-rUs. *fti* ■. SLAVERY■ xM Collected Works of Mahatma Jotirao Phule Vol. I Translated by Prof. P. G. Patll ^l®&4SB ;^ ' BARRISTER P. G. PATIL □ Vice Chancellor of Shivaji University, Kolhapur (1975-78) □ Member of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (1979-1983). □ The recipient of the prestigious Huge Lings Prize in English (Inter Arts, 1942) and Ellis Scholarship in English (B.A. 1945) of the Bombay University. □ Studied at Willingdon College, Sangli, Fergusson College, Poona, King’s College, London and Lincoln’s Inn, London. □ Was incarcerated at Yeravda Central Prison in 1942-43 during the ‘ Quit India ’ Movement. □ Son of a primary school teacher at Kavlapur, and educated by Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil, through his ‘ Rayat Shikshan Sanstha ’, Satara. □ Published ‘ Karmaveeropanishad ’—a book of reminiscences of Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil (in Marathi). □ Just completed a two volume biography of Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil (in English) and translated collected works of Mahatma Phule Vol. 2 ‘ Selections ’ which will be published soon. [ Price : Rs. 28 50 ] COLLECTED WORKS OF MAHATMA JOTIRAO PHULE VOL. I SLAVERY I G Collected Works of Mahatma Jotirao Phule V ol.I SLAVERY (IN THE CIVILISED BRITISH GOVERNMENT UNDER THE CLOAK OF BRAHMANISM) Exposed by Jotirao Govindrao Phule Translated by Prof. P. G. Patil M.A. B.A. (London), Bar-at-Law Ex-Vice Chancellor, Shivaji University, Kolhapur Education Department, Government of Maharashtra Mantralaya, Bombay 400 032 1991 for Mahatma Jotirao Phule Death Centenary Central Committee I First Edition : 28th November 1991 Cover: Shantaram Pawar © Secretary Education Department Government of Maharashtra First Edition : 10,000 Copies, Pages : 144 Publisher: The Education Department Government of Maharashtra Bombay 400 032 for Mahatma Jotirao Phule Death Centenary Central Committee Printer: The Manager Government Central Press Netaji Subhash Road Bombay 400 004 MAHATMA JOTIRAO PHULE ‘ -?C* *4t,i4re*t u^> ^ .^ J 2 t £ r * ^ ^ « £ w £ ^ ^ T& t^dU -..^f^ ^ A k'j J a 5^.. / l ^ t J b r ^ /V- ^/ - //-'’’ - / e n /Z- // $*1- ^,-* / 1 .<_ - - -c/ ■S ^?— c Mahatma Phule's Handwriting Mahatma Jotirao Phule Death Centenary Central Committee Executive Body H o n ’BLE SHRI SUDIIAKARRAO NAIK P r e s id e n t Chief Minister S h r i D a d a s a f ie b R u p w a t e E x e c u t iv e P r e s id e n t S h r i M u k u n d r a o P a t il V i c e P r e s id e n t P r in . N . D . P a t il V ic e P r e s id e n t M r s . K a m a l V i c h a r e V ic e P r e s id e n t D r . J. M. W a g h a m a r e G e n e r a l S e c r e t a r y D r . B a b a A d h a v S e c r e t a r y P r i n . P . B . P a t il S e c r e t a r y S h r i E k n a t h S a l v e S e c r e t a r y M r s . S e e m a S a k h a r e M e m b e r S h r i H a r i N a r k e M e m b e r P r o f . B . H . K a l y a n k a r M e m b e r V a s a n t M o o n M e m b e r S e c r e t a r y —E d u c a t io n M e m b e r Members Ramrao Adik Director of Education Prakash Ambedkar Vilasrao Dcshmukh V. V. Shirwadkar Nanabhau Embadwar Sushilkumar Shinde Kamalkishor Kadam Narendra Tidke Ramdas Athawale Pratibha Patil Manohar Phalke Jayantrao Tilak Vitthalrao Hande Raosaheb Kasabe Annasahcb Shinde Shankarrao Jagtap Ganpat Deshmukh Manohar Joshi R. S. Gawai Chitra Naik (iv) Indutai Parikh Vilihal Wagh Yashwant Choudhary Mrunal Gore Sudhir Bedekar B. C. Kale Pushpa Bonde M. Y. Dalvi J. B. Lahigude Nilam Gorhe Wamanrao Lokhande Laxman Mane R. N. Chavan Jotirao Raut Yashwantrao Mohite Uttamrao Patil Abasaheb Mukundrao Narendra Dabholkar G. P. Pradhan Patil Sham Manav Sharadchandra N. M.Katkar Prabhakar Sanzagiri Gokhale Bapurao Jagtap Gopinath Mundhe M. P. Mangudkar Gajmal Mali Tulsidas Jadhav Madhav Gadkari M. G. Mali N. M. Kamble T. K. Tope Baburao Shcte Madhukarrao Pichad Mohan Dhariya Bhausahcb Wartak Netaji Rajgadkar Laxmanshastri Joshi Rupa Kulkami Nirmalkumar Phadakule Y. D.Phadke V. B. Kolte Nalini Pandit Baburao Bagul Phulwantabai Zodge Govind Pansare Vasantrao Pagraut K. G. Dcshmukh Fransis D’britto Ram Takawale Yashwant Manohar Bokre Ratanlal Songra Ram Joshi Saroj Kamble A. H. Salunkhe A. S. Yavalkar Soudamini Rao Vishwanath Wable Husain Dalwai Datta Deshmukh Nilkantha Khadilkar Bapusaheb Kaldate M. P. Deshmukh U. M. Pathan R. R. Bhole Daulatrao Gole Gail Omvet Yadunath Thatte Kene Mahatma Phule Smarak Samiti Adivasi Vikas Mahamandal Mahatma Phule Samata Pratishthan Vasantrao Naik—V. J. N. T. Vikas Akhil Bharatiya