1

CHAPTER - I

INTRODUCTORY

Satya Shpdhak Samaj s

The Satyashodhak Samaj founded by Mahatma Jdtirao Phule was one of the greatest Socio-religious movements in Modem . The Satyashodhak Samaj movement was basically a Social and religious movement, that demied the intermediary between man and God.

Mahatma Phule movement aimed at liberating the dawn trodden the common man and the Indian woman. The principles of Satya Shodhak movement show that he wanted to reconstruct the social order on the basis of social equality,justice and reason.

Dr.Y.D.Phadke remarks that " A Social movement is said to be a joint endeavour of a considerable group of

persons in some way to change or after the course of events by their joint activities. It is according to Paul Wilkinson a deliberate collective endeavour to promote change having at least a minimum degree of organization and founded upon the normative commitment and active participation of followers or members. It arises and grows when a sizeable number of people come together with a view to changing or supplanting some part of existing culture or social order. In 9

the last century such social movement arose and grew in during British rule. Many of them continued to grow or declined in the years before independence. The Satya Shodhak Movement in Maharashtra which is often treated as identical with the non- movement was one amongst such social movements.

While giving message to the 16th Conference of Satyashodhak Samaj, Dr.B.R.Ambedkar reminds the followers of

Mahatma Phule in following words s-

* The non- have not only disgraced the memory of Jotirao Phule, but also have betrayed shamelessly his philosophy. The mission of the Satya Shodhak Samaj must reach 2 every corner of India.”

While writing an editorial to the Krishnarao Bhalekar

Samagra Vangmay ( iTTef HfcWH PF1JI ) Sitaram Raikar,narrates the importances of Satya Shodhak

movement in the following words " Mahatma Jdtirao Phule established Satya Shodhak Samaj in 1873 in Poona. This was an

outstanding event in the social, and cultural history of 3 Maharashtra.

Such was the importance of Satya Shodhak Samaj movement,

1 Dr.Y.n.phadke's Article s The Satyashodhak movement? Theory and Practice. 2 Ohananjay Keer : Mahatma Jotirao Phule, p.278. 3 Sitaram Raikar s Krishnarao Bhalekar Samagra Vangmay Introduction, p,2. It is interesting to study the Social and religious causes which gave birth to the Satya Shodhak Samaj in 1873 at the hands of Mahatma Jotirao Phuie.

(II) Background for the emergence of Mahatma Phuie s

The Brahmins enjoyed an exalted position in the caste system of Hindus even during the British period. The is unique in having a permanent hierarchy 4 in which the Brahmins are always at the top. The castes in India are determined by birth and therefore, the status accorded by caste to a person remains fixed life-long. Even If a man happens to choose another vocation he remains a casteman all the same. Thus, ' A Brahmin general and a general,though of equal status in army belong to two status groups in their private life and there could not be any social intercourse between them on equal terms. Certain civil and religious previleges were also bestowed on brahmins because they belonged to that caste. In Peshwa regime the Brahmin Clerks obtained the privilege of their goods being exempted from certain duties and their imported corn being carried to them g without any ferry charges. The Brahmins were also exempted from capital punishment and when confined were more liberally 7 treated than other classes. In religious matters also a

4 Ghurey G.S. : Caste and race in India, p.6, 5 Ibid - p.3, 6 Ghurey G.S. * Op.Cit,, p.15. 7 Ibid, p.15. 4

Brahmin was considered very high. The Brahmins alone could conduct their sacred rites according to Vedic formulae, while the rest of the castes had to be content themselves with Puranik formulae, which were supposed to have lesser sanctity. Brahmins alone had the right of Priest hood. And in order to establish their ceremonial purity the Brahmins kept themselves away socially from the rest of the caste -

Hindus. They were almost equal to gods in commanding reverence and were spoken of a earthly Gods. This proud position of the Brahmins was upheld by the religious texts and as most of the social precepts of the Hindus owed their origin to religious texts, their position was almost non­ challenge able. But it appeares that because of their secured place in hierarchy, the Brahmins neglected their original quest of knowledge exepected of them and many vices crept in then, which gave rise to new thought currents in Marathi speaking society at large after the advent of the English people.

