The nineteenth centurywitnessed the emergenceof a galaxy of pioneers invarious aspects of life - inthoughts and ideas, inscience, art, literature,social reforms andreligion. It was the dawnof the age of reason, anage of transition from themedieval darkness to theenlightenment of modernage, often endearinglytermed as “BengalRenaissance”. Iswarchandra Bandyopadhyay, popularlyknown as Iswarchandra Vidyasagar as the honorific title“Vidyasagar”replaced the surname (he often preferred tosign in English as Eshwar Chunder Sharma), was one ofthe great reformers and architects of Bengal who foughtrelentlessly and unflinchingly on various fronts of theinert, stagnant and orthodox society. The title wasawarded to him by Sanskrit College for his outstandingac<strong>com</strong>plishments in Sanskrit language, literature andphilosophy.Born of obscure parents in a more obscure village inMedinipur District on 26 September, 1820, Vidyasagarstarted his teaching career at the age of 21 with FortWilliam College, Calcutta, and later joined Sanskrit Collegeas its principal but career was never important to him. Hiseyes were set beyond.Vidyasagar felt that mass education, irrespective of caste,creed and sex, was the necessity of the day to bring abouta real change in the society. And to ensure it, spread ofeducation among women was very much essential. TheBengali society was still holding on to medievalism.Besides the <strong>com</strong>moners, many highly educated men toowere averse to any change in women’s status, particularlyto their education. Prior to 1850 the government was nottoo keen on education of Indian women. Memoirs ofRassundari Devi, born circa 1809, depicts the plight ofwomen which is full of pathos: “ I was so immersed in thesea of housework that I was not conscious of what I wasgoing through day and night. After sometime a desire tolearn how to read properly grew very strong in me. I wasangry with myself for wanting to read books. Girls did notread…That was one of the bad aspects of the old system.…. People used to despise women of learning…..In fact,older women used to show a great deal of displeasure ifthey saw a piece of paper in the hands of a woman.”Again, Haimavati Sen (born c.1866) recalled:“ It is apopular superstition in our country that women, ifeducated, have to suffer widowhood.” In her <strong>Hindu</strong>Mahilaganer Heenabastha, Kailasbashini Devi recalledthat although she had initially be<strong>com</strong>e literate at thebehest of her husband, it had to be kept secret from herparents-in-law. In his Report on The State of <strong>Education</strong> inBengal (1836) William Adam wrote : “ A superstitiousfeeling is alleged to exist in the majority of <strong>Hindu</strong> families,principally cherished by the women and not discouragedby the men, that a girl taught to read and write will soonafter marriage be<strong>com</strong>e a widow.”Indeed, some respectable men like Raja Radhakanta Deband the Christian Mission moved in that direction. While,on the one hand, Vidyasagar devoted himself to therestructuring of the prevailing system of education withunfailing zeal and determination, on the other hand, hekept his focus on the need for spreading education amongwomen. In 1849, a day school for girls named <strong>Hindu</strong>Female School, later renamed Bethune Female School,was opened in Calcutta by John Elliot DrinkwaterBethune, a barrister and law member of the GovernorGeneral’s Council. As the president of the Council of<strong>Education</strong>, Bethune had known the highly talented anduntiring Vidyasagar. Now he inducted him into the schoolas its honorary secretary. In 1856, Vidyasagar was electedsecretary of the school <strong>com</strong>mittee. Bethune persuaded anumber of prominent families to extend their support tothe running of the school. By 1850 the school enrolled 80pupils.The arena of Vidyasagar was, however, much larger thanthat of Bethune School. He was convinced that masseducation could not exclude female education. So heplanned to open more schools for the females. Hediscussed the matter with the lieutenant-governor ofBengal Sir Frederick James Halliday(1854-1859). He wasverbally assured by Halliday that if “…the inhabitantswould provide suitable school houses, the expenses formaintaining the schools would be met by thegovernment.” So Vidyasagar went ahead with opening 35female schools in 4 districts namely, Hughly, Burdwan,Medinipur and Nadia, in a brief space of time betweenNovember 