Army Subedar, Ramjirao came from Ambvade village of Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. He was a Mahar by caste. He had joined the Indian Army in 1877 when India was under the colonial rule of the British.
At the end period of his military service Ramjirao was stationed at Mow cantonment in Central Province (Madhya Pradesh). He had already sired 13 children. Only four were surviving. His wife Bheemabai was expecting their 14th child.
On 14th April, 1891 the expected child arrived, a boy. The family, relatives and friends celebrated the birth with usual gusto and traditions. The newborn was christened ‘Sakpal’ by the Mahar priest. But the family preferred to call him Bheemrao after his mother. The women folk made wishful predictions about the child as being the would-be redeemer and the glory earner of the family. They made such prophecies for every child born in a poor family to cheer up the gloomy realities around. Ramjirao’s friends strongly supported the prophecy with the sole purpose of tickling the Subedar into getting them drunk on military rum. Subedar Ramjirao obliged them taking it as his social obligation and to uphold the honour of his military rank.
But the realities were very disturbing. The future prospects for baby Bheemrao were very grim… frighteningly grim.
The tragedy of Mahars
Mahars were and are brave people. Born soldiers they are. Mahars fought battles for Peshwas and took part in Chhatrapati Shivaji’s campaigns against Muslim Empires earning many a glorious victory. Later, they fought for British in two world wars and won medals for bravery and exceptional courage. And Mahars took leading roles in the battles that India had to take part in after the independence. The medals, honours and titles won by them is the real testimony of their valour and the fighting spirit.
But orthodox Hindu society did not accept that fact.
Mahars were considered the lowest of the lower castes of Hindu society. They were special targets of upper caste hatred because they used to carry away the dead cattle which no other Hindu would even touch although it was the caste system that had reserved that job for them. In Hindu society caste was the most important factor of life. The lower castes were not allowed to fetch water from the wells and ponds. They were barred from entering the temples. The schools refused to admit lower caste children.
No lower caste person could touch the upper caste person. So much so that if a lower caste person’s shadow fell upon an upper caste person especially a Brahmin he was mercilessly beaten up. The lower caste people were insulted abused and terrorised by upper caste in every walk of life.
To escape from these horrors of life Mahars joined armies in large numbers where they found some honour. Financially too Mahars were in worst state. Starvation or semi-starvation was order of a Mahar’s day. In the army, as a soldier a Mahar was ensured of atleast regular food and some salary. Even after retirement Mahar soldiers preferred not to go back to their ancestral villages where only hatred and humiliation awaited them. They settled down in colonies populated by retired Mahars near cantonments and towns.
Lately, even British had stopped recruiting Mahars in the army because untouchability was creating problems. The upper caste soldiers were refusing to stand near a Mahar soldier in lineups. The orders of Mahar officers were getting disobeyed by other soldiers. Subedar Ramjirao had appealed to the higher authorities against the unofficial ban on the recruitment of Mahars.
Whenever Ramjirao looked at the moon like face of his son Bheemrao, he would sigh. Would his son also suffer the horrors of the life of a Mahar? No way. Subedar Ramjirao made up his mind to educate his son at all costs. The education should give him a good position, income and respectable life.
For most of the relatives and the family members Bheemrao was just ‘Bheeva’.
One year after the birth of Bheemrao or Bheeva Subedar Ramjirao retired from the army service. He had to leave Mow Cantonment after retirement. He opted to live in Dhapoli, a small settlement of Mahar ex-servicemen in his home district, Ratnagiri.
Bheeva was now a prankster kid. He played and made mischiefs with other Mahar kids of the neighbourhood. Climbing trees and swinging by the branches were his favourite activities. Innocence of childhood was sheltering Bheeva from the harsh realities of life.
But his father Ramjirao had no such protective shield from the realities. He was a worried man. The family was living on his small pension. Ramjirao had not been able to make any savings during his service period because all his life he had to support a large family. And he could not find any job or around Dhapoli. The situation was grim.