This does not mean that there were no attempts to rise in revolt against the Brahmins prior to the advent of

English.Dr.Ghurey is of the opinion that Jainism and Buddhism were attempts on the part of the Kshatriyas to overthrow the O supremacy of the Brahmins. The Saints, like Tukaram,Chokha,

Eknath, made vigorous attempts to bring the whole society of

Maharashtrians together. But their atterrpt was confined to Q religious sphere only. The first and forceful expression

8 Mangudkar M.P. : Mahatma Phule Ani Satya Shodhak Chalval, p.3-4. 9 Ranade M.G. s Rise of Maratha Power, p.69. against Brahmanism is found in Mahatma Phuley, The saints attempted to preach religious equality in Maharashtra but Jotiba’s was a struggle to attain absolute equality for all.*'®

Society became More degenerate during closing phase of the Peshwa rule in Maharashtra has been expressed by many.

* It is a well established fact that the failure of

Maratha - empire resulted in Brahmin dominance. The Maratha

Empire long worn out by the disease of deep-rooted caste

Jealousies and dissenions, and overpowered by the superiority of British power. Ultimately collapsed under the pressure of wily diplomacy and the conquering spirit of the empire - builders of England. Bajirao II, Chief of the Brahmin raj, was

a worthless profiligate. He was surrounded by weak female

characters who were representatives of a diecrepit society

that bred spires, produced greed, pampered depraved wine -

bibbers. That society also conducted gambling houses, fostered

corrup and connived at debauctery. The scene of these vices

was so abnoxious that Robertson, the first British Collector

of Poona a was terribly shocked to see that the people had lost

all notions of morality. Both Bajirao II in the South and

Daulatrao Shinde in the north became traitors to the nation and lost the independence of the Marathas.*■*"

Almost all the Maratha leaders were rotten to the

core and ignorant of the stream of world progress and world

thought. The principle of heredity in military diplomatic and

10 Mangudkar M.P. * Op.Cit.,p.l.

11 Keer s Mahapna Jotirao Phuie, Father of our Social Revolution, p. 3. n! 6

governmental services even at village level and in occupation which regulated the life of both the state and the individual in society led to degraddation and degeneration. Elevation of the Brahmins and that too mainly of the Chitpavan Brahmins, to eminent positions. Political and social and elimination of the men of other communities, however able and strong,from these offices was the rule of the day. A

" The Brahmins adulated Bajirao II as an incarnation of Krishna or Shiva. During Peshwa rule the Brahmins came to regard themselves as the governing class with special privileges and exemptions which did not exist under the system i 2 founded by Shivaji. The Brahmins under the last Peshwa had their lands assessed at half or lower rates than levied on the lands of other classes. Brahmins culprits were exempted from the extreme penalty of the Law. All advantages monopolies and charities were reserved for and bestowed on Brahmins. Bajirao II lavishly fed about forty thousand pauperised and worthless brahmins who flattered his as their Lord.

In times of famine the government of Bajirao II helped only the brahmins. The noise created by the serving of meals to countless brahmin beggars and the chant of their mantras filled the Poona skies. A brahmin who devoured, so went a popular ophorism in those days, four seers of rice,milk and sugar at a sitting would have the honour of a palanquin.A

A Ibid . p.3-4.

12. The Miscellaneous Writing of the Late Hon'ble Mr.Ranade - p.350. A Keer s Mahatma Jotirao Phule j Father of our Social Revolution - p.4. " The farmers and the toiling masses on the farms were inhumanly massed by the officers of the Peshwa and by his adopted brother Amritrao. If the farmers failed to pay him the desired amount even during a severe draught or famine, he poured13 over their childern boiling oil from the frying - pan.

