The Phule We Remember: As remembered by Gyanoba Krushnaji Sasane
Jotirao Phule and his stepmother Chimnabai would often recount that Jotirao was born on the day the Shaniwar Wada was set ablaze in Pune (1827 CE). After doing extensive work in Pune, he established the Satyashodhak Samaj in the year 1873. I was present for the Inaugural Day meeting of the Samaj. Thereafter, when he took charge of the contract of building the Yerwada bridge and the dam on the Mula-Mutha, I worked as a mason under Tatya. He earned a plentiful profit for that work. Jotirao was called Tatya by everyone around him. We shared an amicable, homely relationship because I was the son of Tatya’s maternal cousin. He was, in fact, the one who educated me.
Following Tatya’s instructions, I had started two schools in Hadapsar — one for children, and the other for adults. Tatya would be perpetually fighting for the education and preparation of the children of the Maratha, Mali, Mahar, Mang and other non-Brahmin castes.
He gave speeches in public rallies. His messages were quite well-received. His language would be sharply insinuating, easy to understand and lucid. In 1884, I accompanied him to Junnar, Bhimashankar and the regions of Thane and Konkan. At the time, a huge rally was held in Junnar and such kinds of rallies also took place in villages and hamlets. While Tatya would address people, I would also give small speeches here and there once in a while. We toured for almost two months. That was the time when people had launched a boycott against Brahmins and Savkars (moneylenders).
Once, Tatya had accompanied the Telugu folks from Mumbai to the Telugu-speaking provinces. There, his speeches were simultaneously translated into Telugu by Ramaiyya for the attendees. This incident took place in the year 1881. When Dayanand Saraswati visited Pune, there was a procession for him. Tatya had sent me along with Lahuji Mang’s son and other folks to accompany the procession as a safeguard against possible physical confrontations. Satara’s Maharaj Shahaji Bhonsle was the Secretary of the Brahmo Samaj. On his visits to Pune, he would stay with Tatya. Tatya’s speeches also took place in Cantonments.
He had bought a farm in Manjari and was the first person to deploy irrigated water for planting an orchard. The survey number of the field was — .[1]Here the writer hasn’t mentioned a number, but from Mr. Thosar’s memory, it could be Survey no. 114. — Marathi Editor This land was approximately 75 acres. Because no one was willing to use irrigated water, Tatya was the first one to use it (in his own fields). He installed a 17 1/2 inch pipeline adjacent to his field. Till date, this pipeline is known as ‘Phulyanchi Nali’. Tatya was the first person to sow sweet limes, potatoes, cabbages, oranges and even sugarcane; and the harvest was plentiful too. Tatya would travel by a horse-drawn carriage every morning, passing through Hadapsar on the way to his farm. I would accompany him from time to time.
He would don a white cotton dhotar, white pagota (a head scarf typical to non-Brahmin communities), a full-bodied angarkha (men’s overcoat), and a white uparna (shawl), all bought from the local Momin (Muslim tailor) in Ganj Peth. In his hands, would be a large cane. His physique was exceptionally well-built. Dishonesty would irk him to no end. Our neighbour, Raosaheb Ganpat Kale, was his clerk.
Mr. Walvekar, at the insistence of Savitribai, had started a periodical called ‘Gruhini’. Sitting in the hut at the Manjari farm, Tatya had written an essay.[2]The writer hasn’t mentioned a name. This essay could possibly be Shetkaryache Asud. — Marathi Editor He had sent its English translated copy overseas through the hands of Lord Dufferin to the Queen of England.
During the construction of the Khadakwasla Dam and Yerwada Bridge, Tatya started a night school for the labourers. Around 2,000 labourers would report to the site under Tatya almost everyday. In the year 1883, Collector Mr. Muir saheb insisted on nominating Tatya in the Poona Municipal Committee, but Tatya was not in its favour.
Tatya had fostered children of tonsured Brahmin widows. Out of those, only Yashvantrao survived. No one was ready to give their daughter’s hand in marriage to him, but following Tatya’s orders I gave my daughter in marriage to him. Yashvant’s mother’s name was Gangubai. She lived in Thane. She had this boy when she was a widow and took licentious steps. Dr. Lad from Thane brought him to Jotirao when he was merely a baby: Yashvant was about fifteen or sixteen days old at the time. When he grew up, Jotirao gave him an education of the finest kind, and also his estate. Because I married my daughter off to Yashvant, people (in my community) ostracised me.
Tatya was proficient in English. I have in my possession an English letter written by him.
