caste reforms

1. Mahatma Jyotiba Phule (1827–1890)

  • Title: ‘Mahatma’ (Conferred in 1888 by Vithalrao Krishnaji Vandekar at a social gathering in Bombay).
  • Organization:Satyashodhak Samaj (Truth Seekers’ Society).
    • Founded: September 24, 1873.
    • Location: Pune.
    • Aim: To liberate the Shudras and Ati-Shudras from exploitation by the upper castes and priestly class.
  • Ideology:
    • Strongly opposed Sanskrit Hinduism and the Caste System.
    • Rejected idolatry (Murti Puja).
    • Propagated the concept of “Nirmik” (The Creator) – asserting that no priest or middleman is required to connect with God.

Key Social Reforms:

  • Education: Opened India’s 1st Girls’ School in August 1848 at Bhide Wada, Pune.
  • Widow Welfare: Established the ‘Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha’ (Home for the Prevention of Infanticide) in 1863. This provided a safe place for pregnant Brahmin widows to give birth to avoid social shame and infanticide.
  • Against Untouchability: In 1868, he opened his private water tank to untouchables to challenge caste purity norms.

Literary Works (Chronology & Themes):

  1. Gulamgiri (Slavery) – 1873: Dedicated to the people of the USA who fought to abolish slavery (drawing a parallel between American slaves and Indian lower castes).
  2. Shetkarayacha Aasud (Cultivator’s Whipcord): highlighted the exploitation of farmers.
  3. Sarvajanik Satyadharma: Published posthumously in 1891; contains his comprehensive philosophy.
  4. Tritiya Ratna: A play written in 1855.
  5. Satsar: (The Essence of Truth).

2. Savitribai Phule (1831–1897)

  • Role: Regarded as India’s First Female Teacher and a pioneer of the modern Indian feminist movement.
  • Contribution: Worked alongside Jyotiba Phule in running schools despite facing severe social boycott (people often threw mud and stones at her).
  • Social Work:
    • Mahila Seva Mandal (1852): Founded to create awareness about women’s rights.
    • Barbers’ Strike: She organized a strike of barbers to protest the practice of shaving the heads of widows.
  • Literary Works:
    • Kavyaphule (1854): A collection of poetry.
    • Bavan Kashi Subodh Ratnakar (1892): A biography/history of Jyotiba Phule.
  • Legacy:
    • January 3 (her birthday) is observed as ‘Balika Din’ in Maharashtra.
    • She died in 1897 while nursing victims of the Plague in Pune (she contracted the disease herself).

Paramhans Mandali (1849, Maharashtra)

  • Founders: Dadoba Pandurang, Mehtaji Durgaram.
  • Ideology: Linked to Manav Dharma Sabha. Real Religion is based on love and moral conduct. Worship only one God.
  • Aims: Widow remarriage, women education, monotheism, Against caste Rigidity.

Gopalhari Deshmukh (Maharashtra)

  • Was a Judge under British. Known as “Lokhitawadi” (Shatapatree).
  • Wrote in weekly – Prabhakar.
  • Associated with periodicals: Gyan Prakash, Indu Prakash, Lokhitwadi.
  • He said: “If Religion does not sanction social reforms, then change Religion”.
  • Stance: Against Hindu orthodoxy, for equality, against caste system.
  • Started a weekly – Hitechhu.

Gopal Ganesh Agarkar (Maharashtra)

  • Co-founder of: New English School, Fergusson College, Deccan Education Society (Along with Tilak).
  • 1st Editor of Kesari.
  • His Periodical: Sudharak (Against untouchability).
  • Ideology: Advocated power of human reason + criticised Blind dependence on tradition and glorification of past.

Servants of India Society

  • Founder: G.K Gokhale [+ M.G Ranade (help)].
  • Goal: To prepare cadre of selfless workers who can devote their life for service of country.
  • Note: Society remain aloof from political activities & org. like INC.

Gokhale

  • Est. Ranade Inst of Economics.
  • Called “Political Guru of Gandhi”.
  • Gandhi’s Book: “Dharmatma Gokhale” dedicated to him.
  • His English newspaper: Hitavada.
  • Associated with Sarvajanik Sabha Journal (M.G Ranade).
  • After Gokhale – Srinivas Shastri took over as Prez of Society.

Social Service League (1911, Bombay)

  • Founder: Narayan Malhar Joshi (He also founded AITUC, 1920).
  • Goal: To secure for masses better conditions of life and work.