Heavy stones were mercilessly placed on their backs. Flogging was performed on their stopping backs and their heads were bent over suffocating smoke. Gunpowder was blown on their navels and ears. The rulers thought that the lower classes of the Society were born to be slaves for them for their community

and their families to produce corn to weave cloth and to labour in the hot sun. The money lenders were chiefly Brahmins and the

government was in their keeping. So they thrashed their tenants and detors as much as they desired,

1 A These money - lenders got under regular documents.1

daughters and sons of farmers to slave for them till the payment of the endless interest on ornment or land pawned to them, was made. This slavery,enforced by an enternal interest,haunted their lives for generations. They seized the goods of the peasants, sold their cattle and harassed their childern and women.For failure to pay a cess of Rs.7 their farms were seized, cattle were sold. They were deprived of their well and fields. Driven of desperation several of them pined away or perished in

utter penury.At the hands of the rulling hierachy women fared

13 Lokahitvadinchi Shatapatre (Marathi) Edited by Tikekar S.R.

14 Joshi N.V. - Poona Ancient and Modern, p.in-1-1 - * 8

no better. Women at Wai committed suicide at an impending visit of Bajirao. The atmosphere of his capital was as

immoral as the of any capital of a decaying empire of the past. Evil blossomed in it like wild plants in a field. As

a result, men of prowess, integrity and reputation abandoned

Poona, leaving the debassed diplomats and shamelss Sirdars

to earn basely Bajirao's favour and to get their position

elevated in a crumbling empire. In those days poona had also

been infested with the Shakta cult whose members were naked

worshippers of God. It was a period of moral stagnation.

Cultural demoralization, and religious petrification a period of

decline and decay caused by intellectual and physical fatigue.

There was no new blood in politics, nor was there any influx

of new ideas. And when the Maratha Empire collapsed in 1818 not

a ear was shed, the virtuous and valiant passing their days

helplessly in the country.Women rejoiced and were quoted as

saying.We are happy that there is now no more the rule of

Bajirao II. The secoundrel has met the late he deserved.God's

mill grind to powder those who grind the poor.The region of

terror and torture had ended. Life and property had no

security in it. Repeated raids and internal revolts had caused unending suffering to the people.A

The farmers heaved a sign of relief.They were glad

that they could reap the fruits of their labour in peace, the

turmoil of generations having cased. Their feeling of

A Keer : Mahatma Jotirao Phulej Father of our Social Revolution, p.5. 9

patriotims was stiffled by the doings of the ruling class and by the wine - bibbers who styled themselves the terrestrial gods and suffered terribly from pollution phobia, only the lackeys of the ruling class must have been sorry for the down fall of the peshwa. The Brahmins felt the change even more deeply than the chiftains. Their loftly claims were ignored.

They had to obey the law like ordinary men and if a Brahmin committed murder he was now to be put to death. Such a thing 15 had been for many generations,unheard of in Maharashtra, Historians of repute offer in their own way various interprets- -tions of the downfall of the Maratha Empire,A majority of them have attributed to the internal strifes for which the leadership of the last Peshwas was mainly responsible,The Brahmins ruined the country,this was the vardict passed by the Lokhitavadi.

In those days Poona constituted the universe of the

learned Brahmins.lt was their honest belief that the God Indra asked the clouds which were believed to be his elephants, to shower rain on the earth and rain fall, Poona had become a den of ignorance and immorality,vice and disease.

This was the social Political economic and religious

condition of Maharashtra before the birth of Mahatma Jotirao Phule, the father of our Social Revolution,

HI) Life Sketch of Mahatma Jotirao Phule ( In Brief ) ( 1827 - 1890 )

15 Dr.Keer t Mahatma Phule,p,3-6, 10

"Jotirao Govindrao Phule occupies a unique position among the social reformers of Maharashtra in the nineteenth century. While other reformers concentrated more on reforming the Social institutions of family and marriage with special emphasis on the status and rights of women,Jotirao Phule revolted against the unjust caste system under which millions

of people had suffered for the centuries. In particular,he courageously upheld the cause of the untouchables and took up the cudgels for the poorer peasants. He was a militant advocate of their rights.The story of his stormy life is an

inspiring Saga of a continuous struggle which he waged relentlessly against the forces of reaction. What was remarkable was his ability to stand up against all kinds of pressure without faltering even once and act always according to his convictions. "Though some keen observers of the Social scene in Maharashtra like Narayan Mahadeo Parmananda did acknowledge his greatness in his lifetime,it is only in recent decades that there is increasing appreciation of his service and sacrifice in uplifting the masses.-10

