Mahatma Phule’s Views on Agriculture

Dr. Anna Kaka Patil

Associate Professor
Department of Economics,
S G M College (Autonomous)
Karad, Maharashtra
Email:akpatilpune@gmail.com

Introduction
Jyotirao Phule was born on April 11, 1827 belonged to Mali caste at Katgun village of
Satara district and died on November 28, 1890 at Pune. He was well-known social activist and
experimental farmer in nineteenth century. The Mali community didn’t make space for much by
education. Jyotirao was withdrawn from school after attending primary school. He was
learned the basics of writing reading and arithmetic within the primary school. He joined his
family occupation flower-man as gardener and florist. Then Jyotirao was attend the local Scottish
Mission high school and completed primary schooling in 1847. While within the varsity he read
the biographies of famous national leaders like Chhatrpati Shivaji Maharaj, US President George
Washington which inspired him. He also greatly inspired by read the book entitled ‘Rights of
Man’ written by Thomas Paine. He was an Indian social reformer, thinker, anti caste social
activist and well-known writer. He was employed for educating women and lower caste people.
He and his wife Savitribai Phule were pioneers of girls education in India. They started first
girls’ school in 1848 at Bhidewada in Pune. Inequalities and Injustice prevalent within the Indian
society were distressed to Mahatma Phule and he decided to fight for the proper to equality and
justice for all lower caste people and he established Satyashodhak Samaj in 1873 for rights of
lower caste people. In May 1888, the social reformer Rao Bahadur Vithalrao Krishnaji Vandekar
gives the ‘Mahatma’ title to Jyotirao Phule in recognition of his selfless services to humanity.
Apart from social reformers Jyotirao Phule was a farmer, businessman, merchant, cultivator and
municipal contractor. He also worked as farmer and cultivated 60 acres of land at Manjri near
Pune. This paper will attempt to study the Jyotirao Phule’s views on agriculture.
Objectives of the Study
Following are the main objectives of the study.
 To study the Mahatma Phule’s views on agriculture.
 To study the exploitation of farmers by upper caste people.
 To study the role of Mahatma Phule in labour movement.
Phule’s Views on Agriculture
The Indian agriculture has many obstacles in its development like low productivity, lack
of technology, gamble of monsoon with inadequate irrigation facility, illiterate farmers,
traditional way cultivation, market agents and lack of adequate and sound credit. The farmers
are plagued by socio economic, political, cultural and non secular factors which make them poor
and poor since way back. In step with Mahatma Phule religion was main factor accountable
for worse condition of farmers in India. He focused on the exploitation of Shudraa and
Atishudras had due to religious activities. Illiteracy and lack of knowledge with farmers are other
crucial aspects of poverty. It simply means the non economic factors were responsible of poverty
and slavery of farmers within the country. These factors had devaluated farmers. Now a day’s
also many non economic factors are equally accountable for farmers’ worse condition and
poverty in rural areas. They’re spending their money and energy for unproductive activities like
festivals, pilgrimage, construction of temples and other God based superstitious activities. In step
with Mahatma Phule Hindu religion could be a bunch of code of conduct and
its supported disparity. The faith has given special status to Brahmins and Shudras and
Atishudras were exploited by them. The exploitation thoroughly was within the variety
of money, labour and superstation. Even many high government posts were occupied by the
Brahmins, only to use the Shudras. They always enjoyed sumptuous feasts and rest in luxurious
houses by exploiting Shudras who were cultivating agriculture and a few functioning on it as
labourers with some social economic activities. Furthermore Mahatama Phule
focused thereon the sole Brahmins should be appointed as teachers so they will neglect their duty
of teaching to Shudras and keep Shudras and Atishudras aloof from knowledge.
According to Mahatma Phule religious exploitation results in cultural exploitation of the
farmer, the Brahmins were created wrong culture among the Shudras and Atishudras for
exploiting them by engaging in meaningless activities. Upper Caste people were established such
culture which doesn’t let the farmers’ use of contemporary technology in agriculture. They also
engaged farmers to varied cultural activities; the farmers should waste their time and money and
that they always keep aloof from modern knowledge by the Brahmins. Mahatma Phule was turn
towards economic upliftment of the oppressed classes in Maharashtra after the graceful work of
Satyashodhak Samaj (Society of truth Seekers) was already started. He was understood the
economic progress of foreign people was taken place due to agro industrial development was
