Four months after Jotirao Phule published Gulamgiri, he founded the Satyashodhak Samaj (truth-seekers’ society) on 24 September 1873, bringing together mostly upwardly mobile Maharashtrian and Telugu Mali merchants, tradesmen and contractors, along with representatives of the Sali (weaver) caste, the Shimpi tailor caste, Kumhar (potter) caste, Mahar untouchables and Muslims. There were also lawyers, government employees and soldiers among them. Scholars Gail Omvedt and Rosalind O’Hanlon have referred to the Samaj as a “non-Brahman movement”.
Related Articles
Laxman Yadav: ‘Manusmriti’ could only be taught alongside ‘Gulamgiri’ and ‘Annihilation of Caste’
‘The situation today is that even if the BJP loses the next election, teachers wedded to the RSS ideology will continue teaching students for...
Naming military action ‘Operation Sindoor’ unconstitutional, says retired CRPF commandant
If you have still not realized who named the operation 'Sindoor' and why, look at what followed. Even more absurdly, BJP purportedly announced that...
Dhadak 2 and CBFC’s cuts: Are we ready for Pariyerum Perumal’s truth in Hindi?
'Pariyerum Perumal' was a battle cry against caste. If 'Dhadak 2' mutes that cry before its release, are we not losing a chance to...
Dominant husbands, hegemonic castes still part of Bihar’s rural landscape
In a study of Aurangabad and Rohtas districts, calls made to women mukhiyas were mostly received by their husbands or other family members. The...
Manoj Jha: A war-like situation faced the country, so we have been calm but alert on caste census
The Cabinet decision to hold a caste census revealed that there has been change in the government’s stand on the concerns of the Bahujan...