My great-grandfather Govindrao Shetiba Phule had two brothers. Ranoji was his elder brother’s name, while his middle brother’s name was Krishnarao. The Peshwas bestowed a gift of 45 acres of land near Swargate in Pune to these brothers upon being impressed by the fulfilment of the commissions of flower mattresses and other floral goods to the Royal court. The revenue receipt was made in Ranoji’s name as he was the eldest of the three brothers. My great-grandfather was around sixteen to seventeen years old at the time. Shetiba’s maternal uncle, Zagade, was a fairly rich man, and the three brothers used to live with him. After Shetiba passed away, Zagade Mama looked after these three brothers. My great-grandfather, Krishnarao, was young and naive. Ranoji and his family started sowing seeds of discord about Krishnarao and Gopalrao in Zagade Mama’s mind, eventually driving them out of the house while keeping the prized land received from the Peshwas for themselves. Zagade Mama eventually passed away. Ranoji even managed to usurp the house in Sadashiv Peth and the money left behind by Zagade. As mentioned above, Ranoji had already kicked the two brothers out of the house, leaving them in ruins, to prevent them from asking for their fair share of the land or money that belonged to all three of them.
When my great-grandfather Govindrao Phule came of age, he sided with Krishnarao to sue Ranoji for their fair share. However, since the grant for prized land from the Peshwas was in Ranoji’s name, the English Court ruled that the land in Swargate should remain with Ranoji. The two young brothers got their share in the ancestral land in Khanwadi and Shetiba’s residence but not in Zagade’s residence. The two brothers remained enraged with Ranoji throughout their lives for their share in the Swargate land, to no avail. They also beat up Ranoji many times, thus starting the family feud in our Phule family from that day onwards, which has now lasted for generations.
Mahadba Phule, his children and Baburao Phule are the descendants of Ranoji Phule; hence, by lineage, they still hold possession over the Swargate land and the house obtained from Zagade. The place where Baburao Phule currently lives in Sadashiv Peth belongs to Zagade Ajoba. Krishnarao Phule’s descendants currently live in Pune. His and Govindrao Phule’s descendants follow the rites and rituals and other consanguineal formalities; however, due to the grudge against Ranoji, his descendants aren’t counted as family members, so we don’t follow sutak (post death code of conduct and rituals) for them anymore. And since Baburao Phule called Jotirao Phule a Christian, not only were the Phules furious , but the Mali caste community socially boycotted him as well.
Anyway, setting aside our ancestral quarrel, let me tell you more about our current state of affairs. My great-grandfather Govindrao had two sons — the elder one named Rajaram and the younger Jotiba. Rajaram Bhau’s son, Ganpatrao Phule, was my father. I have known Jotiba and my grandfather Rajaram Bhau very closely. Among them, Rajaram Bhau passed away while in Mumbai when I was about seven or eight years old, but Jotiba Phule passed away when I was twenty years old. Rajaram and Jotirao’s mother passed away when they were young. So Govindrao, their father, married another woman (a Gandharva marriage) and renamed her Chimabai. Fearing that the two boys might not look after their stepmother after his death, Govindrao gave Chimabai Rs. 5,000 along with two houses, one in Kasba Peth and the other in Shukrawar Peth. Later, Govindrao died and the old lady sold the two houses. That lady would make ends meet by selling garlands but would not spend a penny from her inheritance. Chimabai passed away when I was about thirteen years old. Jotirao inherited all of Chimabai’s money. Jotirao spent this inheritance on a metal cast shop and bought a sugarcane field in Manjari while Chimabai was still alive. Chimabai often said, “Jotiba had lost his mind in his youth. He hated the sahebs. Once, when I was going to our field from Swargate, along with Rajaram and Jotiba, we came across ten or twelve British soldiers. One of them happened to touch the bread basket I was carrying. This made Jotiba furious, and he beat up that soldier with sugarcane. The soldiers ran away out of fear.”
Jotirao and my grandfather shared a great camaraderie. I spent many days with Yashvant at Jotirao’s house because our homes were next to each other. His (Jotirao’s) presence commanded a lot of respect in our mohalla. Should there arise a bone of contention in the mohalla, people would come to Jotiba for justice. Jotirao would berate the wrongdoers in the mohalla. However, out of fear that someone might poison him, Jotirao would never eat at others’ homes.
During the times, he had a place of respect in the Mali caste’s caste panchayats. Many times, the heads of these panchayats had gathered at Jotiba’s house in order to dismantle the caste panchayats. Anyone who wished to be a part of Satya Samaj would be asked by Jotirao to lift the plate of Belbhandar and take an oath. Jotiba had painted a crimson sign on his bungalow with the words ‘Satyamev Jayate’ written in gold. If anyone wished to be wed on their own (accord) in the Satyashodhak Samaj’s way (without the presence of a priest) Jotirao would happily take his people along to attend the wedding. However, if a priest were to officiate a relative’s ceremony and invited Jotirao, he would be furious.
