The savior king of backward, Dalits and women: Shahu Ji Maharaj

arun Posted On May 8, 2023

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In the Brahminical tradition, the ‘greatest’ state is ‘Ramrajya’ and the ‘greatest’ king is Ram, but the basic duty of the people in this Ramrajya was to follow the varna system. That is, Shudras and Atishudras would serve the Dwijs and the women would serve the men. If anyone violated this, then King Rama himself would kill him with his own hands. In contrast to this, there have been kings in the Bahujan-Shraman tradition, whose rule was really meant for the establishment of justice and welfare of the people, and who devoted their lives to demolishing the varna-caste system and the discrimination based on it. One such king was Shahu Maharaj. He became such a king who made the dreams of Jotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule come true.

By Dr. Siddhartha

Shahuji Maharaj became the king of Kolhapur on 2 July 1894. As soon as he became the king, he started breaking the supremacy of Brahmins on the state and society. On July 26, 1902, in Indian history, he did what no one had imagined. Shahu Ji Maharaj implemented 50 percent reservation for Dalit-Backwards in education and government jobs in his state Kolhapur on July 26 amid strong opposition from Chitpavan Brahmins. This was the first reservation based on caste in modern India. For this reason Shahu ji is called the father of modern reservation. In the later period, Babasaheb Dr. Ambedkar expanded the reservation implemented by Shahu ji in the Indian Constitution. Reservation for Dalits has been implemented in the constitution, but reservation for OBC castes has been left to the future. While Shahu ji implemented reservation for both backward and Dalits in his state. Backward or OBC castes in India got reservation on November 16, 1992, about 45 years after independence. Means 90 years after Shahu ji implemented reservation.

When Shahuji Maharaj became the king in 1894, most of the posts in Kolhapur state were occupied by Chitpavan Brahmins. In 1894, when Shahu Maharaj took over the reins of the state, 60 out of 71 posts in the general administration of Kolhapur were held by Brahmin officers. Similarly, out of 500 clerical posts, only 10 were non-Brahmins. In 1912, out of 95 posts, the number of Brahmin officers was reduced to 35 due to Shahuji Maharaj providing 50 percent reservation to the backward castes.

Shahu agreed with the view expressed in Maharaj Phule’s Gulamgiri that-

‘Vidya went without mind’

Mati went without policy

the policy went haywire

speed gone without finance

finance without breaking the shudra

so much trouble

An avidya did it

Shahu Maharaj took the initiative to destroy the ignorance prevailing among the backward and downtrodden castes. He was the first king in the history of India, who made primary education compulsory and free on 25 July 1917. Before this, in 1912 itself, he had made primary education compulsory. To fulfill the Phule couple’s dream of women’s education, they laid special emphasis on girls’ education. Schools were opened in every village with a population of 500 to 1000. He opened a free hostel in 1920. This hostel was named ‘Prince Shivaji Maratha Free Boarding House’.

We are all familiar with the fact that after the establishment of the Brahminical rule of the Peshwas, the religious life as well as the political, economic and social life of Maharashtra were dominated and controlled by the Brahmins. To break this dominance and control, along with 50 percent reservation, free and compulsory primary education, Shahu decided to break the religious dominance as well. On 9 July 1917, he issued an order that the income and property of all the Devasthans of Kolhapur state would be controlled by the state. Along with this, he also issued an order for the appointment of Maratha (backward) caste priests. In 1920, he opened a school for worship and training of priests. We are all familiar with Dr. Ambedkar’s Hindu Code Bill, but Shahu Ji Maharaj also passed a Hindu Code Bill on 11 November 1920, hardly anyone knows this. Through this bill, he abolished the Mitakshara principle of justice in the context of inheritance of property. Mitakshara is Vijnaneshwar’s commentary on the Yajnavalkya Smriti. Its basic point is that a woman cannot inherit property. Various conditions and restrictions have been imposed on it. He abolished the system of priests and priests in the villages.

Shahu ji also took other special steps to give equal rights to the untouchables (Dalits) in the society and to improve their condition. Before 1919, no member of the society called untouchable could be treated in any hospital. In 1919, Shahu ji issued an order, according to which any person from untouchable society can come to the hospital and get treated with respect. Apart from this, he also issued an order in 1919 itself that no discrimination should be done with students on the basis of caste in primary schools, high schools and colleges. Along with giving jobs to Dalits, he also ordered that Dalit caste employees working in government departments should be treated with equality and decency. There should be no untouchability of any kind. Those officers who are not willing to follow this order, they should resign within 6 months.

To bring change in the condition of Dalits, he ended two such special practices which proved to be epoch-making. First, in 1917, he abolished the ‘balutdari-system’, under which an untouchable was given a small piece of land in return for free services for the whole village from him and his family. Similarly, in 1918, by making a law, he ended another old practice of the state ‘Vatandari’ and by implementing land reforms, Mahars got the right to become landowners. With this order, the economic slavery of the Mahars was removed to a great extent. Dalit-friendly Kolhapur Naresh had proudly declared in 1920 in a huge gathering of Dalits in Manmad- ‘I think you have found your savior in Ambedkar. I hope he will cut off the shackles of your slavery.’ He did not just verbally praise the liberator of Dalits, but made the most important contribution in completing his unfinished foreign education and making politics a weapon for Dalit-emancipation.

Shahu Ji Maharaj had to become a victim of wrath and anger of Chitpavan Brahmins of Maharashtra for providing justice and equality to backward, dalits and women. They were tried by humiliating them in various ways.

The reasons for the hatred of ordinary Brahmins towards Shahu ji can be understood. It was natural for them to hate the person who broke all forms of their supremacy. The sad thing was that even people like Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Dange (Left) have expressed their anger and hatred towards him. Shahu Maharaj’s continuous struggle with Tilak continued.

Raja Shahu Ji Maharaj, the savior of backward and Dalits, was born on 26 June 1874 in the Kunbi (Kurmi in North India) caste. At the age of 20, he became the king of Kolhapur State in 1894. Born on July 26, 1874 in Kolhapur Rajmahal, Shahu was the grandson of Chhatrapati Shivaji and son of Apasaheb Ghatge Kagalkar. His childhood name was Yashwant Rao. Yashwant Rao, who lost his mother at the age of three, was adopted by Rani Anandi Bai of Kolhapur on 17 March 1884 and was honored with the title of Chhatrapati. Later on 2 July 1894, he took over the administration of Kolhapur and ruled for 28 years. He was awarded the title of Rajarshi in the 13th National Convention of All India Kurmi Mahasabha held at Kanpur on 19-21 April 1919. In June 1902, he received the honorary degree of LLD from the University of Cambridge, which he was the first Indian to receive. Apart from this, he also got the titles of GCSI, GCVO, MRES.

The reign of this king of backward-Dalits lasted only for 28 years. He died on May 6, 1922, at the age of just 48, but the torch which he lit after taking inspiration from Phule, its light continues even today.

Dr. Siddharth

The author is an independent journalist and Bahujan thinker. PhD in Hindi Literature. Sharp and factual writings on current issues. Das is the author of the important book Samajik Kranti Ki Yoddha: Savitri Bai Phule, published by Das Publications.

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

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