Jotirao Phule*s great grandfather was a chaugula, an inferior village servant at Katgun,which is twentyfive miles 17 away from . Various kinds of duties were assigned to such inferior servants.They served the village officers. The

16 Br.Y .D.Phadke t Social Reformers of Maharashtra,p.n. 17 Keer Dhananjay x Mahatma Jotirao Phule.Father of our Social Revolution- Popular Prakashan, Bombay,1964, p.l. 11

caugulas carried their records, assisted then in recovering land revenue and accompanied them at the time of crop

inspection. The family of this great grandfather of Jotirao belonged to the Mali caste and subsisted on the meagre produce its petty farm yielded. His family name was Gorhe. one day he had a clash with the Brahmin Kulkarni who was one of the two main village officers in the village. The brahmin Kulkarni harassed the Caugula and made it impossible for him to live in the village peacefully.Driven to despair the Chaugula one night slew him and fled for his life.

Then the chaugula shifted his family to Khanwadi, a

village in the purandar Taluka of the Poona District. There a son was bora to him. He was named Shetiba. This only son of the

Chaugula was a simpleton, but a darling of his father who had gradually become prosperous. Having passed his days in easy circumstances, Shetiba acquired the habits of a spendthrift. After some time, he was as are all reckless men who run through their fortunes reduced to poverty and was obliged to find some means of livelihood. He,therefore, removed his family to Poona. Shetiba had three sons, Ranoji, Krishna and Govind. They were forced by their daily bread from early boyhood. At first they tended goats, they got each a pie a day for their work. As these boys grea up, they were engaged in his trade by their kind master who was a florist. He taught them this trade and the art. The boys did their work conscientiously and became proficient in it.

The boys made a name for themselves in their trade so much so that they attracted the attention of the peshwa and 12

he utilized their services. They made flower mattresses pillows and some garments for the use of the peshwa. He conferred on these brothers thirty five acres of land in appreciation of their useful . Sweet and scented services. They were now known as Florists. So the family assumed the name Phule.,and the original surname Gorhe gave place to the new one.

Shetiba Phule had not a little satisfaction when he saw that his sons had now settled in their trade. After some days, he died peacefully, leaving his three sons Ranoji, Rrishnaji and Govindrao to look after his trade. The first son

Ranoji was much older than his brothers and seems to have been a very shrewd and selfish man. He managed somehow to get his name recorded as the sole owner of the inam land which the peshwa had made over to the brothers as a gift for their

services. After Shetiba*s death the three brothers lived with one

Mr.Zagade who was the maternal uncle of their father. Ranoji wanted zagade to drive his two brothers out of his grandfather's house. He had an eye on Zadade's landed property and it was through his machinations that the two boys were compelled to leave Zagade*s house. They then remained together, worked assiduously and earned their living.

In the mean while peshwa Bajirao II lost his gadi with this great change, which upset the fates of thousands of families dependent upon Peshwa rule in the Deccan the Phule family also had to pass through a crisis.Being left in the lurch by their elder brother Ranoji,Krishnaji and Govind had to struggle. Naturally Govind worked hard on the farm in the neighbouring 13

village set tip a greengrocery at Poona to sell the produce of that soil and improved his position. Sure of his stability now, he continued his flower shop in Poona and was content to lead a peaceful life. He married a girl from Mali caste named Chimnabai who was a daughter of one Zagade Patil of the Kavadi village near Poona. Chimnabai gave birth to two sons. The 18 elder was Rajaram, The younger was Joti who was born in 1827 . He was named Joti, which means a flame . Jotirao's mother passed away when he was hardly one year old. After completing

his primary education. Jotirao had to leave the school and help his father by working on the family’s farm. Jotirao's marriage

was celebrated when he was not even thirteen.

