultiesanddespitethatshecontinuedherworkpeacefully.Men wouldpurposelywaitinthestreetsandpasslewdremarks.Theysometimespeltedstonesandthrewcowdungormud. Savitribaiwouldcarrytwosariswhenshewenttoschool,changingoutofthesoiledsarionceshereachedschool,which wouldagainbesoiledonherwayback,andyet,shedidnotgiveup.Theguardwhowasthenappointedforher,wrotein hismemoirsaboutwhatshewouldsaytothosemen,“AsIdothesacredtaskofteachingmyfellowsisters,thestonesor cowdungthatyouthrowseemlikeflowerstome.MayGodblessyou!”InJuly1887,whenJyotiraoparalysedhisright sideduetoaheartattack,Savitribainursedhimnightanddaybecauseofwhichhemanagedtorecoverandwriteagain. Duringthesametime,theirfinancialcrisiswasatitspeak.Apoliticalsageandwell-wisherMamaParamanandtriedhard togetthemfinancialhelp.InalettertotheKingofBaroda,SayajiraoGaekwad,Paramanandrecordedthehistoricwork thatthecouplewasengagedinandsaidthefollowingaboutSavitribai,“MorethanJyotirao,hiswifedeservespraise.No matterhowmuchwepraiseher,itwouldnotbeenough.Howcanonedescribeherstature?Shecooperatedwithher husbandcompletelyandalongwithhim,facedallthetrialsandtribulationsthatcametheirway.Itisdifficulttofindsucha sacrificingwomanevenamongthehighlyeducatedwomenfromuppercastes.Thecouplehasspenttheirentirelife workingforpeople.”
WhenJyotiraopassedaway,Savitribaiwaspresentthere.Duetothelackofpermissionfrommunicipality,he couldnotbeburiedwithsaltcoveringhisbodyashehadwished.HewasburntonthepyreanditwasSavitribaiwho courageouslycameforwardandheldtheearthenpot(itissupposedtobecarriedbythesuccessorofthedeceased).Sheled thefinaljourneyofJyotiraoandconsignedhisbodytotheflames.InthehistoryofIndia,thiswasprobablythefirsttimea
womanhadperformeddeathrites.Shealsoerecteda‘TulsiVrindavan’withhisashesonthespotwhereJyotiraowantedto beburied.AfterJyotirao’sdemise,SavitribailedtheSatyashodhakmovementtilltheveryend.Shewasthechairpersonof theSatyashodhakConferenceheldin1893atSaswad,Pune.
Theyear1897dawnedwiththemenaceofplague.PeopleweredyinginhundredsdailyinPune.Thegovernment triedtocontroltheepidemicundertheleadershipofofficerRand.SavitribaialongwithYeshwantsetupahospitaltotake careofthepatients.Shewouldherselfpickupsickpeopleandbringthemtothehospitalandtreatthem.Eventhoughshe knewthatthediseasewascontagious,shecontinuedtoservethemtilltheplaguetookherownlife.Assoonasshecameto knowthatthesonofPandurangBabajiGaekwadintheMaharsettlementoutsidethevillageofMundhwawasafflicted withplague,shewentthereandrushedbacktothehospitalwiththesickchildonherback.Shecaughtthediseaseinthis processandat9pmonMarch10,1897,shepassedaway.Savitribai,alongwithMahatmaJyotiraoPhule,foughtforthe rightsofwomen,peasants,Dalitsandbackwardcastes.Bothofthembravelyfacedtheabuseshurledatthemby reactionaryandcasteistdominantforces.Theycarriedontheirstruggleforgenderequalityandfightagainstcastesystem inspiteoftremendousmaltreatmentbytheManuwadiandBrahminicforces.
