Bavan Kashi Subodh Ratnakar (The Ocean of Pure Gems): collection of Savitribai Phule’s poems

Collection of Savitri’s poems, Bavan Kashi Subodh Ratnakar (The Ocean of Pure Gems), was published in 1891. It is a biography, in verse, of Mahatma Phule, as Jotirao came to be known, towards the end of his life. Jotiba had developed a devastating critique of the Brahmin interpretation of Maratha history in the ancient and medieval periods. Savitri’s biography was as much about the Maratha history as it was about her illustrious husband. Savitri also edited and published four of Jotiba’s speeches on Indian history. A few of her own speeches were published in 1892.

Theirs was an unusual relationship, which was more like friendship. They were committed to one another and their social work. They had a harmonious, blissful and fulfilling relationship. This can be seen from the following poems reproduced below. Above all, they were equals in the relationship. Notice how she refers to her husband by name. This was truly revolutionary for her time.

Path to Domestic Bliss
Jotiba fills my life with joy
As nectar does a flower
I am blessed with a man renowned
My happiness knows no bounds….

Jotiba was her teacher and mentor. He not only made her literate but also created in her a strong desire for knowledge and social action. This is reflected in her poems.

Salutations to Jotiba
I salute Jotiba from the very depths of my being
He gives us the nectar of knowledge and hope, a new way of living
The great Joti calls out to the weak, the untouchable, the outcast
Gives us the gift of knowledge and resurrects us from our past
The Teachings of Jotiba
I pay my respects to Jotiba, my lord, so dear
His mellifluous words resonate in my ear
I serve the Mahar-Mang considered outcasts
Memories of my beloved Lord fill my heart …
… I reflect upon Jotiba’s words, see their reflection in my mind
They who serve with a philanthropic goal attain greatness amongst humankind
These are Jotiba’s teachings gleaned from experience
 I, Savitri, cherish them in the deep recesses of my conscience.

We chose these pomes as they highlight the multifaceted personality of a reformer, who put into verses her own social engagement. In these verses one can get a view of a woman completely devoted to education of the downtrodden. Her passion to see them empowered, her faith that the powerful knowledge can save people from the chains of servitude, ignorance and sufferance. Her revolutionary call to “throw away the Brahman’s scriptures” and “rise to learn” for our own dignity is so powerful and intensive that still gives hope and strength to fight against ignorance towards a society of equality and equity. She also used to write speeches as well. She had collection of Jyotiba Phule’s speeches, her speeches and letters written to Jyotibal phule.

All this writing has been collected together in a one hundred and ninety four paged volume The complete works of Savitribai Phule edited by Dr M. G. Mali. The volume has an introduction by the famous thinker and philosopher Dr, Surendra Barlinge. Kavyaphule was the first anthology of Savitribai’s poems published in 1854. It has a total of forty-one poems. It includes poems about nature, social issues, instructive poems and historical poems. Jotirao’s Speeches is a volume edited by Savitribai and the transcription has been done by Charles Joshi. This book was published on 25 December 1856 and contains four speeches by Jotirao. Savitribai’s Letters to Jotirao has a total of three letters written from Otur and Naigaon.

Speeches of Matoshree Savitribai contains Savitribai’s speeches on varied topics such as enterprise, imparting education, good conduct, addictions and loans among others. They have been edited by Shastri Naro Babaji Mahadhat Pansare Patil and were published by Vatsal Press, Baroda in 1892. Bavankashi Subodh Ratnakar is collection of poems that narrates the history of India, including Jotirao’s work in prose. It has fifty two compositions. This poetry was composed in 1891 after Jotirao’s death and published as a book in 1892.