Impressed by Jotirao's intelligence and his love of knowledge, two of his neighbours one a muslim teacher and another a Christian gentleman persuaded his father Govindrao to allow him to study in Secondary School. In 1841 Jotirao got admission in the Scottish Mission's High School at Poona. It was in this school that he met Sadashiv Ballal Govande, a Brahmin, who remained a close friend throughout his life. Both jotirao and Govande were greatly influenced by Thomas Paine's

ideas and they read with great interest paine's famous book ' Rights of Man Moro Vitthal Valvekar and Sakharam Yeshwant paranjape were two other Brahmin friends of Jotirao who in later years stood by him in all his activities. After completing

18 D.Keer Op.Cit.p. 3. 19 Y.D.Phadke , 0p.Cit.,p.l2. 14

his secondary education in 1847 Jotirao decided not to accept

a job under the Government.

An incident in 1848 made him aware of the inequities of the caste-system and the predominate position of the Brahmins in

the Social set up. He was invited to attend a wedding of one of his Brahmin friend. As the bridegroom was taken in a procession Jotirao accompanied him along with the relatives of his Brahmin friend knowing that Jotirao belonged to the Mali caste which was considered to be inferior by the Brahmins, the relatives of the bridegroom insulted and abused him. Jotirao left the procession and returned home. With tears in his eyes, he narrated his experience to his father who tried to pacify him. After this incident Jotirao made up his mind to defy the caste system and serve the sudras and women who were deprived of all their rights as human beings under the caste system. Education of women and the lower castes he believed, deserved priority. Hence at home he began educating his wife

savitribai and opened a girl’s school in August 1848. The orthodox opponents of Jotirao were furious and they started a

vicious campaign against him. He refused to be unnerved by their malicious propanganda. As no teacher dared to work in a School in which untouchables were admitted as students, Jotirao asked his wife to teach the girls in his school, stones and brickbats were thrown at her when she was on her way to the school. The reactionaries threatened Jotirao's father with dire consequences if he did not dissociate from his son's activities. Yielding to the pressure,Jotirao's father asked his son and the daughter- in-law to leave his house as both of them refused to give up their nob&e endeavour. Though the school had to be closed for sometime due to lack of funds, Jotirao reopened in with the help of his Brahmin friends Govande and Valvekar. On 3rd July, 1851, he founded a girls school in which eight girls were admitted on the first day. Steadily the number of students Increased. Savitribai taught in this school also and had to suffer a lot because of the hostility of the orthodox people. Jotirao opened two more girls schools during 1851—52, A year after the

institution of the female school, also established an

indigenous mixed school for the lower classes, especially the and Mangs.20 Two more schools for these classes were

subsequently added. He continued to work in them for nearly

nine to ten years.

Pilule*s educational efforts continued untill about 1858-60 by this time the pressure from the orthodox was growing. As liberal Brahman support gradually ceased, Phule's position began to harden and he increasingly drew his backing from a gowing community of non brahmin merchants and contractors, many with roots in the village,many based in Bombay. In 1865 he published the second edition of Padval's Jatibhed Viveksar and in 1869 he himself wrote a long (balad ) povada on Shivaji.Picturing him as the protector of the peasants.Though this was submitted to Dakshina prize committee, it was rejected by the Brahmans.Compositions also portrayed

Shivaji as the patriotic leader who thought against the Mughals

20 Y.D.phadke j 0p.Cit.p.l3# 16

phule realised that the nationalist forces that were emerging in 1870s were the product of Brahman influence and turned his attention to full scale social revolt.

1873 was the crucial year both ideologically and organizationally. It saw the publication of Phule*s major book Gulamgiri ( Slavery ) and the founding of the Satyashodhak Samaj. The challenge of caste and Brahmanism was now in the open and increasingly bitter and it was to this cause that Phule devoted his efforts until his death. From 1873 he worked

to organize the Samaj primarily at first in Poona and in Bombay where it received important support from a group of

Teigu, Mali contractors . In 1877 the first newspaper of the movement. Din Bandhu, was founded under the editorship of his young Mali colleague Krishnarao Bhalekar,himself an important organizer. This was transferred to Narayanrao Lokhande in 1880 and Phule supported the work of Lokhande in currently organizing the first labour welfare organization. The Bombay Millhand's Association,

In the 1880 the Satyashodhak Samaj began to reveal its popular support as non Brahman marriages began to occur under

its auspices in Poona District villages in particular otur, a small market village in Junnur Taluka and surrounding Junnur villages became early Satyashodhak Centres. In May 1884, Phule and Lokhande addressed mass meetings of Saiis, Malis, Teiis and other castes which were attempting to give up Brahman priest and in July he took leadership of the cultivators of Junnur in a protest against money lender and landlord power. 17

Here already religious and economic grievances were expressed in a closely linked fashion and this linkage was reflected in Phule*s writings. In 1883 Shetkaryaca Asud emphasized the economic as well as religious grievances of the peasants and Ishara in 1885 carried on the themses of the earlier two major books.

