New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-31
PUNDITA RAMABAL.
THE FIRST STEPS TOWARD A SOCIAL REVO-
LUTON IN INDIA
Calcutta, May %.


Calcutta, May %
| "In viSnuLand, what Avatarl" This that the
days Of child wid0whood are numbered ana trS
a.so that the fair and gentle Rarnaba VINO not lohs
ago was a petted guest in the United ntac'S' -
leadAr perhap, tho leader, OF the new Gspehshuoh
One OF the wort features Of iIindOsans social system
Is that Of composite families" II las some adVi@
tages It IS true but these are greatly overbaanced
by DISADVANTAGES II holds the Young In hopeless
thrnldom. II destroys their independence of Thought
and action. II literally paralyzes their energhs ana
makes them autOmata than young men ahiu
women.
In considering the dcplor7,ble condition Of women
In Ind a. their enforced Ignorance and seclusloi, one
fact must be kept Ia mind that they were not always
80. In tho former and better ages women wee as
froe as men. They educated and went apou1
as they wlned. You will find IN the Nefias ana
Puranas not one word indicative Of woman's mferi
GRITTY or subsection The present State OF
affairs belong exclusively to the degenerate days
Of India and was chiefly imposed upon the people ut
the time OF the Mahometan conquest. In STRIVING
TO away with It, therefore Ramabai and other re-
formers alo merely seeking return TO the early ana
pure faith.
The early marriage system Is what initiates most
agsiinst the emanripnting Of women. The wellniGh
universal rule T. that all girls shall be married bN
fore the age OF twelve years and most on them are
married before they reach hall that age. Thousands
indeed, are married when only few months old AZ
n married woman, MARRIED child, must hVe MI
close retirement It is evident that these unf9fa'e'
have no opportunities OF learning anything beyond
the mcrest rudneuts The complete emancipation OF
women cannot he effected. therefor unth child
marriage ig abolished With that pcrHciois instItu
tinn Punda Rumabh does not propose 10 me1hle
directly But a vast number OF these crih'wlVes DE-
o,me widows long before they are grown 20 wodnai
hood. They cannot marry again, but are conHeihh
10 life Of most painful degradation it Is TO inns
I -..H.lr -.fferr hpr-a
propose, TO educate these young widows ann open
before them some sort OF life that IS not living DEATH
II was on March H. 1889, that Pundha Ramasu
with the money contributed I'm America, opohcu 40
bombay her school for young widows Religious III"
socloI Influences were arrayed against It In tho
strongest manner. To entpr IL was To become an
outcast. And those who were at hnIt friendly
10 tho enterprise expected only failure. The SCHOOL
opened with just ono inmate, girl who had peo"m
a widow at the age Of eight years. SIX months Ei"r
there were twelve OF them. year later there w,ge
| twenty-five. one Of them became widow Mt mo
age Of five. another At seven, another Mt GYM SIX
between eight and ten and four between ten and
thirteen Only two or three knew even the alphabet
But under Ramabais instruction they have made good
pr,gress and are now Intelligent One child IN the
school Is not a widow, but wife. She was MaFI-eo
when between three and four years old ana was ukei
TO nvo with her mother ln-law. There Sle WIS ue'e>
with great cruelty. Tho woman used 10 hang hfT
with hfavy stick.
Most Of Ramalai's pupils are Brahmns, though
n few belong 10 the Vusya caste. They observe
tho strict rules Of their caste in all matters OF dress
and department. BESIDES instructing In ordinary
branches OF learning. they are all taught needle
work. cookery, and tho other elements OF the house
wfe's art
opposition to Ramabas work Is still strong and
bitter When one OF her scholars died. the parents
said Her husbands spirit came TO her and Killed
her unable to endure the disgrace OF her conduct
But there Is also "A strong feeling in her favor. es-
pccally among men Of culture and high ponucal
rank Among her outspoken friends are Mr. NulAar.
Of Calcutta a member Of the Viceroy's Council; Dir.
Rnnadi n member Of the Council Of the Governor
OF Bombay. DR.. lhandarkar professor oi salscrt III
Dcccan College: Mr. Telang. Judge OF the Hlsh
Court Mt bombay; and Mr.. Modak. principal OF FL
phnstOne school. the largest school In the Bombay
Presidency.
Perhaps the strongest feeling against Rama0ai
arises from the fact that she has accepted Christi
nnity Even her supporters in her educational work
cannot quite forgive for that. Yet Whenever she
speaks in public she Is sure OF crowded auolehce
and no wonder. She speaks the purest sahscflt
the divine language which IS said 10 have come direct
from the lips Of Brahm himself. And there Is some
thing yes many things. about her that appeal
strongly TO the enthusiasm Of the people. Despite
her ndopton of the Christian religion. she Is an
Indian. Her love is for india. and her sympathieS
and her zeal. Her manners and dress are indian
And even while they criticise and condemn her
! the Indians are proud Of her. In some places IL
has even been whispered that perhaps she is an
Avatar the Incarnation Of the Deity come to lead
the people back to pure faith and to national glory
II may be- asked, What good will II do. after all
What is 10 be- accomplished by educating few dozen
Young women What they among the hundreds
~ millions In this country TIE answer Is ready
Each ono Of these students. going ont OF Ramabais
school becomes herself teacher. IL is true that
they are I'm sense outcasts Theoretically they
are outcasts practically they not. For despite
all the wrctched supcrsttions Of caste" an educntd
woman modest and vrtuous. be She maid or WIFE,
or widow is regarded with respect here rs In every
other civilized country, and She IS vital force In
society. More than any Other influence these young
women are tending toward the social reNoluton
that must come In India. The British uoverhhehl
does NOT dare seriously Ia interfere In social or
RELIGIOUS matters. IL did suppress suffice. bnt IL
will not undertake to prohibit 'hlld marriages.
The native governments. Of course. VIII not - IL
i. left 70 private effort 10 bring about the Srcnt
| change which all wclllnfOrmed men SEQ ~ bOth
desirable and inevitable. Pnndita Ramabai wac the
first 10 undertake the work In earnest she has been
and * highly successful. And her example has
:, INFLATED Others since she founded her pioneer
echorl I'm BOMBAY, others have been established
an ike plans one Mt PoOnah. the intellectual centre
- nm, Empire and I'm the suburbs OF Calcutta.
| They are making fair progress and are rapidly
fading AWAY the reprOach often uttered. that IL
vas - cruel thing to abolish suffice. since death i
| preferable 10 life 10 an Indian widow.
| WESLEYAN ATHLETICS.