Pandita Ramabai | Biography Series | Socio-Religious Reform Leaders | Modern History for UPSC/IAS

Summary

Pandita Ramabai Saraswati, a trailblazing 19th-century Indian woman, defied societal norms by mastering Sanskrit and advocating for women's education and rights. As a scholar, social reformer, and Christian convert, she lectured globally, established organizations like Arya Mahila Samaj, and founded Sharda Sadhana, a pioneering school for women. Despite facing criticism and personal tragedies, her influential work, including 'The High-Caste Hindu Woman,' contributed significantly to women's advancement, earning her recognition and honors.

Takeaways

• 📜 Pandita Ramabai Saraswati was a trailblazing Indian woman who challenged societal norms and promoted women's rights in the 19th century.
• 🌟 As a scholar, she was exceptionally learned in Sanskrit, a language traditionally reserved for Brahmin men, and became a social reformer advocating for women's education.
• 🚫 She broke the mold by marrying outside her caste, remaining in public view as a widow, and choosing to convert to Christianity.
• 🌍 Ramabai was a global advocate for women's rights, traveling to Britain, the United States, Japan, and Australia to give lectures and teach Sanskrit and Marathi.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Born in 1858 in South Karnataka, her father Anand Shastri Dongre's unconventional life and teachings heavily influenced her own path.
• 🏡 Her father's ashram, a residential school for Brahmin boys, was where she received her early education and was inspired to challenge traditional gender roles.
• 📚 Despite facing opposition, she established the Arya Mahila Samaj in 1882, the first organization for women's rights in Maharashtra, aiming to eradicate harmful customs like child marriage.
• 🏆 Recognized for her contributions, she was awarded the Kaiser-i-Hind medal by the British colonial government and honored with a commemorative stamp by the Government of India.
• 📚 Her book 'Stri Dharma Niti' (Morals for Women) and 'The High-Caste Hindu Woman' provided deep insights into the plight of women in Hindu society and advocated for change.
• 💔 Tragedy struck when her daughter Manorama, her devoted helper, passed away in 1921, which deeply affected Ramabai.
• 🕊️ Pandita Ramabai Saraswati passed away on April 5, 1922, leaving behind a legacy of social reform and women's empowerment that continues to inspire.

Q & A

Pandita Ramabai Saraswati是谁？

Pandita Ramabai Saraswati是一位印度女性学者、社会改革家和基督教徒，她因倡导女性教育和参与公共事务而闻名。她是19世纪印度的杰出女性，打破了许多限制高级种姓印度教女性的规则和传统。

Pandita Ramabai Saraswati在印度社会中有哪些争议性的行为？

Ramabai Saraswati在印度社会中的争议性行为包括：学习梵文（通常只有婆罗门男性才能学习）、跨种姓婚姻、作为寡妇公开露面、以及决定自己改信基督教。她的这些行为在当时的社会背景下是非常激进和非传统的[^1^]。

Pandita Ramabai Saraswati的教育背景是什么？

Ramabai Saraswati在一个非传统的家庭环境中接受教育，她的父亲Anand Shastri Dongre是一位梵文学者，他教授她梵文。她能够背诵成千上万的梵文文本，并且精通八种语言。她的教育方式与当时的常规学校教育不同，更侧重于教学和崇拜[^1^]。

Pandita Ramabai Saraswati是如何推动女性教育的？

Ramabai Saraswati是女性教育的积极倡导者，她在印度各地巡回演讲，谈论女性权利。她在英国学习，并在美国、日本和澳大利亚进行演讲。她还在她的母语马拉地语和梵文教学。她在印度建立了几个教育机构，包括Arya Mahila Samaj和Sharada Sadhana，为女性提供正规的学校教育和职业培训[^1^]。

Pandita Ramabai Saraswati为什么要改信基督教？

Ramabai Saraswati改信基督教是由于对印度教的失望，特别是对女性待遇的不满。她在英国期间接触了基督教，并在1883年9月29日在英格兰Wantage的一个教堂接受了洗礼。她的改信在印度引起了广泛的争议和关注[^4^]。

Pandita Ramabai Saraswati的海外经历对她的思想有什么影响？

Ramabai Saraswati的海外经历，特别是在英国和美国的生活，让她接触到了不同的文化和社会观念。这些经历加深了她对女性权利和教育的认识，并影响了她对印度教和社会传统的批判。她的旅行经历也为她提供了一个更广阔的视角来看待女性在社会中的地位[^3^]。

