Jyotirao Phule was a writer and social activist from Maharashtra. He worked tirelessly to remove many of the harmful customs and practices that plagued Indian society, including untouchability, the caste system and the subjugation of women.
Phule was born into a Mali caste family on April 1, 1827 and died on November 28, 1890. From a young age, he had an immense desire to contribute to society, firmly believing that education is necessary to uplift humanity.
He recognised the power of knowledge to overcome these challenges and devoted himself to promoting education for all.
Who was Jyotirao Phule?
Jyotirao Phule, also called Jyotirao Govindrao Phule, married Savitiribai Phule in 1840 when he was 13 and Savitiribai was 10. Savitiribai was also from Maharashtra and belonged to the Mali community.
After getting married, Jyotirao Phule and his wife decided to fight against social evils prevalent in the society. In 1848, Jyotirao Phule established the first education institution for women and also formed the Satyashodhak Samaj to fight for justice and rights of lower caste people.
He was against untouchability and worked towards eradicating it from society. Jyotirao Phule observed that people from lower castes were prohibited from entering the temple on the pretext that their shadow could pollute the temple's environment.
Phule was a social reformer who noticed several social evils prevalent in the society. He observed that people from lower castes were not allowed to eat with upper caste people and were subjected to many discriminatory practices.
He decided to take a stand and fight against such social injustices. Along with his wife, he worked towards several causes, including widow remarriage, prevention of child marriage and promotion of girls' education. They also established an infanticide prevention center to lower the rate of maternal deaths during childbirth.