Seva Sadan (1908)

  • Founders: Behramji M. Malabari + Dayaram Gidumal.
  • Agendas: Against child marriage & for widow remarriage. Led to enactment of Age of Consent Act 1891.
  • Goal: Take care of exploited & discarded (Indian) women.
  • Newspaper: The Spectator (B.M Malabari: Champion of women suffrage).

Dev Samaj (1887, Lahore)

  • By: Shivnarayan Agnihotri.
  • Emphasised on: Eternity of soul, supremacy of Guru, Need for Good action.
  • Stance: Against child marriage.
  • Text: Its teachings compiled in Book – Deva Shastra.

Radhaswami Movement (1861, Agra)

  • By: Tulsi Ram (Shiv Dayal Saheb).
  • Believes in: One supreme being, supremacy of Guru, simple life, Satsang (company of pious people).

Justice Movement (Madras, 1916)

  • Also Known as South Indian Liberal Federation (Justice Party).
  • Founders: C.N Mudaliar, T.M Nair, P. Tyagaraj.
  • Goal: To Secure Jobs and Repn for Non Brahmins in legislature.
  • 1st Non-Brahminical movn in TN.

Based on the handwritten notes in source, here is the transcription of the page detailing various social reform movements and leaders:

Justice Party (Continued)

  • In 1920, they fought elections as the Justice Party.
  • In 1937, it came under the leadership of E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker (Periyar) and his Self-Respect Movement.
  • He transformed the Justice Party into a social movement called Dravidian Kazhagam, and they withdrew from electoral politics.
  • For the 1st time, they asked for caste-based Reservation in the country.

Veersalingam Pantulu

  • He was the 1st Social Reformer from the Telugu-speaking area.
  • He was influenced by Keshav Chandra Sen.
  • He started an organization called Hitkarni Sabha focused on women education.

Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Movement (SNDP) (1888)

  • Also known as the Aravippuram Movement (1888).
  • Founded by Sree Narayana Guru among the Ezhavas of Kerala (a depressed caste/untouchables).
  • Associates: Kumaran Asan and Dr. Palpu.
  • Demands: Rights to admission to public schools, public services, access to roads, and political representation.
  • It advocated for Temple entry and hygiene among Ezhavas.
  • Note: Sree Narayana Guru is known for his conversation with Gandhi.

Self Respect Movement (TN)

  • Started by E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker (Periyar) in the mid-1920s.
  • Aim: Aimed at nothing short of the rejection of Brahminical religion.
  • At times, it acquired violent manifestation and attacked symbols of Brahminical authority.

Temple Entry Movement

  • T.K. Madhavan (Editor of Deshabhimani) took up this issue in Travancore.
  • Vaikom Satyagraha (Kerala, 1924): Led by K.P. Kesava.
    • Demanded the opening of Hindu temples and roads for untouchables.
    • Gandhi toured to support it.
  • Other leaders associated with Temple Entry:
    • Sree Narayana Guru, Subramaniam Tirumambu, N. Kumaran Asan.
    • K. Kellapan (during Civil Disobedience Movement).
    • P. Krishna Pillai, A.K. Gopalan.
    • C. Rajagopalachari (Madras) in 1938.

Indian Social Conference (1887)

  • Founded by M.G. Ranade and Raghunath Rao.
  • Met annually on the sidelines of the INC Conference/Session to deal with social issues.
  • Can be called the Social Reform cell of INC.
  • Advocated inter-caste marriage; opposed Polygamy and Kulinism.
  • Launched the “Pledge Movement” against child marriage.

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar

  • Principal of Sanskrit College.
  • Reforms:
    • Opened the college for Non-Brahmins.
    • Introduced western thoughts in Sanskrit College to break the “Isolation of Sanskrit Learning”.
  • Writings: Wrote the book “Bahuvivah”.
  • Social Work:
    • Determined crusader in support of Widow Remarriage and against Polygamy and child marriage.
    • The Widow Remarriage Act (WRA) 1856 was the result of his efforts.
    • He was a Government Inspector of Schools.
    • Helped organize 35 Girls Schools, many run at his own expense.
    • He was the Secretary of Bethune School, making him a pioneer of women’s higher education.

Based on the handwritten notes in the source, here is the transcription of page 18:

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar (Continued)

  • Believed in high moral values; a deep humanist – Blend of east & west.
  • Determined to break priestly monopoly of Scriptural knowledge.
  • Newspaper: Shome Prakash.
  • He wrote: Bengali Primer.
  • Thus he made immense contribution to uplift Indian downtrodden womanhood.

