A Forgotten Liberator by Braj Ranjan BaMani

Besides delineating the struggles of Phule in his effort to acquire an education and make it available to his wife, whom he married at the age of 13, Cynthia quotes from Phule?s writings to highlight how ?the highly restrictive caste structures of society subjugated the toiling castes and communities, exploiting their labour, ignorance and religious fervour?. Those were the days when someone born into a shudra community (as was Phule), as well as those who were left out of the caste system, the ati-shudras, were denied access to education. In the chapter ?The Stuff Legends Are Made Of?, independent researcher and writer Cynthia Stephens gives a background to Mahatma Phule?s life, enabling the reader to understand those times of brahmanical hegemony in Maharashtra. They have acknowledged the works of Marathi writers, especially M G Malli and Hari Narke, whose writings were the main source of information for this book. Must be commended for taking the first step towards addressing this lacuna. To celebrate her life and her contribution to society, Mountain Peak Publishers brought out a book in 2008 titled Born in the 19th century, Savitribai was a woman well ahead of her time. Foremost among them is Savitribai Phule whose name deserves to be etched in the annals of history. These were women who fought the good fight against patriarchy and other social evils in not-so-congenial times. But it must be remembered that women?s claims to equality today come on the back of the struggles of many who have gone before them.

A new book sketches her life and work Another International Women?s Day has gone by feting the women of the 21st century who have achieved, held their own and beaten all odds to claim their place in the sun. She, along with her husband Jotiba Phule, was a pioneer in the struggle against oppression of women, dalits, adivasis and religious minorities. By Melanie P Kumar Savitribai Phule?s name is not in the history books alongside the Rani of Jhansi and others.

A Forgotten Liberator by Braj Ranjan BaMani