A total of thirty-five children had been left at Jotirao’s orphanage, but they would all eventually die at the age of two or four or six. A four-wheeler was available for these children, which would be driven around by a servant in the mohalla. None of these children survived except Yashvant. He was a close friend of mine. He was very kind and wise. We used to study together. Yashvant was the son of a widowed Brahmin named Kashibai, who was from Kalyan. The children of Jotirao’s wealthy friends in Mumbai would miss school and roam about on the Chowpatty. So, their fathers sent them to study under the aegis of Jotirao in Pune. As the number of children increased, Jotirao created a big boarding house next to his home. There were 25-30 children residing in it.
When Jotirao was paralysed, he closed the boarding house and sent those children to [Krishnarao] Bhalekar.[1]Bhalekar also ran a boarding house for school-going children in Pune. Jotirao maintained rigorous discipline for all the children in that boarding school. Yashvantrao and I were in the boarding too. Jotirao used to wake us up at five in the morning every day. We completed our morning ablutions and got to our studies as soon as we woke up. Every day at nine o’clock sharp all the children bathed with hot water and had lunch. Every Sunday, all the children had a sweet along with their meal. Dr. Lad’s son from Thane and the children from Kalyan were also with us in this boarding school. For the well-off, the expenses were eight rupees per month, while those from lower economic backgrounds were looked after by Jotirao, who bore their costs himself. He provided them with books, paper and clothes. Mahatma Jotirao had a strict rule that everyone should go to bed by 9 pm after studying from seven to nine at night. He used to wake up at five at dawn. Back then, I hated the strict rules and carried a lot of anger in my heart regarding them. But Jotirao would say, “I give you sweets every week. If you want to feed sweets to your family members, you must study now. If you hold a grudge against me because of my strict rules, you won’t be able to study and progress in life. The educated people will sell you off like cattle, like they did with the Negroes of America.“
Jotirao printed the book Shetkaryacha Asud and presented it to Maharaja Sayajirao of Baroda. Mahadba Phule mortgaged his house for which Jotirao paid him Rs. 50. However, after the death of Doctor Yashvantrao, Mahadba tricked and usurped the house back from Yashvantrao’s widow for free. Jotirao got me a scholarship of Rs. 15 per month from Sayaji Maharaj. I had the scholarship for three years — third, fourth and fifth standard of English school.
Jotirao used to go for a walk at five in the morning with a big long stick. He used to wake up at four in the morning. He cried a lot after Chimnabai passed away. No one had the courage to offer consolation to the grief-stricken Jotirao. He cremated Chimnabai in Lal Bagh with fragrant jasmine wood, and on the thirteenth day, Jotirao distributed food, clothes and books to poor Mahar children. Without inviting a priest, Jotirao performed herdashakriya (post-funeral rites) himself.
When we came home from school at five in the evening, we would practise Farigadaga Patta together. Jotirao used to train us. He would scold us if one did not perform well. The children from our alley would play together with the children of Mahars and Mangs. These games were held regularly every evening. Jotirao had deliberately employed a tonsured widow on a high salary to clean the utensils in this boarding school. Seeing her, the Brahmins would be upset. Everyone would address Jotirao as Tatya, and his wife, Savitribai, was called Kaku. An oil lamp was lit beside Jotirao’s bed daily. He had an obsession to learn Sanskrit in his old age. He deliberately made us study Sanskrit in school, and he would study Sanskrit with us. His understanding of the language was far better than ours. A Brahmin gentleman named Pathak Teacher used to come every morning at seven o’clock to teach Sanskrit to Yashvant and me. At that time, Jotirao used to read Sanskrit books regularly. If he did not understand something, he would ask Pathak Teacher to explain the sentence. Jotirao paid Pathak Teacher Rs. 10 per month as a salary. He used to teach us for one hour every day.
At Jotirao’s residence, Dr. Moropant Walvekar, Vishram Ramji Ghole, Amjad Jamadar’s grandson Hasan Khan and my father used to get together every four or eight days and happily take turns practising shooting. They would shoot bullets from Jotirao’s house to hit the target on the platform next to mine. My father told me that Jotirao had two guns in his house. He also had a sword in the house.
In the final two or three years of his life, Jotirao kept ill. Yet, he continued writing with his left hand. He would never sit idle and continued to work despite his worsening health. He would recount funny anecdotes from his childhood, and when us young ones started laughing, he would join in the laughter too.