Pandita Ramabai Saraswati的著作有哪些？

Ramabai Saraswati写了几本书，包括《妇女道德规范》（Stri Dharma Niti）和《印度高级种姓妇女》（The High Caste Hindu Woman）。这些作品批判了印度教对女性的压迫，并提出了改革的建议。她的作品在提高女性权利意识方面发挥了重要作用[^5^]。

Pandita Ramabai Saraswati在印度建立了哪些教育机构？

Ramabai Saraswati在印度建立了几个重要的教育机构，包括Arya Mahila Samaj和Sharada Sadhana。这些机构为女性提供教育和培训，旨在提高她们的社会地位和自给自足的能力。她的教育机构特别关注寡妇和未婚女孩的教育[^5^]。

Pandita Ramabai Saraswati的个人生活是怎样的？

Ramabai Saraswati的个人生活充满了挑战和悲剧。她的父母、兄弟姐妹、丈夫和女儿都过早地去世了。她的丈夫Bipin Behari Das Medhavi是一个非婆罗门的孟加拉律师，他们的婚姻打破了种姓障碍。她的个人经历，包括对印度教传统的失望，最终促使她改信基督教[^5^]。

Pandita Ramabai Saraswati的遗产和影响是什么？

Ramabai Saraswati的工作对女性教育和权利产生了深远的影响。她的教育机构继续为女性提供教育和支持。她的书籍和演讲提高了对女性权利问题的认识。此外，她的工作也对印度的早期五旬节运动产生了影响，她的贡献在印度的社会改革运动中留下了深刻的印记[^5^]。

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Pandita Ramabai: A Pioneering Scholar and Reformer

Pandita Ramabai Saraswati was a trailblazing figure in 19th century India, defying societal norms as a scholar, social reformer, and Christian convert. She advocated for women's education and rights, traveling extensively to lecture on these issues. Born in 1858 to a progressive father who valued education for women, she was a rarity in her time for her mastery of Sanskrit and her public defiance of caste and widow remarriage customs. Her work was groundbreaking, challenging the status quo and inspiring change.

05:00

📚 Unconventional Education and Early Influences

Ramabai's father, Anand Shastri Dongre, was a nonconformist who imparted a unique education to his daughter, diverging from traditional schooling. Despite facing hardship and famine, Ramabai's education was rigorous, focusing on memorization of Sanskrit texts. Her father's progressive views on women's education and his refusal to arrange a child marriage for her were formative. However, the family's financial struggles and her father's eventual death deeply affected Ramabai.

10:02

🌐 Encounters with Christianity and Social Reform

In Calcutta, Ramabai was exposed to new ideas, including Christianity, though initially unimpressed. Her brother's death and her own struggles led her to question Hinduism. She married outside her caste, causing societal uproar, and later established the Arya Mahila Samaj to advocate for women's rights. Despite facing criticism, she persisted in her reform efforts, her work marking a significant step towards women's empowerment in India.

15:04

🌍 International Recognition and Challenges

Ramabai's journey to England in 1883 was pivotal, as she sought to raise awareness about Indian women's plight. Her petition, 'The Cry of Indian Woman,' aimed to reach Queen Victoria. Despite facing personal challenges like failing health and the suicide of a close friend, she converted to Christianity, viewing it as a protest against Hinduism's discrimination. Her complex relationship with Christianity was characterized by selective adoption of its tenets.

20:07

🏆 Achievements and Legacy

Ramabai's efforts were recognized with awards and honors, including the Kaiser-i-Hind medal. Her book 'Stri Dharma Niti' provided guidance for women on social roles. 'The High-Caste Hindu Woman' became a feminist manifesto, highlighting societal cruelty towards women through proverbs. Despite personal losses, including her daughter's death, Ramabai's legacy endures, with a road in Mumbai named after her and a commemorative stamp issued by the Indian government.

25:09

📖 Literary Contributions and Final Years

Ramabai's literary works, including 'Sridhar Niti' and 'The High-Caste Hindu Woman,' were influential, advocating for women's rights and critiquing societal norms. Her final years were marked by the loss of her daughter and her own deteriorating health. She passed away in 1922, leaving behind a significant impact on women's rights and education in India.