1857 and May 1858. His plan was to set up thefemale schools in the same fashion as he had done forModel Vernacular schools for boys because thegovernment’s stance on the female education appearedto him to be encouraging. “The average total attendance”of girls in the schools was 1300. Perhaps it was too hasty,considering the <strong>com</strong>plex character of the administration.In the next year the government refused sanction to theestablishment of the schools. Vidyasagar lamented, “Mylabours have thus be<strong>com</strong>e fruitless and the interestinglittle schools will have to be closed immediately.” He hadincurred a huge expense for opening and running thefemale schools. Now he was put into a great trouble. Indisgust he resigned from the post of principal of SanskritCollege as well as all other official posts in November1858.But the little man had an unshakable courage, vigour anddetermination. In the wake of his resignation he lost hismonthly in<strong>com</strong>e of Rs 500, and the government withdrewall financial support. With a view to keeping the femaleschools running he opened a “Female School Fund” andmany distinguished Indians, including Raja Pratap ChandraSingh of Paikpara, came forward to contribute to thatfund. Even lieutenant-governor Sir Cecil Beadoncontributed Rs 330. A happy undertone of Vidyasagarmarks his letter to Sir Bartle Frere, who had contributedto the cause, “… the Mofussil Female Schools…areprogressing satisfactorily. Female education has begun tobe gradually appreciated by the people of districtscontiguous to Calcutta, and schools are being openedfrom time to time.” At the same time Vidyasagar tookgreat care of the welfare of Bethune School.Throughout his life Vidyasagar championed the cause offemale education in Bengal. After he passed away on 29July 1891, the Ladies’ Vidyasagar Memorial Committeepaid a tribute to him: “It is, therefore, a source of greatgratification to the Committee to find that a body of<strong>Hindu</strong> ladies in Calcutta should have interestedthemselves in this manner to perpetuate the memory ofthe late Pandit Vidyasagar who, during his lifetime, inaddition to the philanthropic work to which he devotedhis whole life, had done so much to promote Female<strong>Education</strong> in Bengal.”
mypanchang.<strong>com</strong>May <strong>2013</strong> • North Indian Baisakh-Jyeshth • Chaitra-Vaishakha • Mesha-Vrishabha • Chittirai–VaikaasiSUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT2 Graha Pravesha Varuthini Ekadasi May 54 Graha Pravesha (After 13:34) Akshay Tritiya May 127 Graha Pravesha & Wedding till 14:30 Shankara Jayanthi May 1412 Graha Pravesha & Wedding Nrisimha Jayanthi May 2321 Graha Pravesha & Wedding after 8:32 Lunar Eclipse May 2424 Graha Pravesha & Wedding after 11:11 Memorial Day May 2729 Graha Pravesha Sankathara Chaturthi May 2730 Graha Pravesha after 13:17Grishma Rutu (Drik Sid)Chaitra KrishnaSaptami 17:08U.shada 14:121Ashtami 15:26Shravana 13:122Panchaka beginsNavami 14:14Dhanishta 12:413Dashami 13:33Shatabhisha 12:404567891011Varuthini Ekadashi 13:22P.Bhadrapada 13:10Soma PradoshamDvadashi 13:42U.Bhadrapada 14:10Panchaka endsMasa ShivaratriTrayodashi 14:31Revati 15:38Chaturdashi 15:47Ashvini 17:32Amavasya TarpanamAmavasya 17:28Bharani 19:49Vaishakha ShuklaPrathama 19:30Krittika 22:27Dvitiiya 21:48Rohini 25:2012131415161718Sankara JayanthiParashurama JayanthiBasava JayanthiTritiiya 24:18Mrigashirsha 28:23Chaturthi 26:49Aardra day/nightPanchami 29:13Aardra 07:26Sun: Vrishabha 09:46 TarpanaVaikaasiShashthi day/nightPunarvasu 10:21Chandana Shashthi 07:20Pushya 12:57Guru PushyamritaGangotpatti Saptami 08:58Aslesha 15:04Bagalamukhi JayanthiAshtami 10:00Magha 16:33Sita Navami 10:17P.Phalguni 17:1919Vasavi JayanthiDashami 09:48U.Phalguni 17:1820Mohini Ekadashi 08:32Hasta 16:3321PradoshamRukmini Dvadashi 06:34Trayodashi 27:57Chitra 15:0622Nrisimha JayanthiChaturdashi 24:52Svaati 13:0423TN: Naamm 24Penumbral Lunar Eclipse(20:53-21:26)Sampat Gauri VratamKurma JayanthiAnnamacharya JayanthiBuddha Purnima 21:25Vaikasi Vishaakham 10:37(North Indian Jyestha)Vaishakha KrishnaPrathama 17:46Anuraadha 07:52Jyeshtha 29:0125262728293031Guru Mithuna 17:29Memorial DayDvitiiya 14:05Mula 26:13Sankathara ChaturthiTritiiya 10:33P.shadha 23:39Chaturthi 07:17Panchami 28:27U.shada 21:28Shashthi 26:10Shravana 19:47Panchaka beginsSaptami 24:31Dhanishta 18:44Trilochana Ashtami 23:35Shatabhisha 18:22
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