Madam Jaibai, a Dalit Educationist
(2May,1892 to 11Oct.-1964)
India is a country which was governed for centuries by Laws of Manu . Defining duties of woman towards her husband “ though he may be bereft of virtue, given to lust and totally devoid of good qualities, a good woman should always worship her husband like a god”. For community living and follow feeling among Hindu, enmity was made permanent. As Manu asked the householders of the Brahmans, and Kshtriyas , Vaishyas with regard to Shudras. “Let him not dwell in a country where the rulers are Shudras,”(Ref page 145 ,Chapter- 5 EMPOWERMENT OF chapter : iv dalit women and educational development . In Hindu Society, a woman faced triple curse of caste, class and gender. In the free India the country got freedom but majority ruling class observed and maintained old mentality of hating on religious lines. Manu divested woman all rights of independence Manusmiriti ( 5-147,148). Goswami Tulsidas in Ramachritamanasa equated a woman for treatment with a dhool ( musical instrument) , Gamwar (uncivilized, rustic ), a Sudra ( Low caste unsophisticated, out caste human) and a Pashu ( Sundra-Kanda 58-3) and a woman is impure by her very birth ( Aranaya Kanda 5-A) again the Tulsidas declares in(Aranaya Kanda 34-2) . Hidu society declared and treated a woman as dishonorable , shame full and dull headed. Ruth Manorama , Dalit social activist from Bangalore stated that in a male dominated society, “Dalit women face a triple burden of caste, class and gender
A great teacher of yesterday’s Madam Jai bai alias Jai Bai Chaudhary was a powerful revolutionary leader of the Dalit movement. Born in the Mahar community, she worked for the education of young Dalit girls so earned distinction of being the first Dalit woman principal of a school. She conceived and opened a girl’s school named the ‘Chokhamela Kanya Paathshalaa’ or Chokhamela Children’s School. Before Jai bai ever first Dalit woman educationist Mata Savitribai Phuley(1831 –1897) with the guidance and support of her husband Mahatama Jyotiba Phuley(1927- 1890) opened series of schools. They opened ever first school for girls including Dalits on 1st January 1848. With Mata Savitribai Phuley was Madam Fatima Sheikh the first Muslim teacher,who also laid foundation of Dali Muslim unity in mid Nineteenth Century (AD)
So Madam Jai bai carried forward education and social awakening work started by Savitribai Phule and Baba Saheb Ambedkar’s, tradition of knowledge production and dissemination.
The work and life sketch have remained buried under curse of lack of education in Dalit Samaj for too long. Her story of contributions and the story of her struggles with achievements have been published with the efforts of modern writers.
Jai Bai Chaudary was born on May 2, 1892, at Umred, 15 km from Nagpur in Maharashtra. Maharastra educationists has played a lead roll for education and social struggle of Dalit samaj Her parents worked as laborers and extremely poor . With the spread of famine of 1896 large scale deaths , employment erupted hardly leaving anything source of survival . Therefore her parents moved to Nagpur in search of employment. When she used to go out for fire wood collection with her girl friends, she saw an European lady teacher teaching children. A strong desire aroused in her mind for getting education. While passing by school she looked with curiosity. This was observed by European teacher Miss Gregory who asked Jaibai to join school. She while going to firrwood collection also started reading . When this came to know of her parents they took it ill. They gave her beating and even mixed read chillies in her bathing water to teach her a lesson ,so that she leaves going to school. However this punishment had a reverse effect on her and her desire for education increased. Miss Gregory contacted her parents and asked them to send their daughter to school promising her all help in her education. The kind hearted teached supported Jaibai in her education by providing her reading material like, books, papers, pencils and school clothing. By the time Jaibai attained age of 11 years she had passed 4th primary class. But now her parents married off Jaibai to Bapuji Chaudhury an illiterate, poor, unemployed but cruel person.
