Sarala Devi, an Inspiration for Women
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Odisha Review January - 2014 Sarala Devi, An Inspiration for Women Bijaya Lakhmi Jena Indian Social structure is based on patriarchy, During her childhood Orissa lacked an patrilineality and patrilocality. The women who independent identity of her own as some parts were enjoying tremendous powers during Vedic of Orissa was with Bengal and some with Bihar. period, in course of time became a puppet with Mr. Balamukunda, being a Deputy Collector hands of man. Decision making all over the world moved from place to place which helped Smt. still remains male preserve . There is a gross under Sarala Devi to come in contact with various types representation of women in every sphere, though of people, culture, socio-economic problems. She they constitute half of total population. The colonial started her education at Banki in an Oriya medium period of Orissan history ignored women and their school. She had a intensive fascination for English right of existence on equal term with men. In the language which she learnt by herself at home from Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar’s book , “First book wake of language movement of Orissa with of reading.” In due course of time her interest in parallel to National Freedom Movement at centre, literature helped her to learn Hindi, Bengali, a new consciousness emerged which inspired few Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi etc. Her women to come forward from the fourwalls of reading habit helped her a lot to know about the their house and Smt. Sarala Devi was an example prevailing conditions of Orissa and India. among them. It’s not the biological but the man made Born in an aristocratic, affluent Zamindar disparity between men and women which family of Narilo village, Cuttack on 19th August annoyed her. From her very childhood she was 1904 with father Mr. Basudev Kanungo and against the superstitions, ill practices, evil customs mother Padmavati Devi. Her paternal uncle Mr. of the society. In her schooling time she preferred Balamukunda Kanungo, a renowned Dy. to be dressed like boy rather than wearing Collector adopted Sarala Devi as daughter . She burkhas and fought against untouchability. was brought up with her uncle Balamukunda At an early age of fourteen against her Kanungo. Saraladevi was the sister of Mr. wish she got married to Mr. Bhagirathi Mohapatra, Nityananda Kanungo, niece of Mr. Raj Kishore son of landlord Choudhury Durgacharan of Dash and cousin sister of Smt. Rama Devi. Most Jagatsinghpur which proved to be a turning point of her family members were moderate in attitude in her life which added fuel to her revolutionary and against the traditional orthodoxical ideas. ideas and illuminated her future life because her 76 January - 2014 Odisha Review husband Mr. Bhagirathi Mohapatra who was motivated not only men but also women and highly talented, educated, broad-mentality person. created an unprecedented mass awakening. After her marriage by getting the support of her Women broke the barrier of isolation and husband Saraladevi attempted in bringing seclusion. Sarala Devi motivated her husband to renaissance in the social, cultural and political life quit the legal profession and join in Gandhiji’s of women in Orissa. She alongwith other women movement and she succeeded in it. Smt. Sarala leaders attempted in removing social evils. Devi was the first Oriya woman to join the Non- Saraladevi felt that the life of women in cooperation Movement in 1921. She gave up all Orissa was very miserable as our male dominated her ornaments to Swaraj Movement and promised society curtailed the rights of women. The women not to wear any ornament or foreign goods. She were treated as second class citizen whose duties preferred khadi to wear in day-to-day life. were only to reare the children and maintain the In 1924 she established a Mahila house like a domestic servant. Child marriage, Sangathan ‘Udyog Mandir' at Berhampur in polygamy, Sati, dowry system degraded the status Ganjam and Alka Ashram at Jagatsinghpur. With of women. During the colonial rule Saraladevi her sole effort she constituted ‘Utkal Mahila found that widows were the passive victim of Sammilani‘ which was affiliated to All India unalterable male oppression. So, when Gandhiji Women Association. She had written in Utkal motivated women to join the national stream Dipika "My life is successful because whatever I speaking about the evils of Sati, child marriage, dreamt comes true." She moved from place to widowhood, it attracted her and she joined hand place addressing large gathering by her fiery with Gandhi to spread the message to reform the revolutionary speeches and succeeded in social evils and to upgrade the status of women. attracting many women to freedom movement for During 1920 Gandhianism concept which she was imprisoned several times. The became a national acceptance for freedom and active