1. This post is about a historical figure I deeply respect and cherish very much: Savitribai Phule. She was a Teacher, Thinker, Poet, Feminist and anti-caste crusader in the 19th century. She was the wife of influential social reformer and anti-caste thinker, Jyotiba Phule. A lot has been written about her husband but not much on her. Educationalists and progressive thinking comrades should dip into the vast depths of history to find resources, ideas and inspiration to push for social transformation. Savitribai Phule is part of the great tradition of anti-caste and gender-just movement that South Asia is undeniably capable of.
"Savitribai Phule (1831-97), struggled and suffered with her revolutionary husband in an equal measure, but remains obscured due to casteist and sexist negligence. Apart from her identity as Jotirao Phule's wife, she is little known even in academia. Modern India's first woman teacher, a radical exponent of mass and female education, a champion of women's liberation, a pioneer of engaged poetry, a courageous mass leader who took on the forces of caste and patriarchy certainly had her independent identity and contribution. It is indeed a measure of the ruthlessness of elite-controlled knowledge-production that a figure as important as Savitribai Phule fails to find any mention in the history of modern India. Her life and struggle deserves to be appreciated by a wider spectrum, and made known to non-Marathi people as well."
Source: Braj Ranjan Mani, A Life well live and lessons thereof, 2012.
3. She joined her husband in setting and running female schools. They did face many difficulties.
"After visiting the female schools
belonging to the American mission in Ahmadnagar Phule opened a
school for girls of the low and untouchable castes in Pune and
undertook the task of teaching himself. The project was beset with
difficulties. Phule's father turned him and his wife, Savitribai, out of
the house when he refused to give up the scheme; it was so difficult to
find female teachers for the schools that Savitribai herself took on the
task, having been first coached by the social reformer and member of
the Paramahansa Mandali, Keshav Shivaram Bhavalakar."
Source: Caste, Conflict and Ideology, Cambridge South Asian Studies. Gajananrao Ganpatrao Phule to P. S. Patil, Bombay, 15 April 1930, P. S. Patil MSS, Shivaji University Library, Kolhapur. Available on libgen here.
4. These schools turned out to be very good. It seemed to have been ahead of other boys only schools. Looking back, such a happy thought.
5. She also actively fought for the rights of young women and advocated, widow remarriage, in an attempt to mainstream the marginalised. She also set up a home to protect girls who faced the threat of death due to widespread female foeticide.
"..even bolder move with the opening of a 'Home for the prevention of infanticide'. Here, high caste widows who had become pregnant could come and give birth in secret and return quietly to their families, leaving the babies at the home. Posters and handbills advertised the home, which quickly collected about thirty-five infants. The survival rate amongst the children was very poor, however, and Phule's great-nephew Gajananrao reported that most of them died before the age of five. Phule and his wife Savitribai, without children of their own, adopted one of these, a boy named Yashavantrao, the son of a Brahman widow."
Source: Caste, Conflict and Ideology, Cambridge South Asian Studies. From Bombay Guardian, 28 November 1851, quoted in D. Keer Mahatma Jotirao Phooley. Available on libgen here.
“The number of girl students in Jotirao’s school is ten times more than the number of boys studying in the government schools. This is because the system for teaching girls is far superior to what is available for boys in government schools. If this situation continues, then the girls from Jotirao’s school will prove superior to the boys from the government schools and they feel that in the coming examinations, they can really achieve a big victory. If the Government Education Board does not do something about this soon, seeing these women outshine the men will make us hang our heads in shame.”
Source: Report in ‘The Poona Observer’ on May 29, 1852. Quoted in Prof. Hari Narake, Savitri Bai Phule Memorial Lecture. Full lecture available here.
Source: Report in ‘The Poona Observer’ on May 29, 1852. Quoted in Prof. Hari Narake, Savitri Bai Phule Memorial Lecture. Full lecture available here.
5. She also actively fought for the rights of young women and advocated, widow remarriage, in an attempt to mainstream the marginalised. She also set up a home to protect girls who faced the threat of death due to widespread female foeticide.
"..even bolder move with the opening of a 'Home for the prevention of infanticide'. Here, high caste widows who had become pregnant could come and give birth in secret and return quietly to their families, leaving the babies at the home. Posters and handbills advertised the home, which quickly collected about thirty-five infants. The survival rate amongst the children was very poor, however, and Phule's great-nephew Gajananrao reported that most of them died before the age of five. Phule and his wife Savitribai, without children of their own, adopted one of these, a boy named Yashavantrao, the son of a Brahman widow."