Now Jaibai in her tender age came mountain of misfortune, so her education came to halt. Miss Garogary again came to her help by advising Jaibai’s in laws to allow her education, but they will not agree as for them education was grate curse .In the society it was believed that woman education brings in course and misfortune. The golden hearted teacher even got her husband a service of Tonga (horse cart) driver. Jaibai’s in laws assigned her more and more household working so that she is left with no spare time. They also beat her. Under these pressing circumstances Jaibai left schooling and started working as coolie. She used to carry on her head load from Nagpur to Kaamti railway stations, a distance of 8-10 kilometers. After 4-5 years with the help of Miss Gregory Jaibai got teaching job in Missionary School at Timki , near Nagpur. She started getting a salary of Rupees four per month. Her joy was short lived when the upper caste upper caste students came to know that their teacher was Mahar by caste. The parents of upper caste students never wanted that an untouchable teacher, teach their wards. So they threatened to leave school if she is not dismissed. So Jaibai lost her job. However she did not lose heart and her spirits for education of Dalit girls besides upliftment of Dalit women.
Her losing job proved a turning point in Jai Bai’s life and she decided to take on the social evils of caste and untouchability head on. She was convinced that education is an important tool in being able to flight caste oppression. So she decided to spend her entire life educating the ‘untouchable’ children of her community to ensure they can live a life with dignity. She went from home to home, encouraging parents to send their children to school. Her efforts bore fruits and in 1922, she began a school under name and style as “Chokhamela Kanya Paathshaala”, after the name of 14th centuary Saint Chokhamela, a saint from the untouchable community. This school opening was tribute to Mata Savitribai Phuley after a quarter of century. The school was established in new colony Tuesday Bazaar( Mangalwari Bazaar) . Besides employed teachers she used to teach herself also. But the behavior of her in law family especially her husband became more tough. She had to carry whole household duties besides her school duties. Jaibai used to visit rural villages where she talked with rural women about importance of education, cleanliness, small families and resiting untouchability treatment to Dalits. The school started by Jaibai is continues to educate young girls even today. This school was Primary ( 192-1954) upgraded to Higher Secondary( 1954-1980) and now it has become a college. Jai Bai’s dedication to education also finds recognition in the world famous Dalit literary writer, Kaushalya Baisantri’s autobiography titled ‘Dohra Abhishaap’ (Doubled Curses). In it, she gives credit to Jai Bai for encouraging her to study, become a social activist and an independent personality.
She gave birth to three children from her wedlock. Her one son and one daughter only servived as her younger son died in fancy.
Jai Bai’s emphasis on the need to treat women and men equally was apparent in her 8-9 August,1930, address to the Akhil Bhartiya Dalit Congress’s first convention, while representing Dalit women, she said loud and clear, “Girls should be provided full opportunities for education, like boys. She was secretary to reception committee of this conference. This conference was presided by Baba Sahib Barat Ratana Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
Jai bai was invited to attend the Akhil Bhartiya Mahila Parishad held in December 1937. Despite sending her invitation but she was not give due respect. Since the Parsid was of upper caste women so, Jai bai was made to sit separately away from the dining area. Jai bai protested against this discriminatory behavior of upper caste women and held them accountable for it. Jai bai told to the Parishad women that they preach for unity among all Hindus, but give insulting treatment to sudras, which was against natural human rights. In India Mahatama Gandhi was then actively pleading against the curse of untouchability giving sky high assurances to Sudras that he will end untouchability or else die. The Indian National Congress Hindu leaders including Mahatama Gandhi who attended Round Table Conferences London ( Gandhi Ji attended only II RTC) opposed Dr. Ambedkar’s just claims that in India, his people Sudras ,faced worst treatment because of prevailing untouchability. Pt. Madan Mohan Malvia when refuted Dr. Ambedkar claims as false, Dr. Ambedkar offered a glass of water to Malvia, but later refused to take it. So Dr.Ambedkar’s point of caste discrimination with his people was proved correct in the house. This opened the eyes of British authorities about inhuman treatment to Depressed classes people, so issued Dual Voting Rights ( Communal Award) to untouchable in elections. Gandhi even torpedoed it by resorting to Fast till death, if Communal award was not nullified. So Poona Pact of 1932 was signed by Dr. Ambedkar under duress with Hindu leaders. But Hindu leaders including Pt. MM Malvia washed away pollution got during signing the pact where he might have touched Depressed caste people including Dr. Ambedkar, a Mahar by caste.
