Contribution of Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj in the ideological tradition of Maharashtra

The history of Maharashtra is ancient. Maharashtra was ruled by many dynasties, the first of which was the rule of ‘Maurya’ dynasties. After this came the power of Satavahana, Vakataka, Chalukya, Rashtrakuta, Yadav, Tughlaq, Adilshahi, Nizamshahi, Varidshahi, Qutubshahi, Imamshahi etc. major families. Common people were exploited in many of these regimes. There used to be fights in the name of religion and caste. The seventeenth century came as a change. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj united all castes and religions at that time. He opposed the wrong practices of the society. Swarajya was established. Struggled against the oppressive power. Changes started over time. The background of ideological ideas started to be created.

By Dalit Dastak New

The Varkari sect proved to be a boon for Maharashtra. He awakened the society through enlightenment. All castes and religions were considered equal. Tried to destroy caste discrimination, untouchability. Tried to create equality. Taking inspiration from the saint, many people worked at that time. Currently doing as well. The result was a social revolution in the society.

The nineteenth century was important from the point of view of revolution. Because many social reformers, social organizations were formed. He opposed the customs, traditions, caste discrimination, untouchability, caste discrimination, superstition etc prevalent in the society. The modern revolution began. Didn’t just oppose, kept working continuously. It is for these reasons that at present Maharashtra is recognized as a progressive state. The ideological tradition of Maharashtra is ancient, starting with the thoughts of Tathagat Gautam Buddha. In modern times Jagannath Shankar Shet, Balshasri Jambhekar, Dadoba Pandurang, Gopal Hari Deshmukh, Bhau Daji Lad, Vishnu Bua Brahmachari, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, Vishnu Shastri, Savitribai Phule, Ra. Go. Bhandarkar, Justice Govind Ranade, Gopal Ganesh Agarkar, Dhondo Keshav Karve, Ramabai Ranade, Pandita Ramabai, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Vitthal Ramji Shinde, Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj, Lahuji Salve, Tarabai Bapuji Shinde, Bhaskar Rao Jadhav, Baba Padamji, Bhau Mahajan, Mukta Salve, Krishna Rao Bhalekar, Narayan Lokhande, Lakshmi Bai Tilak, Kashibai Kanitkar, Rakhmabai Raut, Anandi Bai Joshi, Vishnu Shastri Pandit etc. contributed. At present also many people are working by taking inspiration from him. Ideas are moving forward. We will throw light on the thoughts of prominent persons who contributed to the ideological tradition of Maharashtra.

Ideological tradition of Maharashtra

Exploitation of Bahujan Samaj in the name of religion used to happen yesterday, it happens even today and probably will happen in the coming times as well. There is some bad tradition in every religion. This leads to mental and physical exploitation of common people. Mahatma Jyotiba Phule raised his voice against exploitation at that time. He did not oppose any religion, he opposed the customs and traditions prevalent in religion. They don’t blame the religion, they blame the follower of the religion. There is difference in every religion, be it Christian, Muslim, Jain, Buddhist, Hindu. Where there is difference, there comes high and low. He continued to oppose discrimination.

Sanatani Brahmins have been continuously exploiting the Bahujan Samaj, they are doing it even now but in a lesser quantity. They have created discrimination among the people for their own selfishness. Kept the Bahujan Samaj tied to religious thought. Kept people busy in imaginary incidents like sin-virtue, heaven-hell etc. The Bahujans continued to exploit the Bahujan Samaj financially through travel, house warming, birth, marriage, death, celebration etc. Kept making slaves of righteousness. The ideas of Sanatani Brahmin should be free from slavery, so Satyashodhak marriage system was started. There was no need of a Brahmin to say Mangalashtak in the method. Groom, bride two, two Mangalashtak and a person who came to the fifth ceremony used to say. Sanatani Brahmin’s monopoly started to end. Bahujan Samaj started becoming free. Mahatma Jyotiba Phule says in reference to the religious thought of Sanatani Brahmins, “The Brahmins have celebrated such events as the birth of children, marriage, planetary entry, death, new year, various festivals, annual, half-yearly or monthly travel to every place i.e. common man. Created contexts of continuous loot.”1 At present, the dominance of religious customs and traditions is visible, its consequences are getting serious. Change is necessary in these, therefore it is the need of the hour to imbibe the thoughts of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule.