If one of us boys played well or passed an exam with flying colours, he would gather all the children and give him a pat on his back. On the night Jotirao died, none of us thought that he would pass away on that particular night. As usual, he had porridge for dinner and was talking with everyone. However, he had not stepped outside the house for three consecutive days. He had stopped eating his regular meals of chapatis for lunch in the afternoon and rice at night for the last three days. He was ridden with weakness for three days, and it looked like he knew what would happen, but everyone in the house was suspicious of the future because Jotirao had changed his diet.
Before the last two days, he had sent a wire to call his friends from Pune and outside for a visit. From the 24th, large congregations in Pune started coming to see him. On the 25th, at one o’clock in the afternoon, his friends from Mumbai such as N. R. Lokhande, Ramayya, Moropant Walvekar and 15-20 other people from Mumbai came to see him. Thane’s Dr. Lad also accompanied them. When the group arrived, Kaku arranged for their meals. After the meals, Jotirao asked the gathering to call Dr. Vishram Ghole, Pandit Dhondiram, Sasane, and others to join them.
At 4.30 in the afternoon, when a large crowd had gathered, Jotirao, referring to Savitribai and Yashvant said, “Friends, now you take care of them, this is our final meeting. I have been clinging to the bed for two days, and I don’t trust myself to be your companion for any more days. In the last two to four days, I feel weaker than before. That is why I have invited you to meet me.”
As soon as everyone heard the above words, they were struck with grief and their eyes welled up. No one could utter a word due to grief. Jotirao continued, “You don’t want us to be separated, but Death spares no one. One should face death with courage till the very end. This is the world of death. All the nobles have passed through it. That’s the path all of us must tread, you all are wise about it. I am glad you all visited me in my final moments. My only regret is that I could not witness the progress of our backward classes as I had envisioned. Had our efforts seen any success, I would have embraced death with a smile. But not a lot has transpired yet. It seems like it will take a long time. Our efforts have not been enough. Time is helpless in front of it. Success depends on effort. Since the task set before us is as tenacious as climbing a mountain, it requires great effort. Who else will complete my unfulfilled intentions except you all? I have dutifully birthed it and nurtured it, and I leave the rest to you. I am grateful to you for all your help. However, I have not called you today for a quick meeting but to entrust you with the total responsibility of completing my incomplete work. Seeing your growing belief in the Satya Dharma, in God, and to the needy, and your eagerness to carry forward the work of the Satyashodhak Samaj, which I have established, I feel no qualms about sacrificing my body. You have no reason to be sad. Even if it appears like I am leaving you today, my soul will remain with you, and I will try my best to help you in your good deeds. Death will take me, but I will revolt against it to stay here. After I am gone, be faithful in the service of the Satyashodhak Samaj and stay loyal to your integrity. God will not rest till he helps you, because Truth stands behind you all. Don’t abandon Truth, so that the Almighty will not desert you. But remember that when you follow the Truth, you will face more hurdles than before, but do not leave behind the Truth right up to the end of your life; that is your salvation.”
After conversing with the gatherings, Jotirao said his goodbyes and asked them to go home for the time being. No one had hoped to see an improvement in Jotirao’s condition. However, no one thought that he would pass away that very day. He was just a little sick, so most of them went back to their homes. Dr. Lad, Ramayya, and others left for Mumbai in the evening. Raosaheb Lokhande and one or two other gentlemen remained. Lokhande planned to go to his father-in-law’s place in Junnar taluka the next day, so he stayed the night. That day at 8 o’clock, Otur’s Bhau Balaji Patil came with five leaders from Junnar taluka. They stayed with us for the night as well.
Tonight, however, Jotirao did not eat his meals in the evening. He said he was not hungry, so we gave him milk. Because he did not eat in the evening, everyone was on the edge with worry. He didn’t speak as he usually did with anyone. At eight o’clock in the night, he asked all of us to go to sleep. But we could not sleep immediately because we were yet to finish our household chores. After finishing the work, everyone would have gone to sleep. But like every day, Jotirao did not go to sleep at nine. and was instead looking at us as we finished our work around the house. He got reluctant with his words, and wasn’t sleeping either; hence, we could not sleep either. The clock turned ten, then eleven, but he was wide awake. Aajibai (Savitribai) asked him to go to sleep, but he said nothing. Aajibai, myself, Yashvant, Bhau Patil, and others were also wide awake. Jotirao had spoken a little with Patil around eight o’clock, but he didn’t respond much. At one at night, no one knew what was going on in his mind. He took Aajibai’s hand in his own, as she sat next to his pillow, and asked, “Do you want to say anything?” Hearing that, we lost our last hope. A mountain of grief befell her; speechless; she was choked, and her eyes were filled with tears. Looking at Yashvant, he asked, “Is this your mother?” Yashvant began crying and said, “Yes. Have I known any other mother?” Jotirao’s face lit up slightly with happiness upon hearing that. With great sadness in her voice, Aajibai asked, “Who do I have left in my life now?” To which Jotirao replied, “Isn’t Yashvant yours? Don’t you trust him?” She became quiet after that.
