examine-the-contribution-of-jyotiba-phule-in-social-awakening
sunil tiwary Staff asked 1 year ago
Examine the contribution of Jyotiba Phule in social awakening. Viewpoints: Give a brief introduction about Jyotiba Phule as a social reformer, thinker, and writer. Discuss how he was influenced for social awakening? Inspect his contributions related to Satyasodhak Samaj, girl’s education, widow remarriage, anti-caste movement, and untouchability.
sunil tiwary Staff answered 1 year ago
Jyoti Rao Phule was an eminent social reformer and thinker of the 19th century and was influenced by Thomas Paine’s book titled ‘The Rights of Man’ and believed that the only solution to combat the social evils was the enlightenment of women and members of the lower castes.
Phule’s social activism included many fields including eradication of untouchability and the caste system, education of women and the Dalits, and welfare of downtrodden women.
He is considered a great social reformer of India, some of his contributions to social reform can be seen in the following points:
- He along with his followers, formed the Satyasodhak Samaj to attain equal rights for people from lower castes. People from all religions and castes could become a part of this association which worked for the upliftment of the oppressed classes.
- Phule started schools for children from the then untouchable castes.
- In 1848, he taught his wife how to read and write, after which the couple opened the first indigenously run school for girls in Pune where they both taught.
- He championed widow remarriage and started a home for high caste pregnant widows to give birth in a safe and secure place.
- He opened his home to people from all castes and backgrounds. He was the first person to coin the term ‘Dalits’ to apply to all people considered lower caste and untouchables by the Brahmins.
The Social reform movement in India is a legacy of the multiple streams of Mahatma Phule’s efforts to bring equality and to make systemic changes to the social order.