Keywords

💡Pandita Ramabai Saraswati

Pandita Ramabai Saraswati was a renowned Indian scholar and social reformer in the 19th century. She was a pioneer in the field of women's education and an advocate for women's rights, challenging the societal norms and conventions of the time. She learned Sanskrit at a time when it was reserved for Brahmin men and became a prominent figure in advocating for women's education and social reforms. Her work and life had a significant impact on the women's rights movement in India, and she is remembered for her efforts to improve the lives of women, particularly child widows, through her establishment of institutions like Sharada Sadan and Mukti Mission [^5^].

💡Sanskrit scholar

A Sanskrit scholar is someone who has extensive knowledge of the Sanskrit language, which is an ancient Indian language with a rich literary tradition. In the context of the video, Pandita Ramabai was a rare female Sanskrit scholar at a time when women were not typically educated in this field. Her proficiency in Sanskrit was exceptional and earned her respect and recognition, which she used to promote women's education and rights [^5^].

💡Social reformer

A social reformer is an individual who seeks to bring about changes in society to improve social conditions and challenge oppressive norms. Pandita Ramabai was a social reformer who worked towards improving the lives of women, particularly focusing on education and the rights of widows. She defied traditions and advocated for changes in the treatment of women in 19th century India [^5^].

💡Christian convert

The term 'Christian convert' refers to someone who has converted from one religion to Christianity. Pandita Ramabai converted to Christianity during her stay in England, a decision influenced by her disillusionment with certain practices and beliefs in Hinduism, especially those related to women's rights and social status. Her conversion was a significant event that garnered attention and sparked debates in India [^5^].

💡Women's education

Women's education refers to the movement and efforts aimed at providing educational opportunities for women. In the video, Pandita Ramabai is portrayed as an outspoken advocate of women's education. She believed that education was key to women's empowerment and worked tirelessly to establish institutions that provided education to women, particularly widows and marginalized girls [^5^].

💡Child widows

A child widow is a girl who loses her husband while still a child or young teenager. In 19th century India, child widows faced severe social discrimination and had limited opportunities. Pandita Ramabai's work was instrumental in drawing attention to the plight of child widows and she established institutions to provide them with education and a better life [^5^].

💡Intercaste marriage

Intercaste marriage refers to a marriage between two individuals from different castes. In the rigid social structure of 19th century India, such marriages were often frowned upon or forbidden. Pandita Ramabai broke societal norms by marrying a man from a different caste, Bipin Behari Medhavi, which was a significant act of defiance against the prevalent caste system [^5^].

💡Arya Mahila Samaj

Arya Mahila Samaj was the first women's organization established by Pandita Ramabai in Maharashtra in 1882. The society aimed to discuss and eradicate customs like child marriage, the cruel treatment of widows, and the lack of education for women. It was a revolutionary step towards promoting women's rights and social reforms in India [^5^].

💡Sharada Sadhana

Sharada Sadhana, also known as Sharada Sadan, was an institution established by Pandita Ramabai in Mumbai for the education and upliftment of child widows. It provided residential facilities and education, including vocational training, to these women, empowering them and offering a new lease of life [^5^].

💡The High Caste Hindu Woman

The High Caste Hindu Woman is a book written by Pandita Ramabai, originally in Marathi and later translated into English. The book provides a critical examination of the lives of high-caste Hindu women, exposing issues like child marriage and the plight of child widows. It was influential in raising awareness about women's rights and conditions in India [^5^].

Highlights

Pandita Ramabai Saraswati was a controversial Indian woman who challenged societal norms.

She was a Sanskrit scholar and a social reformer who advocated for women's rights.

Ramabai was a Christian convert and a trailblazer for women's education.

She broke traditions by learning Sanskrit, marrying out of caste, and remaining in public view as a widow.

Ramabai was a vocal proponent of women's education and public participation.

She traveled extensively, lecturing on women's rights and teaching Sanskrit and Marathi.

Ramabai was born in South Karnataka and her father was a significant influence on her unconventional life.

Her father, Anand Shastri Dongre, was a Sanskrit scholar who defied caste rules.

Ramabai's mother, Lakshmi Bai, was taught Sanskrit at a young age, setting a precedent for Ramabai's education.