Savitribaifoughtagainstthetotalitarianismofthecastesystemandothersocialevilstillherlastmoments.She wasastrongvoiceforgenderequality.Itisbecauseofthestrengthandvigourshehadthatatatimewhenpeoplefrom certainsectionsofthesocietywereseenasuntouchables,shegavethemshelterinherhomeandtookcareofthem.She challengedtheBrahminhegemonyandfracturedtheirdominancethroughherenduringandheroicstruggleforwomen’s andmarginalisedpeople’srights.Sheovercameandsurvivedeverydayharassmentandoppressionanddaredtolearnand teachotherwomen.Ouracademiaandnationbothhavedonegreatdisservicetohercontributionandstrugglesforthe upliftmentofthedisregardedbyerasingherlife-storyfromourhistorybooks,nationalistmainstreamdiscourseandour memory.Thetotalerasureofherstruggleagainstthecastesystem,Brahminism,patriarchyanddiscriminationand exclusionoftheuntouchablesisatestimonyofnothingbutournation’sbrutalityandastainontheuppercasteBrahmindominatedknowledgeproductionsystemofIndia.
SavitribaiPhule’spoemsandotherwritingscontinuetobeaninspirationformanyandremainpioneeringinthe struggleagainstIndia’scastesystem.Shehasputtogethersomeveryvaluablewriting.
Kavyaphule-Collectionofpoems,1854
Jyotirao’sSpeeches,EditedbySavitribaiPhule,25December1856
Savitribai’sLetterstoJyotirao
SpeechesofMatoshreeSavitribai,1892
BavankashiSubodhRatnakar,1892
Theseworkshavebeencollectedtogetherina194-pagevolume‘TheCompleteWorksofSavitribaiPhule’edited byDrM.G.Mali.ThevolumehasanintroductionbythefamousthinkerandphilosopherDrSurendraBarlinge. ‘Kavyaphule’,publishedin1854,wasthefirstanthologyofSavitribai’spoems.Ithasatotalof41poemsonthethemes suchasnature,socialissues,instructivepoemsandhistoricalpoems.‘Jyotirao’sSpeeches’isavolumeeditedbySavitribai andthetranscriptionhasbeendonebyCharlesJoshi.Thisbookwaspublishedin1856andcontainsfourspeechesby Jyotirao.‘Savitribai’sLetterstoJyotirao’hasatotalofthreeletterswrittenfromOturandNaigaon.‘Speechesof
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MatoshreeSavitribai’containsSavitribai’sspeechesonvariedtopicssuchasenterprise,impartingeducation,good conduct,addictionsandloans,amongothers.TheyhavebeeneditedbyShastriNaroBabajiMahadhatPansarePatiland werepublishedbyVatsalPress,Barodain1892.‘BavankashiSubodhRatnakar’iscollectionofpoemsthatnarratesthe historyofIndia,includingJyotirao’sworkinprose.Ithas52compositions.Thispoetrywascomposedin1891after Jyotirao’sdeathandpublishedasabookin1892.Thesupport,cooperationandcompanionshipthatSavitribaigave Jyotiraothroughouthislifeisextraordinary.Theidealofequalitybetweenmenandwomenandpeacefulcompanionshipthat theyhaveset,transcendsthelimitsoftimeandspace.Thepath-breakingworkthattheydidinthefieldsofeducation,social justice,eradicationofcasteandtheeradicationofpriestlypowerilluminatesnotonlythepastbutalsothepresent.Itisa contributionwithoutparallelseveninthepresenttimes.ThislegacyofSavitribaiwillcontinuetoenrichourlivesforever
Since1962,5thSeptemberinIndiaisobservedasTeachersdayinIndia.Thesignificanceofthisday,asweall havebeentaughtinschools,isthatitisthebirthanniversaryofindependentIndia’sfirstvicepresidentandsecond president,Dr.SarvepalliRadhakrishnan(1988-1975).Inourpopularknowledge,thestereotypicalunderstandingof educators,teachersandgurusisrestrictedandlimitedtouppercasteBrahminmenlikeRadhakrishnan,Dronacharya,and Manu–tonameafew.Theseandmanyother‘meritorious’menhaveshapedourhistory,whichnotonlyexcludesthelower castesandbahujansfromitsdiscourse,butalsoreinforcesthattherighttoeducationandespeciallytherighttoteachremains withintheambitofthe‘bornmeritorious’uppercastes.Tocountertothis,asectionofpeoplehavebeenraisingtheirvoice againstthismainstreamcultureofcommemorationbychallengingandrejectingthecelebrationofTeachers’Dayonthisday. Theyinstead,arecelebratingJanuary3rd,thebirthdayofSavitribaiPhule,asEducationDay/NationalTeachersDay.