Satyashodak Samaj and Jyotiba Phule (1873)

  • (1827–1890)
  • Movement against upper caste domination.
  • Its Leadership came from Backward classes.
  • Aim: Social Services – Spread education among women and lower caste.
  • Objectives:
    • Eradication of untouchability and Socio-Economic Inequalities.
  • Phule’s Work:
    • Against Sanskrit Hinduism.
    • Gender equality and Women’s education & empowerment.
    • Pioneer of widow remarriage movement.
  • He along with his wife Savitribai Phule opened:
    • 1st Girls School in Poona.
    • School for Untouchable children.
    • Home for Pregnant Brahmin widows.
  • Title: Given title “Mahatma” by Vithalrao Krishnaji Vandekar.
  • Works of Phule:
    • Gulamgiri
    • Sarvajanik Satyadharma
    • Tritiya Ratna
    • Shetkarayache Aasuad (Cultivator’s Whipcord)
    • “Satya Sodh”.

Ramakrishna Movement

  • By: Ramkrishna Paramhans (1836–1886) [Original Name: Gadadhar Chattopadhyay].
  • 2 Aims:
    1. Send monks as teachers outside to spread message of Vedanta.
    2. Philanthropic and charitable works, looking upon all men & women as manifestation of Divine, irrespective of his caste or creed.
  • Sought Salvation through traditional ways of Renunciation, Meditation and Bhakti.
  • Believes in fundamental oneness of all Religions – “Krishna, Ram, Allah, Christ are diff. names for same God”.
  • There are many ways to God and Salvation – “As many faiths; So many paths“.
  • Philosophy: “As Man is embodiment of God”, for him, “Service to man is the Service to God“.
  • His wife: Sarada Devi (Holy Mother).
  • He est.: Ramakrishna Math (Belur, Calcutta).
  • His disciple: Vivekananda.

Swami Vivekananda

  • Original Name: Narendranath Datta (1862–1902). Known as the “Young Sanyasi”.
  • Vivekananda was the disciple of Ramkrishna Paramhans -> Thus subscribed to Vedanta, which he considered a fully Rational System.
  • Ideology: His ideological position is in line with the Composite Culture & Syncretic trends of India. He believed in fundamental oneness of God.
  • Quote: “For our motherland, a junction of 2 great Systems, Hinduism & Islam, is the only hope”.
  • Preached: Neo-Hinduism.
  • Vivekananda Criticised:
    • Isolationist tendencies and “Don’t Touch me Not” attitude of Hinduism.
    • Caste system, orthodox Rituals, Superstitions.
    • Religion’s tacit approval for oppression of poor by Rich.

Based on the handwritten notes in the source, here is the transcription of page 19:

Vivekananda’s Teachings

  • 1) Teaching Religion to a starving man is the insult to God and Humanity.
  • 2) 2 Kinds of knowledge needed:
    • Secular Knowledge: How to work for economic upliftment.
    • Spiritual Knowledge: To strengthen moral sense.
  • 3) Leave “Don’t touch me” attitude and imbibe the Spirit of liberty, equality and free thinking.
  • 4) In Religious Parliament, Chicago, He called for a ‘Healthy balance b/w Spiritualism & Materialism‘.
    • A blend of materialism of west and Spiritualism of east can produce happiness for mankind.
  • 5) “Doctrine of Service” — Service of all being $\rightarrow$ Service of Jiva is the service of Shiva.
  • He also supported the use of Tech and Modern Science in Service of humanity.

Ramakrishna Mission (1897) — Belur (WB)

  • Open to all w/o any discrimination of caste, creed etc.
  • To propagate Doctrine of Service, he est. Recog. Supreme imp of God.
  • Humanitarian Relief and Social Works: Schools, hospitals, Disaster Relief etc.
  • Not consider itself to be a sect of Hinduism.
  • Recognise imp of Image worship But in the essential spirit, Not symbols or Rituals.
  • Vivekananda’s ultimate mission was to — Bridge the gulf b/w paramartha (Service) and vyavahara (Behaviour), and b/w Spirituality & D-2-D (Day-to-Day) life.

Quotes and Further Teachings (Right Column)

  • “So long as the millions live in hunger and ignorance, I hold everyman a traitor who, having been educated at their expense, pays not the least heed to them”.
  • “Isolation from the rest of the world is the cause of our Degeneration and its only remedy is getting Back into the current of rest of the world. Motion is the Sign of life”.
  • A Country where millions have nothing to eat and where few thousand holy men suck the blood of poors and do nothing at all for them, is not a country But a living hell.
  • Forget not that the lower classes, the ignorant, the poor, the illiterate are thy flesh and Blood, thy brothers.
  • Vivekananda: “Liberty in thought & action is the only condition of life, growth and well being: where it does not exist, the man, the race, and the Nation must go down”.

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