Savitribai Phule - Early Life

Early Life

Savitribai Phule was born in Naigaon village in Satara district to her mother LaxmiBai and father Khandoji Navse Patil on 3 January 1831. Her father was the village chief. Savitribai was just nine years old when she was married to JyotiRao Phule (age thirteen) in the year 1840. According to the Hindu calendar, the date of their marriage was Falgun Vadya panchami, Shakey 1765. SavitriBai’s father-in-law, Govindrao Phule, was from Phursungi, with the last name Khirsagar. The Peshwa gave him a horticultural land in Pune, so he migrated to Pune and started a horticultural business. This was why he acquired the last name Phule, from the word phul, flower. (Many last names in Maharashtra are acquired due to the family business).

Savitribai’s husband Jyotirao lost his mother at a very young age. His maternal cousin sister Saguna (lovingly called SagunaAau by JyotiRao, Aaee = mother) nurtured him. SagunaAau worked as a nanny for a British officer’s son. She therefore understood and was able to converse in English. She used this knowledge to inspire JyotiRao. JyotiRao was thus attracted towards education.

Savitribai had been given a book by a Christian missionary before her marriage which she brought with her to her in-laws house. This shows the attraction she had for words and books despite being uneducated. SavitriBai set up a school for SagunaAau on 1 May 1847 in a backward community. This was their first school. SagunaAau started teaching there happily and enthusiastically. A year later when a school was started in Bhide Wada in Pune, SagunaAau was called there to teach. The first school had stopped working abruptly due to lack of acceptability for education for lower caste people in those days.