happened in western countries. He tries to create reforms in our countries the agro industrial
development was theses countries. The subsistence of the many rural people was depends upon
agriculture and allied activities, Phule arranged public meeting to be used of contemporary seeds,
fertilizers, new style of crops and scientific land cultivation in Maharashtra. Furthermore, he
demanded sound and timely government help for digging wells, farm tank, and irrigation
projects for agricultural development. He always written and spoken publically meeting about
government help to canal and irrigation project for providing perennial agriculture. He
congratulate to the Mumbai government for the constructed of dam as regards to Pune on Mutha
river in 1876. The dam was completed in 1878, but the farmers weren’t used dam water through
canal due to misunderstood the water creates infertility of land. Phule cultivated 200 acres of
land by providing dam water at Manjari to clear the misunderstanding of farmers and cultivated
new western crops like cabbage, flower, Potato, orange and lemon orange. These
crops weren't cultivated previously in Pune region. He also planted sugarcane and make jiggery
and motivated the farmers to cultivate sugarcane by providing dam water. Even mango garden
planted by Phule is existence at Manjari, it's indicator of innovative and experimental farming.
He written two articles entitled ‘Cultivator’s Whipcord’ (Shetkaryancha Aasud) and published in
‘Dinbandu’. He was always against the social inequality also as economic inequality within
the society. He criticized on Moneylenders who were exploited farmers by unauthorized
practices and it result into capture the land of farmers. In 1975, the farmers’ movement was
started in Pune region for rights of the farmers against moneylenders. The farmers were made
boycott on Brahmin because some Brahmin moneylenders were exploited to farmers in Junnar
province. Phule was solved the issues of farmers regarding moneylenders after two years fights
against moneylenders. He observed that the few rich people were holding huge wealth by
exploiting poor farmers.
In the Farmer’s Whip, Phule focused on production food and clothing is primary need of
individuals. Therefore it is very important for the farmers to be healthy and robust, they support
to the commercial revolution through producing material in agriculture. Phule said in Farmer’s
Whip about the British- farmers don't have any money to children education. Even
farmers don't have enough food to feed their families, nor cloths on their bodies. But British
officers don't have any time to concentrate farmers’ difficulties, they're highly expensive, their
officials earning exorbitant salaries, while farmers have gotten crushed under indirect burden of
big salaries of working also as retired officials
Famine condition
Phule was also focused on labourers for his or her welfare and origination as just like
farmers. He was first socialist in Hindustan who organized labourers together and motivated
them for his or her rights and welfare. In Hindustan, farmers’ also as entire population was the
victim of the famine in 1877. It absolutely was unpredictable, huge losses were taken
place, many of us were died without food, leaves of the tree also finished by people and that
they were eaten fodder of animal. Phule started home for kids through Satyashodhak Samaj in
famine affected children in many districts like Pune, Solapur, Satara and Ahmedabad. Even these
homes were well functioning in severely affected villages like Idarpur, Maraj and
Tasgaon. It’s essential the government and other disaster institutions should to require lesions
from Phule’s work for suitable measures to famine or drought prone area.
Conclusion
Mahatma Phule was well known social reformer of nineteenth century in India. He was
revolutionary thinker and is a constant source of inspiration for the youth in agriculture.
Government of Maharashtra has started the ‘Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Farmer Loan Waiver
Scheme’. The farmers whose crop loan and restructured loan is up to Rs. 2 lakh will be eligible
for benefit under this scheme. This is the relevance of Phule thoughts regarding farmers and
downtrodden people.
References
 Patil, P. S. (1984 Second Edition), ‘Mahatma Jyotirao Phule : Brief Introduction’,
Maharashtra Rajya Sahitya Sanskruti Mandal, Mumbai (Marathi)
 Keer, Dhananjay (1974), ‘Mahatma Jotirao Phoole: Father of the Indian Social Revolution’,
Popular Prakashan, Mumbai.
 Gavaskar, Mahesh (1999), ‘Phule’s Critique of Brahmin Power’, in Michael, S. M. (Ed)
Untouchable, Dalits in Modern India, Lynne Rienner Publishers, pp 43-56.
 Mahatma Phule (1881) ‘Shetkarayancha Aasud’ (Cultivator’s Whipcord)
 Laxman Shastri Joshi (1991), ‘Jotirao Phule’, The National Bank Trust, India
 Phadake Y.D., ‘Mahatma Phule Samagra Varigmaya’ Maharashtra Rajya Sahitya Sanskruti
Mandal, Mumbai (Marathi).
 Foole, Mahatma Jyatorao (2007), ‘Gulamgiri’ (in Hindi), Gautam Book Center.
 Guha, Ramchandra, Edited (2011), ‘Makers of Modern India’, Harvard University Press.