Tatyasaheb passed away in 1890. I went to his funeral procession. A huge commotion took place when we had to lift his corpse. Tatya’s brother Mahadba Phule insisted that they would lift his body upon their shoulders, and they would light the funeral pyre. But Tatya had instructed everyone before his death to ensure that they (his relatives) don’t get the chance to do that. Hence, Dr. Vishram (Ghole) called upon the police to banish Mahadba and then we, on the date of 29th November 1890, afternoon 12.30pm, lit Tatya’s funeral pyre. We held a congregation there. Ten to fifteen thousand people had gathered for the funeral procession.
After Tatya’s passing away, Yashvantrao successfully passed his medical examinations and served in the Army. In the year 1901, he was posted to China for the war. He was a doctor with the 128th Pioneer Battalion. In 1898-99, he travelled to Quetta (Afghanistan) for the war. Hawaldar Sadhu Dhondi Jamdade, Belsar (Khanwadi), was his friend. He was in Afghanistan for two years. Upon his return from China to Pune, he died in the First Plague, and immediately after, Savitribai passed away too.
Shrimant Sayajirao Gaekwad was Tatya’s disciple. When I accompanied Tatya to Lonavala it became apparent to me how much Sayajirao Maharaj respected Jotirao. He would conduct his social reforms in consultation with Jotirao. Even when this was true, some of his relatives would wickedly state, “These days, he has taken to/ grown fond of Christian opinions….” with prejudiced brotherly malaise in their hearts. In all honesty, Tatya was a radical Hindu social reformer. He never converted his religion. But he was a staunch critic of Brahmanical oppression. Babaji Ranu Phule was Tatya’s paternal cousin; he was insistent that Tatya adopt his son. But Tatya never did so. Perhaps that is why he held hatred for Tatya in his heart, and quit the Satyashodhak Samaj. Tatya was infuriated with Babaji. Tatya had helped Babaji financially quite often. But alas, things between them turned quite sour. So be it.
The moment Shrimant Sayajirao of Baroda learnt of Tatya’s demise, he sent a huge sum of money to my aunt. It was deposited in a bank. Kaku and Yashvant’s days passed by with the help of the interest on this amount. Eventually, Yashwant started receiving a decent salary. But unfortunately, he passed away too soon. Kaku was a lot more affectionate and sweeter than Tatya, I found her to be as respectable as a mother (figure). So be it. I remember some memories of Tatya’s greatness, I am writing those in the form of memories.
First Memory
Once when I visited Tatya’s farm, I told him, “Tatya, it would be great fun if you built a bungalow on this farm.” That’s when Tatya pointed towards a straw hut and said, “Look, that’s the bungalow (I have) built. For the farmer Bali Raja, a straw hut is nothing short of a bungalow.[3]Gail Omvedt writes that Bali Raja was a key symbol for Phule, representing an ideal Shudra king who was seen as benevolent and just by the masses. Here, the wind flows freely, it shelters one from the sun, wind and rain as well. Then of what use is a bungalow?” saying thus, he shut me up.
Second Memory
Queen Victoria’s son, the Duke of Connaught, was an officer in the Army. On his visit to Pune, Hari Raoji Chiplunkar threw a feast for him. Tatya had an invite for this feast. On the day, Tatya donned a turban with several knots, draped a ghongadi (shepherd’s blanket) on his shoulder, wore a short dhotar, which came up to his knees, and tied a sickle around his waist. On his feet, he wore a joda which was torn in seventeen-odd places and which was tied by a thread to his feet. Since he arrived a little late to the occasion, the soldiers on guard duty refused to let him in, but Hari Raoji, upon learning of this, came outside to receive Tatya, and seated him in the chair next to Duke saheb. Upon seeing this unusual respect for this boorish person, the Saheb was amused. When the feast came to an end, Hari Raoji entrusted Tatya with the vote of thanks. That’s when Tatya said, “If I speak, I will take a good half an hour and the Saheb probably doesn’t have the leisure of that time, hence I choose not to speak at all.” When the Duke enquired about the muffled buzzing, Hari Raoji told him everything. Wondering what this country bumpkin would say, the Saheb stated with amusement, “I will, indeed, wait for half an hour. Let him speak.” Looking at Saheb’s interest, Tatya read aloud the essay Shetkaryache Asud, periodically translating it in English. The gist was thus:
“..the White Officers were unable to understand the language of the farmers, and the farmers too were unable to understand the language of the Sahebs, ultimately, leading to the government being in the dark about the real troubles of the rayat (peasant subjects). Hence, a farmer’s grievance would not be addressed unless a Brahmin clerk was bribed; if one refused to bribe, they (the Brahmins) would state unfavourable things about the farmer and bring about harsh punishment at the hands of the officers. Hence, it is pertinent that education be widely publicised amongst the masses, but this Sarkar refused to do so. The Sahebs derive their understanding of the people of the land based on the people they meet on an everyday basis. But this understanding is flawed as these people do not represent the entire citizenry of this country. The real citizens reside in the countryside, and today, the tattered costume I wear is their everyday condition. Twenty crores of people live in the villages, struggling; their villages neither have a school, nor roads, nor post offices. Please convey everything I have said to the Queen and let her know that in Pune, on the occasion of a feast thrown in my honour, I met an uncouth farmer, and there are twenty crore who are not unlike him. The barbaric gentleman has spoken thus, that the Queen should begin compulsory education in Hindustan at once. This is an urgent appeal to the Rani Bai on behalf of a farmer. Do convey it to her.”
