Vishnubuva Brahmachari, Lokhitwadi and the other social thinkers of 19th Century Maharashtra

 

In 19^th century the social reform movement was running parallel with the independence movement. Indians who went abroad to study higher education saw there the working of modern, democratic nation. In this article we are going to see the contribution of some notable social reformers in Maharashtra.

1)Vishnu Bhikaji Gokhale( Vishnubuva Brahmachari)

Vishnubuva Brahmachari was contemporary to Mahatma Phule. He was among the first who opposed the intrusion of British in the religious life of Indian society.

Vishnubuva said that British are trying to convert poor Indian peoples by establishing schools of Missionaries. Hence Vishnubuva was popular among the Sanatanis.

Vishnubuva had published two books “Sukhdayak rajyaprakarni Nibandha” and “Sahaj Sthiticha Nibandh”. In the first book he explained his thought about how any ideal state should work.

He also opposed the caste system in society. He said there should not be any kind of discrimination between people of different castes. Vishnubuwa’s thoughts on institution of marriage were very modern and liberal. He said that all the marriages should be conducted according to official rules and there should not be any bar on divorce. This explains his liberal attitude towards the society.

2)Balshastri Jambhekar

Due to the British colonial government in India the nature of Indian society had changed. The Knowledge of English language was must to get jobs in government Institutions. Hence Jambhekar tried to aware people about the importance English language.

He thinks that it was not the time to think about our failures in the past rather we should focus on the overall intellectual development of the society.

Balshastri Jambhekar started first newspaper in Maharashtra which was Darpan(1932). Hence he is also known as “Darpankar”. He was also the one who started first monthly magazine in Maharashtra (Digdarshan).

He started this with the sole purpose of spreading knowledge in the society. He wanted to enlighten people about the developments happening all around the world. His newspaper and monthly magazine received huge response from the people of Maharashtra.

He said that India was once the centre of knowledge. Students from all over the world used to come to Indian Universities like Nalanda and Taxila. Foreign invaders who came to India took Indian skills and knowledge along with them.

Hence Jambhekar wanted Indians to get higher education to counter the growing influence of the west. He also started many educational institutions in Maharashtra.

Jambhekar was a true promoter of scientific education. He wanted people to take education of modern subjects like Mathematics, Chemistry, Geography and Astronomy. Again he said that we should implement the gained knowledge in our practical life.

“Science is the mother of all subjects” says Jambhekar. For the person who doesn’t know anything about science will see everything around him as a miracle. But there is a scientific reason about everything happening around us. And only scientific education will enable anyone to observe things in rational way.

Jambhekar about slavery

According to Jambhekar the Indian society had become a slave of their own habits. They are busy in watching Tamashas(folk theatre). There habits were preventing them from realising their backward situation under the colonial government.

Jambhekar also wrote to Government about this situation of society and reminding them of their responsibility to provide Educational facilities to Indians.

Jambhekar about peasant

The Indian peasant in 19^th century was caught under the dual burden of tax from the Government and the debt from the moneylender.

He said that peasant should be encourage to take the benefits modern developments in the agricultural sector to increase their yield. Balshastri Jambhekar also suggested some economic policies to protect farmers from the natural calamities like drought and famine. Jambhekar was among the first to expressed concern about the farmers of Maharashtra.

So Balshastri Jambhekar was the first social thinker in Maharashtra who tried the reduce the gap between colonial government and the masses through the promotion of  English language.

3)Gopal hari Deshmukh

Gopal Hari Deshmukh was also known as “Lokhitwadi”. He was among the first who opposed the social evils in Hindu Society. He said that we became slave of British only because of our own social structure. Indian society was divided into various castes and there was lack of education among the people.

Hence “Lokhitwadi” started promoting the values of education in the society. He stared newspapers like “Prabhakar” and “Indraprakash”. These newspapers became his tools to bring change in the society. The articles in these newspaper later published in a book called “Shatpatre”.

“Lokhitwadi” stressed more on gaining knowledge. He said that until our society is not aware about their own slavery they will not try to come out of that. Only education can bring that change in society.

He said that we should adopt a rational attitude towards everything. Our Indians should acquire some basic knowledge about English language as most of the books about religion and society are in English.

“Lokhitwadi” was against the British colonial rule in India but he also said that we should follow British for their progress in the field of Science, Industrial development, literature etc.

He also said that it is a duty of British Government to provide free elementary education to Indians because only education can make them able to think in a rational manner.

He was a true supporter of emancipation of women. According to him a society can not progress if their women are not free from the limitations of the society. He also wrote about five essays about the widow remarriage.

4)Vishnushastri Chiplunkar

He was popularly known for his monthly magazine “Nibandhamala”. Hence he is also known as “Nibandhmalakar”. Through his magazine he shed light on various topics like superstitions, religious dogmas, caste system etc.

After the foundation of Indian National Congress he started promoting thoughts of Dadabhai Naoroji who was one of the founding fathers of Indian National Congress.

Chiplunkar’s “Nibandhamala” had become a means of spreading nationalism among youths. He was the pioneer of nationalist wave which emerged towards the end of 19^th century in Maharashtra.

Hence Vishnushashtri Chiplunkar is the first linguistic, Journalist, social and political thinker from the Maharashtra.