participation of Sarala Devi in emancipation at the same time the role played by Utkal of women under the caption of freedom struggle Sammilani for the amalgamation of Oriya tracts irritated the Britishers who became furious on under the leadership of Madhusudan Das and the women activists. Gopabandhu Das inspired Saraladevi. She The Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee attended the 35th Indian National Congress decided to launch Salt Satyagraha at Inchudi, session at Nagpur in 1920, with husband Balasore in response to Gandhiji’s Salt Satyagraha Bhagirathi Mohapatra, Gopabandhu Das, at Dandi, Gujrat in 1930. Sarala Devi with her Harekrushna Mahtab, Niranjan Pattnaik, Mukund supporters extended their cooperation to Mr. Prasad Das which was addressed by Mahatma Gopabandhu Choudhury at Inchudi. When Gandhi. The year 1921 was a turning point in the the leaders like Harekrushna Mahtab and history of women Movement in Orissa. It was Pranakrushna Padihari were at Patna Jail, women marked by first visit of Gandhiji and Gandhian leaders like Rama Devi and Sarala Devi broke Strategies holding separate meeting with Oriya the salt law at Ganjam which was first of it’s kind women at Binodbihari, Cuttack, an event which in Orissa’s history that in the absence of male was not only unprecedented, but also created leaders women leaders took the responsibilities condition for their entry into national and succeeded in it. The movement was so furious movement.Gandhiji’s powerful addresses and violent that the British Government had no 77 Odisha Review January - 2014 option but to arrest Smt. Sarala Devi under during the second world war to control the price section 117 of Indian Penal Code to maintain of essential commodities was praiseworthy. law and order. She was the first woman prisoner When she was requested to function as a of Orissa. She was ordered a six months speaker for a single day on 24th March 1939, imprisonment at Chatrapur Jail. But due to strong she took a dynamic step to prove her regional untiring agitation, bund, hartal of the people of feelings to conduct all the business of the house in Berhampur to release her from jail, the British Oriya language and it was accepted by most of Government forwarded her to Vellore Jail. the members of the house. She dared to demand After her release from Vellore Jail she was for non-payment of pay and D.A to the lagislators given a royal welcome on 8th December 1930 at those remained absent in the house. As a legislator Cuttack. At this meeting she gave a fiery speech she had presented many significant Bills like, about the anti-women behaviour of the Britishers “Orissa Dowry Prevention Act 1939", which agitated the sentiments of Orissa’s women. “Rectification of Child Marriage Act of 1929", They openly denounce British Policy. For all the "Land Legislation Bill," "Women Reservation Bill", women activists, reformists, feminist Sarala Devi "Hindu Women's Right to Property Bill” etc. was a role model and leader. It would be incomplete if one will not touch Sarala Devi’s vibrating literary aspects. She In the Karachi session of Indian National was a versatile, prolific, fiery, revolutionary Congress, young and dynamic Sarala Devi reformist writer whose writing reflects socio- compelled national leaders like Gandhi and Nehru economic reformations. Educational qualification to conduct the next session of INC at Kathajodi, did not refrain her from the creative writings Cuttack. She also adopted a resolution from which shocked the writers of all ages. Her writings Mahatma Gandhi to declare Orissa as an were so powerful that it illuminated many women independent state in the Round Table to break the seclusion and assimilated themselves Conference. in the national stream. She could able to create a Orissa became a separate province on political consciousness among Oriya people, 1st April 1936. In the 60 seated Orissa Assembly especially, the women folk. She activated the Smt. Sarala Devi was the first elected woman attention of women for constructive social works legislator of Orissa from Cuttack constituency as well as for articulating the neo identity of Oriya from INC ticket by defeating Smt. Latika Devi women. Her role was effective in creating a with a margin of 2000 votes. She proved herself feminist consciousness among the Oriya women. as one of the brilliant, dynamic, brave legislator She was the first feminist of Orissa. in the gentlemen organisation of Orissa Legislative Sarala Devi was First Woman of Orissa to : Assembly politics which was primarily a men’s 1. Join the Non-cooperation Movement show. In the house she fought for the development of women education, discouraged 2. Wear Khadi the child mortality rate, raised voice against early 3. Deliver speech in INC, Karachi session marriage, Sati, property rights for widows, dowry 4. Represent in Nehru’s Planning Commission system. She argued and succeeded in providing scholarships, free books, clothes for Scheduled 5.