Dhondo Keshav Karve worked continuously for women’s education, women’s remarriage. The aim of his life was to improve women. Child marriages used to happen in those days. As a result, the woman used to become a widow soon. What is marriage? He did not understand this too well. He was exploited through many means. Dhondo Keshav Karve paid attention to these problems. Tried to tell the British government that child marriage should be banned. Widow remarriage law was made in 1856, but widow marriages were not happening. Manav Dharma Sabha, Paramhans Sabha, Prarthana Samaj, Satyashodhak Samaj, Arya Samaj etc. continuously worked for widow remarriage. Dhondo Keshav Karve started social work keeping the ideal of the organization’s work in front. Over time, widow marriages started happening in Maharashtra.

Most of the opposition to widow remarriage was from the Brahmin caste. Dhondo Keshav Karve had seen the pain of the widow from close quarters. He was determined to deliver. His marriage was also a child marriage. At the time of marriage, he was fifteen years old and wife Radhabai was nine years old. Wife Radhabai died soon i.e. in 1891, when Dhondo Keshav Karve was thirty-five years old. Had come to know the problem of widow. They decided that I would marry a widow. That too from an adult woman. Married a widow after persuading a family member. In the context of widow remarriage, Dhondo Keshav Karve’s views are, “On March 11, 1893, by not marrying a virgin girl, remarrying a twenty-eight-year-old widow named Godubai, who lived for four years in Pandita Ramabai’s Sharda Ashram in Mumbai, created an ideal in front of the society. Did.” 2 He didn’t just speak, he himself acted, later told others. This is why there was no difference between his words and actions, it is understandable.

Religion dominated the system at that time. Women were exploited in the name of religion. Female life had become a curse. Devadasi system, Murali system, child marriage, widowhood, old age marriage etc. were the main problems. The wrong tradition was opposed by many social reformers, in which the prominent name was Vitthal Ramji Shinde. He constantly tried to solve the problem. Gave a new life to the woman. Vitthal Ramji Shinde was a follower of Prarthana Samaj. He created awareness in the society. Went to England for religious education. Stayed there for two years. There was no money to go, then Sayajirao Gaikwad helped financially. Vitthal Ramji Shinde did a comparative study of many religions in England. Discussed with the thinkers there. Listen to lectures on different subjects. Many went to the temple, saw the tradition there. Read the books of Annie Besant, Risde Whidd etc. Traveled to Scotland, France, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, Italy etc. over time. There also he got the knowledge of religion. He went to the International Council of Liberal Religions in Amsterdam, Holland. As an Indian representative, there he lectured on the subject of ‘Liberal Religions of India’. Gave information about organizations working against bad practices. After coming to India from England, he got busy in reforming religion. Also did the analysis of religion. In the context of religious thought, Vitthal Ramji Shinde says, “A ten-year-old girl was abandoned as Murli by an untouchable in Jamkhedi village. Called him to his home and urged his parents to stop Murli practice. Told them that the girl should be taught. Murali tradition should not be followed.”3 At present, the tradition has started in the name of religion but less. Even today the practice like Devdasi, Murli is prevalent. Because of these, women do not get respect in the society, in the family. This is the condition of India even after having a constitution, it cannot be denied. If the woman is to be freed from the custom, then the man’s mentality has to be changed. The superstition of religion has to be abandoned.

Religious practice was prevalent in the society, it is present also only the form has changed. Tradition was not based on science, it was fiction. The society was in the dark with these thoughts. There were many rules of religion. If not obeyed, he was excommunicated from the religion. Every religion had different tradition in the society, it was a stigma for the society. People of Sanatani thought used to exploit the Bahujan Samaj through bad practices. The ideas of any religion are not bad, the people who spread the idea are bad. They spread wrong ideas for their own selfishness. This was the belief of Karmaveer Bhaurao about religion. He continued to struggle against the customs and traditions.

Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil was in Karveer’s Jain hostel for studies. At that time there were many rules of religion in the hostel. Bhaurao did not follow the rules. He was a gun-eater. He broke all the rules of religion. For these reasons Annasaheb Lathe expelled him from the hostel. Liked to move out of the hostel, but would not apologize to anyone. Because he believed in scientific thought. Used to eat with a person of all caste and religion. Never followed untouchability. He suffered the horrors of Sanatani class, but did not leave the work of religious transformation till the end. In the context of religiosity, Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil says, “Every boy should eat food dressed in black clothes, and every boy should shave or shave before eating.”4 The society should believe in scientific thought, it He said something. At present, it is necessary to reflect on the thought of a great man, then the Bahujan Samaj can be freed from mental slavery.

In the name of caste, religion, there was inequality in the society since ancient times and it is still there at present. At that time, Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar tried to destroy inequality. His father Ramji was of progressive thought. He had taken the initiation of Kabir Panth. The family had a legacy of ideological thought. In childhood, Bhimrao Ambedkar was humiliated in the name of religion and caste. He contemplated and meditated on righteousness since time immemorial. Started social work. In the name of caste, the rights of untouchables were taken away. The struggle for their rights continued. Mahad Satyagraha, Kalaram temple entry, this is religiosity retribution. They kept demanding equal rights for all. He kept quarreling with Sanatani people continuously. Being a Hindu, why treat the Untouchables as inferior? Bhimrao Ambedkar kept asking this question to the upper classes.

The oppression of the upper class on the untouchable society was increasing. Bahujan Samaj was becoming a mental slave of Sanatani thought. Used to be busy in rituals. Started spending money in religious rituals. Began to have superstition on God. He kept sacrificing animals in the name of God. The reason behind this was simply ignorance. From these problems, Bhimrao Ambedkar tried to bring out the untouchable society. In the context of religious rituals, he says, “At the time of birth and death, they do not hesitate to spend their hard-earned money in performing various activities in the name of religion. We request them to look more closely at the results of their actions. Then you will understand that due to this money is wasted, true religion is not protected and virtue is not achieved by doing unworthy charity. remain busy. Bhimrao talks about Ambedkar’s religious thought but does not put his qualities, thoughts into practice. As a result, Bahujan Samaj is getting mired in religious hypocrisy. If there is a change in the situation then there is a dire need to reflect on the thoughts of Bhimrao Ambedkar. His execution too!

In ancient times, superstition was prevalent in the society. Education was negligible in the Bahujan Samaj. Bahujan Samaj continued to be exploited in the name of ghosts and spirits. There was inequality in the society. Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj tried to remove it through enlightenment. The Bahujan Samaj was oppressed through custom and tradition. Was looked down upon. They kept on trying to end it. opposed the caste system. Changes in the society became possible with the passage of time. Occupations were decided on the basis of caste, tried to destroy this practice. Gave by realizing that any person can go into any business, can do business. As a result, equality, freedom and fraternity were created in the society. Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj used to have faith, not superstition. They believed in God, but in the form of a human..!

   Muhurta was seen before doing any work in the society, it is seen even today. Animals were sacrificed. Abhishek was done. A lot of money was spent in these practices. He continued to oppose such a practice. Social awakening. In the context of superstition, Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj’s view is, “Unless all the Gods of India are buried in the ground, farming will not produce well, this is my belief. Farmer Dev spends the money used for farming in vain in religion. God, religion is the biggest problem for the farmer’s creativity and product in farming. The pastoral people spend a lot of money during the week, consecrating to the Lord. If there is to be economic and moral progress of India, then all Gods have to be buried in the ground.”6 This explains his scientific views. Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj’s thoughts remained ideological for Maharashtra. He brought changes in the society through social, educational, political, religious, cultural etc. work. Worked as a link between Mahatma Phule and Bhimrao Ambedkar. Saved the Bahujan Samaj. Gautam Buddha carried forward the idea of Mahatma Phule. Taking inspiration from his thoughts, even at present many people are working and taking their thoughts forward. Shahu thought has played an important role in taking Maharashtra forward, history is witness to this, no one can forget this.

                In conclusion, it can only be said that the thoughts of the great man matter to the society. It is our job to take the idea forward. No great man should be imprisoned within caste, religion, because he did not work for any one caste, he worked for the society. Worked for the unity of India. We have to move forward with his idea, make his dream come true, only then his work will be meaningful. The purpose of the research article too!

Courtesy : Dalit Dastak

Note: This news piece was originally published in dalitdastak.com and used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes exclusively for Human Rights