By this time Phule was gaining unquestioned recognition as a force within Western Maharashtra. From 1876 to 1882 he was a member of the Poona Municipality appointed by the British, and in 1882 he testified before the Hunter Commission on education, urging mass education in opposition to the trickledown theory. In 1888 recognition came from his own people when he was honoured with the title of M Mahatma " by a mass meeting of non-Brahmans in Bombay shortly after that in 1890, he died. IV) Why jotirap Phule founded the Satya Shpdhak Santaj ?

Having written a book of advice addressed to the lower classes. Jotirao resolved now to launch a movement in 22 Maharashtra for their liberation from Brahmin chluches A. revolutionary leader like Jotirao required an institution an authoritative credo and a platform for the propagation of his ideals. During the previous fifteen years he had been propagating his view, preaching in public meetings,through

21 Gail Omvedt : Cultural Revolt in a colonial society The non Brahman movement in Western India* 1873-1930,Scientific,Socialist education Turst,Bombay,p.108. 22 D.Keer j Op. Cit.,p.125. 18

leaflets and booklets the importance of education and exhorting the lower castes to educate their childern and to redeem themselves from the evil customs, wicked prejudices and wily precepts imposed on them in the name of God by the Brahmin priests and their religious works.

Jotirao impressed upon their mind that their slavery was not inborn, inseparable and preordiained or a divine dispensation as described in the Brehmanic scriptures.Awakening

Self-respect in the peasant and toiling masses, he infused courage in them to stand up against the poverty and Social injustice, and against the oppressive,injust and inhuman Hindu priestcraft and the caste system. He also embued them with new. thoughts,new ideals of human dignity,equality and self­ salvation. His writings and his speeches focussed Government attention on the grievances of the peasants and of the workers engaged by government Engineering and public works Department.

Jotirao wanted now to organise his followers and workers, so that they might assimilate his rational ideas and bring them into effect. It was his aim also to show the government how the peasants were being exploited and how they were suffering from a desperate,grinding poverty and glaring social inequality. He strove hard to raise the Atishudras to the level of the . Lost rights are not secured without a struggle. Jotirao know well that two upper castes,especially the Brahmins, would be not only unsympathetic but also intolerant, and the tradition mongers would not easily give up theirprivilege,position and power. There was no question of their expecting to get any political rights as they had no strength and organisation behind them. So he decided to set up an organisation to preach his ideology.

Accordingly,Jotirao convened on September 24, 1873 a meeting of all his admierers and disciples at Poona. About sixty men from many important centres of Maharashtra assembled.

Jotirao made an impressive introductory speech and impressed upon his followers the necessity of a central institution for the guidance of the movement.After some discussion and several other speeches.it was agreed to form an institution. There was

much enthusiasm among the choosen lieutenants of Jotirao. They decided to organize the mission and to spread the message of

the movement. Jotirao named this institution as Satya Shodhak 23 Samaj. ( Truth Seeking Society )

Foundation of the Satya Shodhak Samaj *

Satya Shodhak Samaj was founded in 1873 by Mahatma 24 Jotirao Phuley with a view to organise his followers and workers‘s in some association. Aims of Satya Shodhak Samaj:

To redeem the shudras and Atishudras from the influence

of Brahminical scriptures under which the Brahmin priests fleeced them to teach them their human rights and to liberate them from mental and religious slavery.

23 D.Keer j Op.Cit.,p.126. 24 D.Keer s Op.Cit.,p.125. 20

Oath of Satya Shodhak Samaj:

A member at his initiation into the Samaj had to take an oath in the name of God Khanderao and declare his allegiance to British rule.

