The Feminist Philosophical Thoughts of Mahatma Phule: In the Special Context of Women’s Social Status

Abstract

“I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved.”-B.R.Ambedkar. It has been heard that a woman’s place is at home. She has no right over his mind, not even over his own body. Woman is sin itself? How much? Is women's only purpose in life to please men with her youth, looks, beauty and her labour in housework? Buddhism , Jainism or Bhaktitried to eradicate the poor situation of women in ancient and medieval India. During the British India period, various eminent persons like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar emphasized on women's education in India. Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, Periyar E.V Ramswamy and Babasaheb Dr. Ambedkar took initiative of the availability of women's education in India. This paper intends to focus on the problems faced by women over the years, their roles and the initiatives of some greatest activists. The study will help us to understand the thoughts and deeds of Mahatma Phule. Mahatma Phule fought all his life for women, to educate them and to give them equal opportunities. Jyotirao saw that a thousand teachers or masters could not mould a child more than an educated mother. In this small work I would like to focus on the philosophical aspect of his thought about women and will conclude with remarks on the contemporary relevance of Jyotiba Phule’s contribution to construct a society with equality by empowering women.