Fornearly25yearsbeforeJotiraostartedhisgirls’school,ChristianmissionariesinMaharashtrahadbeen workingattakingeducationtothemasses.JotiraoandhisfriendGovandewenttoseethegirl’sschoolbeingrunby missionariesintheAhmednagar.CynthiaFarrar,anAmericanlady,wasinchargethere.Mostofthegirlsstudyinginthe schoolwerefromtheso-calleduntouchableandotherbackwardcastes.Thekunbi(kurmi)andmaligirlsstudyingthere hadgainedinconfidence.ThisdelightfulexperienceattheschoolgotJotiraothinking:MissFerrarwasneitherfromthis countrynorarelativeofthegirls,yetshewastryingtoprovideeducationtothem,while,ontheotherhand,theBrahmins ofPunewerehorrifiedbyeventhesightofthesegirls.Jotiraorealizedthatthemenandwomenfromloweredcastessuch asMahar,Matang,Mang,Pasi,BhangiandChamarwereburdenedwithgriefandwereindarkness.Whiletalkingto JotiraoandShriGovande,MissFarrarexpressedsadnessaboutwomenbeingkeptoutofeducation.Sohetookitupupon himselftoimprovetheirsituation.
OnAugust1848,inBudhwarPeth,Pune,inthehouseofShriBhide,heopenedhisfirstgirls’school.Onthevery firstday,ninegirlsfromthreedifferentsocialbackgrounds,namelyBrahmins,Sethis,andbackwardcastes,joinedthe school.AletterpublishedinthenewspaperBombayGuardian,dated28November1851,talksaboutthishistoricmoment. Jotiraowas21yearsold.Atthetime,Maharashtra’sfamoussocialreformersShriGopalGaneshAgarkarandMaharishi DhondoKeshav,thepioneersofwomen’seducation,werenotevenborn.Theywerebornin1856and1850,respectively. Jotiraotoldstoriestothegirls,playedgames,sharedsweetsandtaughthygiene.Itwasasifhehadbecometheirmother. Heusedtoteachreadingandwriting,grammarandmathematics.Soon,thenumberofstudentsincreased,buthewasthe onlyteacher.Heneededhelp.Therewasalsoalotofoppositiontotherunningofthegirls’school.Ifanyoneagreedto teachintheschool,hewasthreatenedandbeaten,andhadtoendureboycottintheneighbourhood.Thus,nopersoncould daretoteachinJotirao’sschool.JotiraohadstartedtoteachhiswifeSavitribaiaftervisitingthemissionarygirls’schoolin Ahmednagar.WhenSavitribaihadlearntenough,Jotiraoofferedhertheroleofateacher.Savitribaiacceptedthisproposal
withpleasure.AndwhenSavitribaisharedJotirao’sburdenofeducatingwomen,shebecamethefirstfemaleteacherof modernIndia.However,thisdidnotgodownwellwiththeHindufundamentalists.Theywereangeredbythenewsthata schoolhadbeenopenedfortheUntouchablesandstartedacampaigntodefameJotirao.Theyaccusedhimofbeinghellbenton“drowning”theHindureligion.TheysaidhewasgoingtobecomeaChristianhimselfandwouldconverthis studentstoChristianity.However,alltheseattackscouldnotdeterJotiraoandSavitribaifromprovidingeducationtothe underprivileged.
REFERENCES
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3.SwapanKumarVishwas,God,Falsegod,ShudraandUntouchable:Part-4(NewDelhi:NativePublications Trust,2008),p46.
4.MahatmaJyotiraoPhuleVani,p15.
5.Vishwas,God,Falsegod,ShudraandUntouchable,p47
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