The Principles of Satya Shpdhak Samaj:

1) All men are the childern of one God, who is thus

their parent. 2) As there is no necessity of an intermediary to approach the mother or to please the father,there is no need of an intermediary such as a priest or a preceptor to enable the devotee to offer his prayers to God. 3) Anyone accepting that principle is qualified to be a 25 member of the Satya Shodhak Samaj.

" Membership of the Samaj was extended to all castes including Brahmins and Mahars and Mangs and even Jews and Muslims were its members in its early stage. The weekly meetings were held on Sundays at the places where branches of the Satya Shodhak Samaj were established. In Poona at the house of Dr.

Gavade in Somawar peth, weekly meetings were held. The subjects discussed were the necessity of temperance and compulsory education encouragement of Swadeshi good, dislodging the Brahmin priest from the position he held in the religious field, making arrangements for performing marriage at minimum expenses, and freeing men from the beliefs in astrology,

25 Bhai Silver Jubilee Volume. 21

ghosts and demons. The main attack was upon the Caste system and idol-worship. Emphasis was also on the principle of the 26 fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of Man.

The Spread of the Satya Shpdhak Samaj and its Work :

( During the life time of Phule )

The Satya Shodhak Samaj had taken up many activities, which were essentially Social in character and were in the interests of the downtrodden classes of the society. This aspect was an improvement made on the last Samaj vis. , by Satya Shodhak«Samaj. Apart from the 27 28 Philanthrophic activities the Samaj conducted night Schools and encouraged the students from lowly castes to join the 2g schools encouraged the members of the Samaj to write the books on the subjects like agriculture 30 , and gave Scholarships to the poor students etc.^ The activities of the Satya Shodhak

Samaj received sympathy and active help from some of the 32 Brahmin gentlemen also.

26 Bhai Madhavrao Bagal Op.Cit.p.,34-68. 27 Malshe and Keer : The Third Anniversary Report of the Samaj ( 1876 ), p.154. 28 See for an attempt towards opening of night school at Bhamburde. The Third Anniversary Report Ibid, p.155. 29 See . The Third Anniversary Report of the Samaj Ibid - p.155. 30 Ibid p.,155. 31 Ibid p.,155-157.

32 See Third Anniversary Report of the Satya Shodhak Samai Ibid,p.163. J 22

But these men were subjected to bitter criticism by Vishnushastri Chiplunkar.33 The Third Anniversary Report mentioned 316 members of the Samaj. This membership must have been mainly from Poona and Bombay.

Thoughts Against the Domination of 3rahmins:

A Special field selected by the Satya Shodhak Samaj to attack the Caste - system and the dominance of Brahmins needs a mention here. This was the filled of religious monopoly of the brahmins in the field of priesthood. The Brahmins had evolved and tightened the rules of Caste-system in order to preserve their highest place in the caste hierarchy. This received a serious blow from Satya Shodhak ideology, which 34 denied Brahmin priests*. , and allowed any individual to 35 officiate at the marriage ceremony as a priest. But their 36 attempts did not receive much popular support. The Satya

Shodhak marriages became quite popular in the village. In fact, after Jotiba his followers were obliged to concentrate on the 38 marriages without Brahmin priestes programme.

33 See : Satbe V.V. - Vishnushastri's Nibandhmala,p.456.

34 See s Maishe and Keer - Op.Cit.(Jahor Khabar ),p.o.275- 276

35 Ibid - ( Satyashodhak Samajokta Pooja-vidhi ),p.332.

36 Prarathana Samaj also had no faith in any intermediary

between God and Man.

37 See Vaidya D.G.Prarthana Samajacha Itihas (First half)

p.229-230.

38 Mangudkar M.P., MahatmaPhule and Satya Shodhak Chalval,

p. 14 23

The Ideology of Satya Shpdhak Saraaj :

However, the ideology and thought content of Satya

Shodhak Samaj as expounded by Mahatma Phule is not based on hatred of any particular caste. It had a base of all embracing humanism,^ Where individual worth had a due place. In his book " his Sarvajanik Satya Dharrna M was broad based

universalism he had in mind . He said. Just as the sun gives

light and industry to every one including non- human beings without distinction, similarly God being the father of men,

treats all of them alike • Jotiba therefore, urged that all men belong to one religion and they should all behave 40 according to it. Thus his approach towards human equality was based on a rational outlook towards the human life.

