Slavery: Collected Works of Mahatma Jotiba Phule

by Jotirao Govindrao Phule, P.G. Patil (Translator)

The Government of Maharashtra has decided to celebrate the year 1990-91 as the death-centenary year of Mahatma Jotirao Phule—with due solemnity. As part of the said centenary, the Government also decided to publish the Collected Works of Mahatma Phule in English— in a number of volumes.

The Government, therefore, constituted the Mahatma Phule Death Centenary Committee which organised a number of functions and activities throughout the year 1990-91 to mark the occasion.

I am happy to present the First Volume of the Collected Works of Mahatma Phule—namely ‘ Slavery '. This was published in Marathi in 1873. The full title of the book runs as follows :—

“ Slavery (in the Civilised British Government under the cloak of
Brahmanism)—exposed by Jotirao Govindrao Phule (1873).”

The prescience of Jotirao is reflected in the ‘ Dedication ’ of this slender booklet. Jotirao dedicated this book to “ the good people of the United States as a token of admiration for their sublime, disinterested and self-sacrificing devotion in the causes of Negro Slavery ”.

Jotirao hated slavery in any form. Physical slavery is bad enough, but the Slavery of the mind and spirit—perpetrated in the name of Religion upon the Shudra and Ati-shudra inhabitants of India down the ages is a blot on the fair name of Hinduism. Jotirao pours ridicule and contempt upon the Aryan interlopers for their tyranny.

Jotirao hoped that his countrymen will be inspired by the noble example of the American people to undo this wrong by emancipating the Shudra and Ati-shudra “ from the trammels of Brahmin thraldom ”.

The Centenaiy Committee entrusted the work of translating this important volumes by Jotirao into cnglish to Barrister P. G. Patil who is an eminent Professor of English and a reverent student of the philosophy of Mahatma Phule and the Satya Shodhak Movement in Maharashtra.
I do hope the younger generation of Maharashtra will study this book reverently, will imbibe its seminal teaching and will try to translate those noble ideas into their personal and social life.

By so doing, they (Vi) will blaze a new trail not only in Maharashtra but in India as a whole. This will please the soul of Mahatma Phule and will enrich and ennoble the fabric of Social and Cultural life of Maharashtra.

I have great pleasure in commending and recommending this important volume ‘ Slavery ’ by Mahatma Phule to the discerning people of Maharashtra in particular and of India in general.

Genres: Poetry, Nonfiction, History

90 pages, Paperback

First published November 28, 1991

Reviews

[Madhumeet Kour · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jotirao Phule has done tremendous work in uplifting bahujans in India. This book is electrically charged with arguments and discussions wrt caste system and oppression of Bahujans under the tyranny of UCs in India.

[Varsha Bang · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book questions each and every story of the greatness of Baman we might've heard. Right from the ridiculousness of the appearance of Narsimha from a pillar to the Vaman turning into a gigantic figure. We, the current generation of Savarnas dismiss jokingly these stories as pure mythology but they were used conveniently by the Brahmins to establish their hegemony. In earlier centuries, these stories from Shastras and Manusmriti were considered as the ultimate truth which then allowed the perpetuation of the caste system. This book makes the readers aware of the roots of the caste system and how it has continued to prevail till date.

[Pradeep Kirubagaran]

Profound outlook of caste in day to day life in Maharashtra and in Poona. Its remarkable piece of work considering, the books by Dr. B.R Ambedkar almost a century later. And its must read for people from all non-brahmin in community, to understand the recent developments in India are not new and are not taking us forward, back to the past. And the Brahmin's to become rational and self evaluation.

[Riya ❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, Jotirao's anger is justified. Mythological stories aren't more logical than the ones he created. The concept of cast in its fundamentals is cruel and can't be justified. And one can not forget Jotirao's contribution to making the lives of both women and Dalits easier even if it was still not the easiest.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book makes me want to read more of Phuley's works. What a great visionary!

[Abhay Malviya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Past worth remembering so that we don't fall in that ditch again.