Jyotirao Phule was an Indian social reformer, author and a pioneer of women’s education. Born in 1827 to Kesavrao Phule and Mastani, he spent his early years in Pune and by the age of 15 had mastered five languages. Satyashodhak samaj ki sthapna kisne ki thi Jyotirao Phule. While he had no formal schooling himself, Jyotirao made it his life’s mission to ensure that women were given the same education as men – something which they had been denied for centuries. He set up schools for girls in Pune, where he was honorary magistrate at one point and is often known as the father of modern Indian feminism.
Awesome Things You Can Learn From Jyotirao Phule :
1. Self Respect :
Phule was extremely conscious of the benefits that education would offer to women. He even once stated : “There will be no challenge faced by women in India until they acquire a sense of self-respect.” Self-respect created a confidence and social awareness within the women’s community and gave them strength to stand up for their rights. It also inspired them to educate themselves further, which in turn helped the menning too.
2. Value Of Education :
Phule used to say, “Education is the best antidote to the curse of untouchability and ignorance. It is only through education that girls will be able to for themselves free of male domination.”
3. Setting Up a Tradition :
The first women’s school in Pune, the ‘Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Women’s College’, was set up by Phule in 1866. He wanted all women employed as teachers and they were given equal pay while doing so. The college also introduced merit-based examinations which were improved upon by many later established institutes of learning.
4. Tolerance :
Phule was a great supporter of women’s education and wanted the Government to fund women’s schools. To ensure that his demands were met, he took part in a movement for the same in 1871. He also continued his fight even when the government offered to fund just one single school for girls, instead of 10 as he had demanded. Finally, in 1872, women’s education became a reality and Phule became an iconic figure.
5. Social Awareness :
Phule was born into a progressive family where social awareness and activism were encouraged from a young age. His father was an outspoken supporter of feminism and Jyotirao also grew up in an atmosphere where progress was welcomed no matter whether it was for men or women.
6. Encouragement Of Singing :
Jyotirao Phule encouraged women to learn to sing by singing a song called “Banaras” at the very first Women’s College in Pune. He himself used to sing and he would often encourage his disciples to do the same.
7. Stubbornness :
Phule had a very stubborn side to him and that is why he never gave up on his dreams, even when they seemed impossible at times. He even said that if there was no hope, then he would just give the world the gift of “the art of stubbornness” before dying. And that is what he did.
8. The Parrot :
Jyotirao used to have a pet parrot which he taught many new languages with the help of a heart-shaped locket around its neck. The parrot itself used to sing as well and was so intelligent that it could also do arithmetic, spell and even read aloud. It can be said that this bird has been the most important mascot for both men and women in India’s history, who have had to bear a lot of discrimination over centuries because they were women.
9. The Curse Of Untouchability :
Emphasising on the psychological harm that was done on women in the past and paying a lot of attention to their liberation in the present, Phule once wrote, “The curse of untouchability is far more powerful than a bullet shot from a rifle. It afflicts not only the person affected by it; it strikes at the very life blood of civilization. Untouchability is an infection which destroys all that is good. The presence of untouchables in society is akin to decay.”
10. Praising Women :
Phule used to call himself a “proud slave,” which means he treated every woman with respect and treated her as his equal. He also said that women were the equals to men and were more intelligent than them. The two things which he respected the most in life were: “manliness” and “womanliness.”
11. His Passions :
Phule had many passions, but his love for education was one of them. He would encourage people to become devotees of Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge in Hinduism and teach them how to read and write with the help of a heart-shaped locket around their neck. In fact, women from all over India would come down to Pune to learn from him as he used to spend a lot of time at his school promoting women’s education.