Ramabai's father's progressive views on education and opposition to child marriage shaped her beliefs.

She received an unconventional education, learning Sanskrit texts from her parents.

Ramabai's family faced hardship, including a severe famine and the death of her father.

She was awarded the titles Pandita and Saraswati for her knowledge of Sanskrit and Hindu religious texts.

Ramabai's first encounter with Christianity occurred during her stay in Bengal.

She established the Arya Mahila Samaj, the first organization for women's social reform in Maharashtra.

Her overseas journey to England was a pivotal moment in her life and career.

In England, Ramabai drafted a petition titled 'The Cry of Indian Woman' to bring attention to women's oppression.

Ramabai and her daughter Manorama embraced Christianity, adopting new names.

She opened the Sharda Sadhana residential school for upper-caste women, offering education and vocational training.

Ramabai's daughter Manorama's death deeply affected her, leading to her own death shortly thereafter.

Her book 'Stri Dharma Niti' provided advice for women on their social roles and marriage.

Her work 'The High-Caste Hindu Woman' became an unofficial feminist manifesto and sold 10,000 copies within a year.

Ramabai was awarded the Kaiser-i-Hind medal and recognized with a commemorative stamp by the Government of India.

A road in Mumbai is named after her in honor of her contributions to women's advancement.

Transcripts

the most controversial indian woman of

our times

a sanskrit scholar a social reformer a

christian convert

who tried to improve women's life with a

unique life path

meet pandita ramabai saraswati

pandita ramabai had caused ruckus at a

sabha in puna where she said and i quote

women can do anything a man can except

drink alcohol

panita ramabai broke nearly every rule

and tradition

that confined the life of an upper caste

hindu woman in the 19th century india

she was the rare woman who had learned

sanskrit

because sanskrit study was reserved for

brahmin men

the rare brahman woman to marry out of

caste

the rare widow who remained in public

view defying customs

and the rare indian woman to decide on

her own to convert to christianity

at a time

when women were confined to their homes

pandita ramabai was an outspoken

advocate of women's education as well as

participation in public affairs

she traveled across india

giving lectures on women's rights

she studied in britain and the united

states gave lectures in japan and

australia and taught sanskrit

as well as her mother tongue marathi

most remarkably for her time

pandita ramabai chartered these parts

as a single woman and a single mother

pandita rama by saraswati was born on

23rd of april

1858 in south karnataka which was then

part of the madras presidency

here her father

anand shastri dongre he had built an

ashram right in the middle of the forest

it was a residential school where

brahman boys were taught sanskrit

in presenting ramabai's life

we cannot ignore the legacy of our

father

her father

led an unconventional yet eventful life

and his life definitely influenced his

daughter's future choices as well as her

mindset

in order to understand ramabai's future

activities i'll briefly cite some

biographical information about her

father

anand shastri dongri

was born in a chitpavan brahman family

but he did not follow his cast rules

rigidly

anand sasri was trained as a sanskrit

scholar

by ram chandra shastri satay

mr satay was also the teacher of the

last peshwa of the maratha empire who

was he

bajirao too

during his years at puna

anand shastri heard varanasi bhai

varanasi bhai was peshwa's wife

she was reciting sanskrit verses in the

peshwa's palace this was surprising

because it was breaking all the cars

rules as the knowledge of sanskrit the

divine language was reserved only for

the brahmin men

this fact deeply impressed the young

anand shastri dongre

the year was 1818

and the peshwas lost political power

ananshastri then came back to his home

and tried to teach sanskrit to his first

wife but this attempt immediately failed

why because the members of the family

objected why because it went against the

then cars rules or should we say it went

against the existing cast rules

prevalent at that time

but anand shastri succeeded

succeeded in this task with his second

wife

the nine-year-old lakshmi bai

and lakshmi bai is the mother of pandita

ramabai

anand shasri dongri

married

lakshmi bhai when he was 44

lakshmi bhai she was the daughter of

another troubling bravana pilgrim

who was looking for husbands for his two

daughters

such a marriage with a huge age gap was

not uncommon in that society

where brahman girls they were obliged to

get married before puberty

and widowers could remarry even late in

life

while widows of any age were strictly

forbidden to get married again even if

they were the child widows ramabai's

father

he used to perform expensive religious

rituals

this led to

worsening of the financial status of the

family

this also ruined his health

ramabai later

criticized these meaningless rituals but

she would always appreciate

two very important and progressive

aspects of her father's thought number

one his insistence on giving his

daughters an education and number two

his decision

not to arrange a child marriage for

pandita ramabai

now listen to me carefully

if child marriages were common then why

did ramabai not marry

in her childhood

because her elder sister's child

marriage failed

her elder sister krishna bhai she was

married to a boy but with an agreement

what was this agreement

that the boy will stay with the bride

at her place and be educated with her

but as soon as the ceremony got over

the boy was taken home by his parents

and spent the following years without

cultivating his faculties and basically

doing nothing

13 years later

he went to claim his wife

and sued the bride's family in the court

[Music]

why because they had refused

to let their precious daughter

go and live with such a worthless man

he won the case

and the young woman was obliged to go

with him

but very soon

ramabai's sister died due to cholera

when pandita ramabai was eight

her father was almost 70.