All the human beings on this earth are physically and mentally alike.So, none from amongst them can by a claim to be 41 hereditarily pious and supperior to others, held Jotiba

Jotiba was against idol worship and wanted his followers to worship good men,who struggled hard to save their ignorant 42 brothers from the fetters of selfish men. likewise, Jotiba

did not approve of oblations in the name of God. He advised

that such food should better he distributed to those who had

39 Malshe and Keer : Op.Cit.p.,449.

40 Ibid - p.,440.

41 Ibid - (Sarvajanik Satyadharma pustak ),p.363.

42 Ibid, p,355. 24

grown old, infirm or orphan.43 Thus he denounced all rituals and superstions,which were the seeding grounds for the Brahmins.44 Besides, he had pointed out that the distinctions

in men were based not on birth, but on the type of education the man received43 .Thus,if the childern of a Chambhar

receive good education, they can also come up in the scale of equalities and social positions.46 Extremely irritated as

Jotiba was with the Brahmins and the caste structure of the Hindus as expounded by them he felt attraction for Christian 47 religion and has also spoken highly of the Mahammedans because both these religions offer equality to its followers.

Attack Jotiba*s Line of Thinking

Jotiba could not be suspected of his sincerity of purpose. But the assault came on him, because he appeared to

be a follower of Christian dogma 48 and also because he 4Q appeared to be a hater of Brahmins. ^ An attack, though quite besides the point was directed towards him that he knew nothing about the history of the land 50 and also about the

43 Ibid - p.,357. 44 Ibid, p.,367.

45 Sarvajanik Satyadharma Pustak,p.404.

46 Ibid, p.,407.

47 Malshe and Keer -Op.Cit.,p.489.

48 Sathe V.V. - Vishnushastri*s Nibandhamala,p.450.

49 Ibid,p.,443#

50 Ibid, p.,446. 25

51 graramer of Marathi language . The account of the history as given by Jotiba appeared to be ridiculous to Vishnushastri Chiplunkar, Therefore, many of the contemporary journals thought it unwise to review Jotiba's books. Thus, a stiff line of resistance was met with by Jotiba from the Jotiba*s allegiance to was also frowned upon by the nationalistic school of thought. Though Satya Shodhak Samaj 53 as a body had no specific political inclinations The samaj 54 vowed its unmistakable loyalty to Britishers because the British rulers appeared to Samaj as the liberators. Under their regime only the downtrodden castes received education 55 and became conscious of their rights. To activate his followers for the attainment of the goal of the Satya Shodhak Samaj, Jotiba had suggested a fourfold programme, 56

1) Rooting out the inequalities based on caste system, 2) Destroying of priesthood,which acted as an intermediary between God and man,

3) Spreading of education among the non-brahmains.

51 Ibid - p.,444. 52, Ibid, pp,443-444,

53 Sathe V.V.(Ed.) op.Cit.p,45l. 54 Mangudkar M.P,« Op.Cit.,P.13-14, 55 Ibid ,pp.19.20. 56 Mangudkar M.P,,Op.Cit,,p.l3. 26

4) Securing maximum posts in governmental machinery by keeping good relation with British rulers.

The thought of Jotirao Phule was revolucionary. It gave a clearer goal of individual freedom and self-fulfilment, complete equality and social justice to all classes in society.

Phule passed away in 1890 and after him the non-brahmin movement loat its vigour and vitality.57 But the thought of

Phule did remain without its translation into action. That task was done by Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaja of Kolhapur

( 1874 - 1922 ). In fact, Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj was responsible for spreading the thought of Phule all over Maharashtra and make the common man conscious of his rights.

Thus the Satya Shodhak Movement in the 19th century was essentially a socio-religious reform movement which was transformed by Shahu Chhatrapati into a powerful non-brahmin movement.

57 Mangudkar M.P. - Op.Cit., p.14.