Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade explained to the social reformers of Maharashtra that ‘the change which they should all seek is thus a change from constraint to freedom, from cruelty to faith, from status to contract, from authority to reason, from unorganized to organized life, from blind fate to a sense of human dignity’.
The issue on which
controversies raged in the 19th century included questions such as
child marriage and widow remarriage. Efforts were made to educate women in
particular and get their rights reorganized. Several of the social reformers in
the 19th century belonged to the upper class.
When the 1st wife
of M. G. Ranade passed away in October 1873 his father arranged his marriage
within 2 months and instead of marrying a widow Ranade gave his consent to
marry a girl chosen for him by his father. Justice K. T. Telang had to agree to
celebrate the marriage of his 8-year-old daughter though he had always
condemned child marriage. Gopal Deshmukh did not dare to attend a wedding of a
widow. Men like R. G. Bhandarkar and D. A. Karve patiently bore the brunt of
the boycott imposed by the orthodox sections of the society which did not like
their active support to the cause of widow remarriage. Tilak as a leader of
Maharashtra in the 19th century believed that the attainment of Swaraj
was the key to the problems in India. He opposed every attempt made by social
reformers to seek help from the alien government for introducing social reform
through legislation.
During the present century the emphasis slowly shifted from their form of the social institution of family to the revolt against the caste system. Tilak’s failure to understand the legitimate aspirations and apprehensions of the non-Brahmin castes alienated him to their leaders. The gulf between Tilak and the non-Brahmin leaders widened further when the British government in August 1917 assured Indians a share I power and announced its policy of encouraging increasing associations of Indians with the administration of India.
The situation changed when Gandhiji
took over the leadership of the congress and the nationalist struggle for
independence. According to Rajaji, the Mahatma integrated social and religious
reform with political activity in the congress and changed the whole character
of the congress.
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar had emerged
as the unchallenged leader of the depressed classes in Maharashtra and was
recognized as a leader of national states by the scheduled castes in all parts
of India. He organized the untouchables and agitated for their rights. Despite Gandhijis persistent efforts to improve the Harijans, Ambedkar bitterly
criticized Gandhiji for defending the Chatur Varna System.
The important social reformers
of Maharashtra are:
Bal Shashtri Jambhekar
Gopal Hari Deshmukh
(Lokhitwadi)
Jotirao Govindrao Phule
Ramkrishnan Gopal Bhandarkar
Mahadeo Govind Ranade
Gopal Ganesh Agarkar
Dhondo Keshav Karve
Vitthal Ramji Shinde
Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj
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