so the task of educating ramabai was now

carried out by ramabai's mother

lakshmibai

what ramabai had to do

memorize

thousands of lines of sanskrit texts

because printed books were not available

this is where it becomes interesting

ramabai received

peculiar

and unconventional kind of education

received education at home

was taught by her parents

and this unconventional kind of

education differentiates ramabai from

other contemporary brahmin men

like m.j ranade

bal ganga darth

katie telang

all of them went to regular schools

studied english as their families wanted

them to pursue a career in either

administration or judiciary

ramabai and her brother she also had a

brother

the name was srinivas

ramabhai and her brothers surinamas they

were not trained to become professionals

they followed what was traditionally

meant for brahmanas which is

teaching and worship

the family was staying in

madras presidency

the place was hit by a severe famine

the family suffered from malnutrition as

well

as they did not want to beg for food

they started eating leaves or forestries

anand shastri decided to take his life

by performing something called jal

samadhi

what is jal samadhi basically a practice

which consists of drowning oneself

but does not count as suicide

but he was stopped

by his son

his son now decided to do menial work to

support his family

despite this initiative

the weak and aged anand shastri

died of exhaustion in the year 1877

and his wife lakshmi

followed him a few months later she died

as she couldn't bear the death of her

husband

but she also died of starvation the

family was starving for food

the year was again

1878

when the siblings

ramabai and her brother visited calcutta

and here the cultural and the

intellectual elite of calcutta welcomed

them

and in fact praised ramabai's knowledge

of sanskrit the knowledge of hindu

religious texts

she was later examined by

a group of sanskrit scholars

who awarded her the titles of pandita

which basically means a woman scholar

the title of saraswati the goddess of

learning

during her stay in bengal presidency

ramabai was asked to give both

public lectures on women

and private speeches for women in their

homes

and her main sources were the hindu

texts and the mythology

she was also introduced to the brahmos

samaj of

it was during her stay in bengal

that ramabai had her first encounter

with

christianity

she was invited to attend a christian

service but this event did not impress

her much

she was also gifted a sanskrit bible

even this did not impress her

another very important

social reformer of that time

bengali keshav

that you should also study the vedas

initially ramabai thought

that vedas are prohibited for women

but then she also read upanishads

and slowly and steadily she felt a

general dissatisfaction with her

religion

but then

in the year 1880

her brother also died

the sudden death of her brother

further alienated ramabai from her

religion

ramabai was 22

completely alone in the world

without any economic support

her brother surinamas had a friend

bapu bipin bihari das medavi

he proposed ramabai for marriage

she accepted

but bipin bihari was a bengali he was

not a brahmana

this was an intercast marriage

the society was not receptive to the

idea of an intercast marriage

the young couple

then moved to celcher

which is an assam

and in 1881 one year later the couple

welcomed their daughter manorama

but then tragedy

struck ramabai again

she was 23 when bipin bihari her husband

died of an illness

leaving her alone

with their year-old daughter

manorama

talking about the contributions of

pandita ramabai

three things need to be kept in mind

number one

the establishment of arya mahila samaj

number two the establishment of sharda

sadhana

and ramabai's various

literary works

ramabai's actual reform

or reform career started with the

setting up of the first organization for

women in maharashtra

named

arya mahila samaj the year was

1882

the place

puna

what was the objective of the society

the aim was

to discuss

and eradicate customs like child

marriage

the cruel treatment

that was given to the child widows and

the widows in general the lack of

education for women

the association

used to conduct meetings

and organize lectures on various topics

concerning women

and when women meet

and interact with other women it also

establishes a support network which

ultimately benefits the women this

incredible first attempt promoted by a

woman

to discuss with women

about social reforms concerning women

was revolutionary

but what was the reaction

of the general society

towards the establishment of as such an

institution

the establishment of

arya mahila samaj was welcomed by

liberal figures such as mg ranadi

but it was also criticized

it received strong criticism from

someone like baal gangadhar tilak

bal gangada

was pandita ramabai's harshest critics

and opponents throughout her long career

in the social field

in ksari

which is the marathi newspaper which was

launched by baal gangada tilla

in the year 1882

ksari published an opinion piece

which read and i'm quoting from the

newspaper

in real life

it is the task of men to eradicate these

and many other evils and customs

prevalent in our society

women cannot interfere with them for

many years to come

even if they are the panditas

and have reached the ultimate stage of

reform

our women will have to submit to male

control for a long time to come this was

the opinion piece published in kasari in

1882

with the arya mahila

what did ramabai want

she wanted to raise women's awareness

about their unhappy domestic and social

conditions

urging them to free themselves from the

male oppression

but

but but

the social experiment

of arya mahila samaj did not find the

actual support it needed to flourish

you need people's support for success

maybe

the time was not yet ripe

for such a feminist organization

unfortunately not only the brahmin men

but also women disregarded and

criticized ramabai's radical views of

that time

but one of the most important

and pivotal events in ramabai's life and

career

is our first overseas journey to england

in the year 1883 in april

she has described this journey in a long

letter addressed to mr s p kelker

mr kalkar

he was the secretary of mumbai's

praarthana samaj he was also a dear

friend of ramabai

this letter

can be considered one of the first

examples of treblog

written in modern marathi

the letter

starts with the ramabai listing all the

reasons for her coming to england

look at the courage of ramabai

she troubled alone

with her baby daughter

and only one female friend

who was this friend

anandibai

bhagat

[Music]

so ramabai

her daughter manorama and her friend

anandibai bhagat traveled to london in

london

she met sister geraldine

with whom

she had a long but difficult

relationship all her life

in london she drafted a petition

that too in marathi

and the title of this petition was the

cry of indian woman

[Music]