After Tatya’s appeal, the Saheb thanked Tatya for his speech, and promised to relay this information to the Queen herself.
Third Memory
One morning, when I accompanied Tatya to the farm, the buffalo herders, the bricklayers and other workers had halted their work, and were seated for their meal. Tatya took it upon himself to start herding the buffaloes, as he asked me to hold onto the water bucket. While herding the buffaloes, Tatya started singing aloud. All of us burst into laughter. Seeing us laugh, Tatya responded,
“What are you all laughing at? I am a farmer to my very bones! As a child, while herding buffaloes to draw water, I would sing. Singing is the only entertainment for a farmer. Where do they have the luxury of time to sing with a tabla and tamboora, like the white-collared man? As he works, he amuses himself by singing so.”
Fourth Memory
During the Great Famine of 1877, I had gone for lunch to Tatya’s house. Tatya had undertaken the work of extracting boulders from the quarry at Gorhe during that time. I was in-charge of overseeing the labourers. Out of those labourers, I had brought along one boy for some work to Pune. I had asked him to sit outside, and keep an eye on my ghongadi and chappals. Tatya wasn’t aware of this. As I started eating, I shouted aloud to the boy, “Keep a close watch on those ghongadi and chappals.” That’s when Tatya came to know that there was someone outside. Immediately, he went outside and asked the boy whether he had had lunch. The moment he replied in the negative, Tatya was heartbroken. Annoyed with me, he brought the boy in. We lived in the times of a drought, and hence, I hadn’t invited him for a meal, but Tatya couldn’t accept that excuse. He asked Savitribai to serve a plate for him and started eating only after the boy had. “You have got only one bhakar for yourself. You should have given him a part, and kept the rest for yourself, but how did you sit for your meal while that boy was starving?” So on and so forth. He scolded me quite a bit. In the times of a drought, the children of the poor starve; realising this, Tatya took Shivappa and Ramshet Ukhane’s help to serve a thousand bhakars a day for children, the disabled and the blind in Dhankawadi, right up to the end of the famine.
Fifth Memory
While constructing the dam on the Mula-Mutha river, Tatya would arrive seated in a horse-drawn carriage. Once, while helping a labourer hoist a boulder on his head, the boulder landed on his feet and crushed his toes. When I and others urged him to go to a clinic in his carriage, he replied, “I am a farmer — why do we need a clinic? Who takes note of us there anyway? This soil is the ointment for a farmer and worker’s wounds. If it’s a big one, then it’s turmeric and maybe rubbing bibba could help. And, then, we move on!” Saying thus, he sprinkled some dry soil on his wound to arrest the flowing blood.
Sixth Memory
When the construction of the Yerwada bridge and the Mula-Mutha Dam was complete, Tatya threw three feasts for two to three thousand labourers. “The amount of sin one would accrue for feeding a parasite Brahmin, far surpasses the goodwill that one accrues while feeding a hard working labourer,” Tatya would often say.
The above-mentioned feast for the labourers included tempered, and spicy dal, rice, onion, bhakari and oil. On the day of the feast, when the labourers left from the worksite towards Tatya’s house, in front of them were playing a Mang’s duffri and a trumpet: the labourers arrived at Tatya’s house with great pomp and festivity. It was a joyful day. The Gopal Kala of Lord Krishna must’ve been surely less amusing than this day. I have written the above content as I remember it. Because of old age, I don’t remember much, so please print this. If I remember more I will let you know.
(Gyanoba Krushnaji Sasane’s memory has been translated by Rucha Satoor, edited by Ninad Pawar and Rucha Satoor, and peer-reviewed by Suraj Thube.)
Notes
| ↑1 | Here the writer hasn’t mentioned a number, but from Mr. Thosar’s memory, it could be Survey no. 114. — Marathi Editor |
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| ↑2 | The writer hasn’t mentioned a name. This essay could possibly be Shetkaryache Asud. — Marathi Editor |
| ↑3 | Gail Omvedt writes that Bali Raja was a key symbol for Phule, representing an ideal Shudra king who was seen as benevolent and just by the masses. |