Later, we heard him say, “Deva!” before he turned to us and asked us to chant God’s name. He closed his eyes after that. A while later, when he opened them again, we were on our second bhajan, but he did not utter a word. Maybe he had lost his voice by then. He simply looked at Savitribai and pointed his fingers to his eyes, gesturing for her not to cry. That was the end. Those gestures were his last words to us. At 2 am, he began making a strenuous sound, which continued for about ten minutes, then that too stopped. He closed his eyes for a minute or two and then opened them again for a couple of seconds, then closed them again. He did this two or three times. Then he heaved a small sigh, and with that, his soul departed from this world. At that time, the big clock in our living room read exactly 2:20 am.
The news spread quickly in the alley. Neighbours gathered immediately. Gradually, everyone from the surrounding areas started coming. People from the neighbouring Maharwada and Mangwada started coming to Jotirao’s house, wailing loudly. By 5 am, the open space in front of our house was packed to the brim. A messenger was sent to Hadapsar, Zagdaychi Wadi, Manjari, Wanwadi, Ghorpadi, Khadki, etc. People began pouring in as soon as they heard the news. Jotirao had built a samadhi (final resting place) for himself within the bungalow’s premises. He had instructed everyone to bury him in that very place and not to let Mahadba Phule and any of his family touch his body. Mahadba Phule had lifted the Belbhandar and taken Satyashodhak oath, but he later broke his oath and began consulting with Brahmins. Jotirao had strictly instructed not to allow such a traitor to touch him. The whole thing was a mess.
When Jotirao had begun making strenuous sounds, Bhau Pail had gone to Dr. Vishram’s house to summon him. Dr. Vishram lived in Budhwar Peth, and like his everyday duty, he had given the medicine to Jotirao at 10 am on the 28th (November 1890). He had returned with everyone in the afternoon and left after checking up on Jotirao. He, too, hadn’t anticipated that Jotirao would pass away today. It took him and Bhau Patil half an hour to reach Jotirao’s residence, but Jotirao wasn’t any more, was he? Dr. Vishram was disappointed; he shed a couple of tears while taking a final look at Jotirao. He then began preparing for Jotirao’s tirdi (a bamboo stand to support a corpse before cremation or burial ).
Dr. Vishram was insistent on Jotirao’s wish to be buried, but the Collector refused Dr. Vishram’s request to honour Jotirao’s wishes. Around the same time, Mahadba Phule started asserting his right to be the pallbearer of Jotirao’s tirdi, claiming that he was Jotirao’s nephew and had every right to do so. However, Dr. Vishram, Lokhande, and Bhau Patil refused to accept this nonsense. Finally, Dr. Vishram called the police and forced Mahadba Phule out of there. I was unmarried, and my father was not in Pune then, as he worked as an Overseer in Adgaon. We were not allowed to be the pallbearers as tradition demanded that unmarried men cannot hold atirdi.
At around 11 am, the funeral procession started. Handing the tirdi over to Aajibai, we walked hand in hand with her on both sides. There were about one or two thousand people for the funeral procession. There was chaos all over Pune. Mahar and Mangs were crying aloud, inconsolably. The funeral pyre was lit precisely at 1 pm. Later, I performed the last rites of Dashakriya and Terava (post-funeral rites performed on the 10th and 13th day after a person’s demise according to the Hindu faith). At that time, the money Jotirao had kept aside for the poor was distributed among them. Students were extended help. On the third day, we put Jotirao’s ashes in a palanquin and carried them home in a procession with a lot of pomp and flair, which included dandapatta and lezim. We buried his ashes in the place of the Samadhi.
Jotirao was a staunch Hindu social reformer. He just didn’t want Brahmin domination in society. Hence, it is disheartening to see when Baburao Phule, who is more than seven generations apart from us and our Phule family, bad-mouths Jotirao. Baburao is a massive stain on the Phule family. People only got to know this beast after he began slandering Jotirao. He is a petty man who does not deserve to be a part of our family. I had to make this detailed disclosure so that you know that Baburao is clinging to Jotirao’s feet now because of his ulterior motives.
(Gajananrao Ganpatrao Phule’s memory has been translated by Shalaka Nalawade, edited by Ninad Pawar and Rucha Satoor, and peer-reviewed by Suraj Thube.)
Notes
| ↑1 | Bhalekar also ran a boarding house for school-going children in Pune. |
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