Source: Caste, Conflict and Ideology, Cambridge South Asian Studies. From Bombay Guardian, 28 November 1851, quoted in D. Keer Mahatma Jotirao Phooley. Available on libgen here.
6. The following artwork was made by Azim Premji University to disseminate awareness about her. A majority of women living in India, even today, have to explicitly or implicitly face such humiliating attitudes towards women's rights. Click on the picture to see the full story.
7. While most upper-castes in the area were quite disturbed with her, he managed win the respect of some.
"More than Jotirao, his wife deserves praise. No
matter how much we praise her, it would not be enough.
How can one describe her stature? She cooperated with
her husband completely and along with him, faced all
the trials and tribulations that came their way. It is
difficult to find such a sacrificing woman even among
the highly educated women from upper castes. The
couple spent their entire lifetime working for people."-- Narayan Mahadev alias Mama Paramanand
(31st July 1890)
Source: Quoted by Prof. Hari Narake, Savitri Bai Phule Memorial Lecture.
Full lecture available here.
8. She lived a great and inspiring life. And she died, as every radical armchair intellectual would love to die if they weren't so lazy and afraid, whilst working for the freedom of the people.
"The plague created havoc in Pune and its vicinity in the year 1896 – 97. This so far unknown disease took the lives of many. On realising that this disease was contagious, the British came up with an innovative plan: the moment a diseased was discovered, the person would be kidnapped and would be never seen again. It was never known whether they were left to their natural deaths or were just killed. SavitriBai could not bear this terrible condition of the people. She started a hospice in the farmhouse of Sasane near Pune for the diseased. She herself would personally give courage to each of the diseased. She would visit each affected household and give them courage. Unfortunately while caring for the diseased, she ignored her own health. In the process of giving courage to the diseased, she caught the plague herself. "
Source: some Thakeray website :P
9. She was also a great poet, in Marathi and English. Here are some examples. I don't like to read them too often, because dust goes in my eye right at that moment.. and well, you know!
Rise, to learn and act
Weak and oppressed! Rise my brother
Come out of living in slavery.
Manu-follower Peshwas are dead and gone
Manu’s the one who barred us from education.
Givers of knowledge– the English have come
Learn, you’ve had no chance in a millennium.
We’ll teach our children and ourselves to learn
Receive knowledge, become wise to discern.
An upsurge of jealousy in my soul
Crying out for knowledge to be whole.
This festering wound, mark of caste
I’ll blot out from my life at last.
In Baliraja’s kingdom, let’s beware
Our glorious mast, unfurl and flare.
Let all say, “Misery go and kingdom come!”
Awake, arise and educate
Smash traditions-liberate!
We’ll come together and learn
Policy-righteousness-religion.
Slumber not but blow the trumpet
O Brahman, dare not you upset.
Give a war cry, rise fast
Rise, to learn and act.
--
Learn English
Make self-reliance your occupation,
Exert yourself to gather the wealth of knowledge,
Without knowledge animals remained dumb,
Don’t rest! Strive to educate yourself.
The opportunity is here,
For the Shudras and Ati Shudras,
To learn English
To dispel all woes.
Throw away the authority
Of the Brahmin and his teachings,
Break the shackles of caste,
By learning English.
10. The struggle for justice and freedom today is deeply indebted to her fearless fight against patriarchy and the subjugation of young girls. For these reasons and many more, anti-caste student groups and women's organisations often celebrate Savitribai's birthday as Teachers' day. This is one of their posters:
11. The same Azim Premji project also produced this play. If you have time you may watch it.
12. Surprisingly one finds that Youtube has a lot of videos refering to Savitribai. There is even a SB Fashion show here. Also, Marathi speakers can enjoy this entire movie, while the rest of us wait for subtitles.
I suspect that Youtube is slowly giving effective space for the dissemination of media and ideas, to the anti-caste movement. Later I will write something about DalitCamera. Anyhow, I hope this small collection of reference to Savitribai was useful.
Request:
If you have this book- “A Forgotten Liberator : The Life and Struggle of Savitribai Phule”. Scan it and upload it to libgen, internet archive, or elsewhere. Any other piece of writing on her will also do. There is very little written about her, I hope kind scholars will make available their books and writings on the internet.
I suspect that Youtube is slowly giving effective space for the dissemination of media and ideas, to the anti-caste movement. Later I will write something about DalitCamera. Anyhow, I hope this small collection of reference to Savitribai was useful.
Request:
If you have this book- “A Forgotten Liberator : The Life and Struggle of Savitribai Phule”. Scan it and upload it to libgen, internet archive, or elsewhere. Any other piece of writing on her will also do. There is very little written about her, I hope kind scholars will make available their books and writings on the internet.