this petition was in marathi

in this petition

she described the oppression of indian

women in all their stages of life

she wanted to have this petition

translated into english

so that it can be brought to the

attention of queen victoria

and other eminent political figures of

the time

so in london basically

she spoke of the problems and the issues

faced by the women in india

one reason

why she left for england with her

daughter in 1883 was to study medicine

but she was told that she could not

become a doctor

why

because of her increasing deafness

instead

she enrolled in a teaching program at

the cheltenham college cheltenham ladies

college where she taught marathi and

sanskrit

but ramabai's stay in england

was marked by depression

some say

it was a consequence of few troubling

events

event number one

ramabai's failure to enter the medical

college because of her severe as well as

incurable deafness

event number two

the early hardships of her life

lost her parents

sister brother husband starvation

event iii

her friend committed suicide by

consuming poison

ramabai now

along with her daughter manorama

embraced christianity

they were both given new christian names

marry rama for

ramabai

and manorama baby for manorama

sister geraldine

a key figure in ramabai's life

she served as witness

and became ramabai's spiritual godmother

so let's look at something else

pandita ramabai's relationship with

christianity

her relationship with christianity was a

long and a complex one

influenced by many factors

on one hand

was disillusionment with hinduism

on the other hand the attraction of a

new faith

and this new faith christianity promised

salvation to all

without discrimination

ramabai saw

her own conversion

as a protest against the inherent

discrimination against women in hinduism

ramabai's conversion

it mostly received as expected negative

reactions strong reactions in india

especially by the press

fully

another very important social religious

reform leader of that time he was

perhaps the only supporter

he congratulated ramabai on her

conversion

citing her as an example of freedom

against what he called the oppressive

practices and norms

inflicted on women by hinduism

but something interesting

although ramabai embraced christianity

yet she continued to wear indian dress

yet she remained a vegetarian

she started questioning christianity as

well and this angered the christians

they felt here is a convert

instead of blindly following and

embracing the new religion

ramabai is engaging in a theological

debate

but our critics

fail to understand the real ramabai

ramabhai was rational

it was rationalism which made her reject

the hindu faith and the same rationalism

is ensuring

that she does not fully accept the new

religion

rather what she did

she selectively adopted some of the

aspects of the christian faith

this led

to a rift with sister geraldine that's

why i told you that she had a long but

difficult relationship with sister

geraldine all her life

in december

1885

pandita ramabai received a letter

and this letter from

dr

bodley

dr rachel bodley

she was the dean of a medical college of

pennsylvania which is located in

philadelphia in united states of america

dr rashel invited pandita ramabai

that could you please attend the

graduation of ramabai's distant cousin

anandi by joshi

in the year 1886

when ramabai arrived in the united

states

she was received and perceived as an

internationally renowned advocate for

indian women's advancement

she gave a first speech

on 12 march 1886

and she obtained immediate success among

the american people who admired her

personality admired her mission

in the year 1889

pandita ramabai arrived in bombay

less than a month after her arrival

ramabai was able to open

her residential school

for uppercast women primarily

the institution the residential school

sharda southern

or home of learning

this was inaugurated