Satyashodhak Mahamandal Samaj Maharashtra Mahila Vyaspeeth Rayat Shikshan Sanstha Samajvadi Prabhodini Swami Vivekanand Shikshan Bagal Vidyapeeth Sanstha Bharati Vidyapeeth Shree Shivaji Education Society Indian Institute of Education People’s Education Society Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth Deogiri Shikshan Prasarak Mandal Bombay Social Reform Association Mahatma Gandhi Vidya Mandir Yashwantrao Chavan Pratishthan Society Pralhamik Shikshak Rajya Shikshan Sanstha Federation Sangathana Samajik Parishad Samajik Samata Parishad FOREWORD The Government of Maharashtra has decided to celebrate the year 1990-91 as the death-centenary year of Mahatma Jotirao Phule—with due solemnity. As part of the said centenary, the Government also decided to publish the Collected Works of Mahatma Phule in English— in a number of volumes. The Government, therefore, constituted the Mahatma Phule Death Centenary Committee which organised a number of functions and activities throughout the year 1990-91 to mark the occasion. I am happy to present the First Volume of the Collected Works of Mahatma Phule—namely ‘ Slavery '. This was published in Marathi in 1873. The full title of the book runs as follows :— “ Slavery (in the Civilised British Government under the cloak of Brahmanism)—exposed by Jotirao Govindrao Phule (1873).” The prescience of Jotirao is reflected in the ‘ Dedication ’ of this slender booklet. Jotirao dedicated this book to “ the good people of the United States as a token of admiration for their sublime, disinterested and self-sacrificing devotion in the causes of Negro Slavery ”. Jotirao hated slavery in any form. Physical slavery is bad enough, but the Slavery of the mind and spirit—perpetrated in the name of Religion upon the Shudra and Ati-shudra inhabitants of India down the ages is a blot on the fair name of Hinduism. Jotirao pours ridicule and contempt upon the Aryan interlopers for their tyranny. Jotirao hoped that his countrymen will be inspired by the noble example of the American people to undo this wrong by emancipating the Shudra and Ati-shudra “ from the trammels of Brahmin thraldom ”. The Ccntcnaiy Committee entrusted the work of translating this important volumes by Jotirao into cnglish to Barrister P. G. Patil who is an eminent Professor of English and a reverent student of the philosophy of Mahatma Phule and the Satya Shodhak Movement in Maharashtra. I do hope the younger generation of Maharashtra will study this book reverently, will imbibe its seminal teaching and will try to translate those noble ideas into their personal and social life. By so doing, they (Vi) will blaze a new trail not only in Maharashtra but in India as a whole. This will please the soul of Mahatma Phule and will enrich and ennoble the fabric of Social and Cultural life of Maharashtra. I have great pleasure in commending and recommending this important volume ‘ Slavery ’ by Mahatma Phule to the discerning people of Maharashtra in particular and of India in general. SHARAD PA WAR, Date : 1st June 1991. Chief Minister. RESPECTFUL SALUTATIONS Mr. Nelson Mandela, the acknowledged leader of the liberation movement in South Africa visited India last year. The State Government of Maharashtra under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Sharad Pa war proposed to invite him to Bombay. This being the Centenary Year of Mahatma Phule’s Death Anniversary, the State Centenary Committee decided to present to Mr. Nelson Mandela the English Translation of Mahatma Phule’s “ (Slavery)” and Dr. Babasaheb Ambcdkar’s “ Annihilation of Caste ” as most fitting offerings. The Committee requested Prof. P. G. Patil (Bar-at-Law) the well-known scholar and “ Satyashodhak ” intellectual to undertake the task of translating the Book ‘ Gulamgiri ’ in English which he did with a devotion of a ‘ faithfull ’ in a record short time. The Committee is beholden to him and I offer him heartfelt thanks. My thanks are also due to Shri Hari Narke the upcoming and promising researcher for the pains he has so gladly taken in the implementation of the project. Mahatma Phule was just not a Social Reformer, but was a Social Revolutionary who proved to be the Founding Father of the Indian Renaissance movement of modem times. Dr. Babasaheb Ambcdkar therefore naturally accepted him as his “ Master ”—one of the Gurus. Mr. Nelson Mandela visited India but he could not make it to Bombay. Babasaheb’s “ Annihilation of Caste ” was a speech prepared but not delivered. History has repeated itself in a way.