Jai bai organized strong protest against ill treatment to her in Akhil Bhartiya Mahila Parishad
Jai Bai along with thousands of Dalit women organized a meeting on January 1st, 1938, attended by scores of Dalit women where she discussed the same and they stood as one voice in opposition to caste-based discrimination against Dalit women by upper caste women. It was in this meeting that Ramabai established a ‘Mahila Sangh’ and this group also decided to start a night school for Dalit women. The moto of girl education was as education of a girl, the whole family becomes educated”.
In December of 1937, she was invited by the Akhil Bhartiya Mahila Parishad to attend their convention and during the same, she faced discrimination from the upper caste feminists running the program. She was made to sit far away from the dining area. To protest against this discriminatory behaviour and outright asterism and insult and to hold them accountable for it, Jai Bai along with thousands of Dalit women organized a meeting on January 1st, 1938, attended by scores of Dalit women where she discussed the same and they stood as one voice in opposition to caste-based discrimination against Dalit women by upper caste women. It was in this meeting that Ramabai established a ‘Mahila Sangh’ and this group also decided to start a night school for Dalit women.
Jaibai choudhari was a member of the reception committee of the All India Depressed Classes Women's conference held at Nagpur in 1942 where the Scheduled Caste Fedration was formed. Shri Rao Bahadur N. Shivraj (1892-1964)was elected as President and Shri P.N. Rajbhoj (1905-1984) General Secretary of the All India Scheduled Castes Federation. The conference was addressed by Dr. Ambedkar.The Samta Sainik Dal(Army of Soldiers for Equality) was formed by Dr.Ambedkar in 1828 under subedar V.D. Savadkar (1889-1939).Meeting of Samta Dal was also held on the same vanue. Samta Sainik Dal had a Dalit volunteer force of over 20, 000 . Madam Jaibai Choudhari a member of Scheduled Castes Federation participated in Satyagraha (1946) for political rights to Dalits at Nagpur. Being a staunch believer in Buddhism she got converted to Buddhism in 1956.
The dedicated work for Girl education carried by Madaam Jai bai shall remain a torch bearer for future generations. The Dalit women’s movement will remain forever indebted to the work and struggles of Jai Bai Chaudhury . She devoted her entire life to the cause of the community
India particularly Maharashtra now boasts of a strong Dalit women’s movement and its understanding of injustice and caste oppression. This is due to dedicated work of many Dalit women like Mata Savitribai Phuley , Jai bai, Dani Shantabai ( 1918-2000) etc, possessing strong wil power, commitment to Dalit women welfare, towards those who were kept out of schools for centuries . These angles imparted among masses the importance of educationwith the power to revolt against injustice. As long as there is injustice, oppression, illiteracy, we will continue to look up to Jai Bai and her struggles as a burning flame whose light will bring strength to our lives and struggles. Maharashtian educationist and Marathi writer Kusumvati Deshpande( 1904-61) was greatly impressed by the work of Jaibai Choudhary so she wrote her story book Moli ( Group of collected girls) making Jai bai’s life as theme of book. The book earned many appriciations.
Madam Jai bai, an iron lady breathed her last on 11th October,1964 at an age of 72 years. She shall be long remembered as torch bearer of Dalit education and preacher to revolt against oppression.
Dated: 14-8-2020 Words 2187
Source Material:-
1. Romanised Edition Sri Ramachritamanasa
2. Laws of Manu by Wendy Doniger with Brian K.Smith
3. Krantikari Mehlayan ( hindi) by S.S. Goutam( ISBN 978-80292-13-7)
4. https://www.forwardpress.in/2014/08/birth-of-dalit-womens-discourse/
WRITTEN BYdalithistorymonth
5. .(https://feminisminindia.com/2018/01/11/manusmriti
6 Dr. Ambedkar and His Associates By Er. H. R. Phonsa
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