on 11th of march 1889

and it gained a lot of publicity and

recognition in local newspapers of

bombay as well as puna

this institution

was the first one of its kind in india

because it was opened for brahmin women

widows

but also admitted unmarried girls

the institution offered regular school

education but also remarkably vocational

training

like teachers training

nursing etc

in fact the opening of this residential

school

was praised by ramabai's critic

said that today our society

has a great need for women like pandita

ramabai

so in fact

the harshest critic of pandita ramabai

baal ganga darth is now praising her

the toughest event

that touched pandita ramabai's life

was her daughter manorama's unexpected

and sudden deterioration of health

the year was 1919 the summer of

1919

probably due to her

hectic work activity she was physically

exhausted

she was also suffering

from a severe heart condition

so she was hospitalized as well

despite the treatments

manorama's condition got increasingly

worse

so she had to be taken back to the

hospital

where she died

she died on 24 july

1921

she had always been her mother's right

hand

an affectionate and devoted daughter

a loyal

and reliable helper

in her mother's mission

in june 1882

panita ramabai published her first

marathi book

titled

sridhar niti or if we translate it in

english means

morals for women

which she dedicated to her late husband

and to her fellow country women

but in this book

rama by

surprisingly

adopted the position of a male reformer

telling women how to perform their

social roles

social roles of wives and mothers

she also gave some pieces of advice

on how to prepare for marriage and to

become a good wife and a good mother

we discussed ramabai's visit to the

united states

the most meaningful event

which marked her american period is the

publication of high caste hindu woman

it was originally written in

marathi

later on it was translated into english

the year was 1887

which rapidly sold 10 000 copies within

a year

this book

can also be considered

as the unofficial indian feminist

manifesto

there are seven chapters in this book

fourth chapter very interesting chapter

is titles of women's plays

in the religion and society

a series of cruel proverbs

which were commonly used by the society

these proverbs are then listed by

ramabai

so that her audience could grasp

how common

how socially acceptable is cruelty

against women

what does that mean

some proverbs

are commonly used

they are so commonly used that we miss

the inherent gender bias in them

ramabai listed some of them in her book

to explain to her audience how

acceptable cruelty against women is in

the society

one such proverb is this

in the form of questions and answers

what's the question

question is what is cruel

answer

the heart of a viper

question what is more cruel than that

answer the heart of a woman

question what is the cruelest of all

answer

the heart of a sunless penniless widow

that's how these

cruel proverbs are depicting the cruel

life of

women in the society

ramabai was an influential figure

an inspiration for many

the british colonial government of india

awarded her quesarei hint

this medal for her distinguished public

service the government of india too

recognized her contribution

by issuing a commemorative stamp

on 26 october

1989

recognizing her contribution towards

women's advancement

furthermore

a road in mumbai

is named in her honor the road

mark

but after the death of our daughter

manorama

ramabai was now completely alone in the

world

with no relatives alive

without her precious only daughter

she was able to endure the painful loss

of her daughter manorama for less than a

year

and on 5th april

1922

after a period of illness and overwork

she died died just a few days before

her 64th birthday

the life of pandita ramabai

saraswati

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