This is the second in a series of articles about female role models we can all look up to.
Savitribai Phule, a name you think you have heard, but can’t quite place it anywhere. It’s probably because this name is shared by a premier university in Maharashtra. But who is this person that forced a male-dominated, upper-caste government to name a university after her over a century after her death?
Savitribai was born in the ‘lower caste’ Mali community in Naigaon, Maharashtra. She was married off to Jyotirao Phule at the perfectly marriageable age of... nine. As a child bride, she went to Pune with her husband, who, unlikely as it seems, was a social reformer.
Despite marrying a child, Jyotirao, fondly known as Jyotiba, was intent on educating her. Noticing her enthusiasm, he went against all opposition and taught his young wife to read and write and as soon as she was ready, he promptly admitted her to a teacher training institute. There Savitribai educated herself further and developed teaching methodologies which she would apply later in her own schools.
As the first qualified female teacher, Savitribai, along with her husband, opened the first school for girls run by Indians in 1848. Both her own status as an educated ‘lower caste’ woman and her efforts to educate girls irrespective of caste and class, brought down on her the fury of the extremely Brahminical society of 19th century India.
Upper caste people of the village in which she lived tried to stop the opening of her schools. When they failed to manage this, they threw dung, eggs and vegetables at her to stop her from going to school. Savitribai’s elegant solution? Simply change into a spare saree after reaching the school building. There is a suggestion that all of this abuse stopped when she slapped an assailant. This is anecdotal and I can in no way verify this... but, I’ll happily believe it.
Savitribai and her husband also set up homes and ashrams for destitute women from all sections of society. They introduced stipends for students to give them extra motivation to come to school. The pair also dug a well in their own backyard so that ‘lower caste’ inhabitants of the village could draw water from it. You know, because of the thing you tell yourself doesn’t exist but you really know it still does even to this day and this minute.
Despite Indian casteist society’s immense opposition to Savitribai’s endeavours, she and her husband were greatly honoured by the then British Government and a significant section of social reformers all over the country. Indeed, continuing her trail of opposition, Savitribai lit her husband’s funeral pyre when he died in 1890.
Savitribai died on this day (10th March) in 1897 while helping victims of the bubonic plague in Maharashtra. By then, she had not only broken the glass ceiling, but also set Indian society on a path towards women’s empowerment and equity in society; and while the end of that path is still in the far distance, Savitribai Phule is a woman you should remember.
You should remember her being abused for simply doing something she enjoyed. You should remember her being covered in dung while trying actively to help people. You should remember her every time you say something derogatory about a woman who is simply trying to do what’s best for herself. And then, you should remember her husband who is the ultimate example of a male ally.
Sources:
Asher, Malvika. “Savitribai Phule - Zubaan - Google Arts & Culture.” Google, Google, artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/savitribai-phule-zubaan/UwKCW6eHcTWSLg?hl=en.
S, Jyothi. “Remembering Savitribai Phule.” The Indian Express, 3 Jan. 2021, indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/savitribai-phule-education-feminism-women-empowerment-7131478/.
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