Satyashodhak Samaj

The origin ideas and membership of the Satya Shodhak Samaj which founded by Phule and his friends caste fellows and business colleagues in 1873

On 24 September 1873, Jyotirao formed Satyashodhak Samaj (Society of Seekers of Truth), of which he was the first president and treasurer, to focus on rights of depressed classes. 

courtesy : www.sruti.org.in

     Phule dreamed about `Balistan'. Phule termed this condition as
a rule of creator or as a rule of truth. In the same line Karl Marx
expected classless in equal society in Europe continent.
Phule vision was universal same as Marx's, but he was not
satisfied with delivering ideology itself, he tried to execute the same
in practice. He was limited to his goal that to fight against
Brahmanical domination and upliftment of the downtrodden i.e.
women, Shudras and Ati-Shudras. Phule knew how difficult that task
was. So he thought that this is possible through collective action and
an organised movement. In this respect he expected the active cooperation
from his colleagues friends the lower caste students who
have completed their studies. In this regard Phule organised a
meeting at Pune on 23rd September, 1873 where `Satya Shodhak
Samaj' (Truth seekers society) was founded.                                                                                                            

Satyashodhak
ideology dreamed to establish ideal society based on some
principles as follows:
1. Faith on one God (creator)
2. Rejection of any kind of intermediary between God and
Man.
3. Rejection of caste system and the basic four folded
Varna division of society and believing on that man's
supremacy is determined by his qualities and not by his
caste or.
4. Faith on equality, freedom and brotherhood

Samaj was a non-political body which against the objectives
was to make amends for the neglect of Natural Rights of human
beings especially of the Shudras and Ati-Shudras over the past
centuries. It sought to restore their rights and also to take remedial
action for their misery. In fact it insisted the members to worship
only our creator and honour the pure rights that have been given by
the creator to all human beings by rejecting the belief that some men
are born inferior and by refusing to treat any one as inferior. Each
member also required to give education to his children, so that they
may understand their rights.

Further the Samaj insisted that
education is essential especially English education which play an
vital role not only for providing occupational skills but also for the
intellectual emanicipation of the low castes. Educational propaganda
figured prominently in the agenda of action plan of Satyashodhak
Samaj Phule proposed the programme and appealed the Samaj that
worship our own supreme God (creator) and avoid the role of the
Brahman priest in performing the socio-religious ceremonies thereby
dispensing the hegemonic ideology of the Brahmans and establishing
the Shudras and Ati-Shudras as a new moral community.

Membership of Satyashodhak Samaj was open to all castes,
sects and religions. Any one who accepted its ideology and acted
accordingly by taking oath could be a member of Satyashodhak
Samaj. Ideology of Samaj attracted irrespective of caste and religion
i.e. persons including Brahmans and Muslims

In this regard Rosalind 0. Hanlon pointed out that "about 700
families from Kunbi, Mali, Potter, Carpenter and other Shudra had
launched a movement to make themselves independent in religious
matters from Brahman

P.S. Patil further observed that 114 members out of 225 in the
first year of the Satyashodhak Samaj varying from different castes
and religions i.e. lawyers, merchants, peasants, agricultural
labourers, Ma lies, Rajputs, Sonars, Kasars, Gavalis, untouchables
and Muslims including Brahmans and Govt. official were participated
in the Satyashodhak Samaj. non-Brahman castes were predominant,
and Ma lies were the leading members who were financial supporters
of it. Further some Marathi and Telugu Mali families who engaged in
building contracts were well to do families came forward to support
the activities of the same

Phule, Krishnarao Bhalekar, Narayan Lokhande, Gyanoba
Sasane, Ramayya Ayyavaru, Rajanna, Lingu, were the leading Ma/is
of the samaj.

In secular terms, they
occupied a positon of affluence and local respectively, but their low
ritual status as Shudras, remained unchanged

During 1873 to 1890 a large number of rural masses nearby
Pune and Bombay attracted towards the activities of Samaj. The
progress of the Samaj is as follows. Membership of Satya Shodhak
Samaj was 225, 232 and 316 in 1874 and 1876 respectively 

From 1873 to till his death, Phule was the central figure in
Satyashodhak Samaj. Phule's immediate circle comprising the
leaders like Krishnarao Bhalekar, Narayana Lokhande, Ramayya
Ayyavaru, Rajanna Lingu. Dr. Vishram Ghole, Ramseth Uravane,
Narayana Nagarkar, Dr.Santuji Lad and others also holded
considerable influence over the Samaj.

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