Baya alias Anandi Bai Karve: The Incredible Journey ,Everyone Needs To Know - III

 

Pandita Ramabai shifted sharada Sadan to Pune, initially in there were few students in Mumbai. Gradually it was established in Pune,the number rose to 64. Girls could get good education in Sharada Sadan. The molding years Baya spent at Sharada Sadan had a deep impact on her mind. She felt the seed of whatever she could do for Maharshi Karve's ashram or society were sown then. Durgabai Kirloskar,Kashibai Devdhar and Venubai Namjoshi who studied at Sharada Sadan later joined Anath Balikashram,Hingane (Anna's sanstha was known by this name then and the area was known as Hingane)

 

 

 

 

Baya looked after Kashibai for a long period as she was not well and was very weak. Baya took care of her diet too.

 

She had many other responsibilities so could not get sufficient time to devote to studies.

 

Ramabai always advised "If one has faith in the work one undertakes, God gives strength." Baya followed it through out her life. Her working silently for the Ashram ,other institutions and for women, probably can be described as her faith in the great cause of women's education.

 

 

Ramabai always wanted her to teach and expected that she would help atleast one widow in her life. It probably was the devine plan that Anna married Baya after the death of his first wife and later established an institution for women's education. Through out her life, Baya never complained about the resistance by society, silently helped Anna without even expecting any mention. (Baya's role is seldom recognised, outside the karve sanstha many are not aware of help.)

 

Even her parents silently supported Anna's work,they donated some money after the death of Baya's elder sister. One of the rooms in ashram had her name inscripted ' Ambikabai Bhave '.

 

  

Baya wrote about her second marriage ( widow remarriage ). Her father visited Anna in Pune ,by that time he had lost his first wife, but Anna and her brother used to stay together. He asked Anna whether he wished to marry again? Then it was a common practice to marry a young girl after the death of the first wife. Anna had a different view,he had resolved to marry a widow. Baya's father could see a ray of hope,he secretly thought of getting Baya married hiding the fact of her being a widow.( Baya would fear that the second husband might die, she would say she would work at her in laws home and spend the rest of her life. )He perceived Anna's thought as the devine plan of Lord Shri Ram.

 

Next day he visited sharada Sadan to meet Baya. He put forward the point of remarriage, not only suggested her to think of it, but convinced her and got her consent too.

 

Anna too thought of getting permission from the family, but realised that it might create problems. Even Baya's brother didn't like the idea much. He married an adult unmarried girl after the death of his first wife.

 

Anna talked to Baya,he clearly explained that the situation at his home was different, it lacked many things that existed at the Rama Sadan. If Baya was ready to embrace his poverty, he was ready to marry her.

 

Then Anna went to Konkan at his native village,conveyed his thoughts to his mother and elder brother of marrying a widow. Looking at his resolve they gave their consent.

 

Anna met Pandita Ramabai too,she was happy to know that Baya and Anna decided to marry ,but in a way put a condition that he had to deposit 3 thousand rupees in Baya's name. Anna followed it. Ramabai found him to be not so healthy,had a 12 year old son and had somewhat meager salary. She was not really satisfied with the picture.

 

Baya had a dilemma in a way, on one hand she thought she can live her life in some or the other way without marriage. On the other hand she wanted to help and support her family members too. Baya was almost 27 complete,she could stay in Sharada Sadan for 5 years only. Her education had not reached the stage that she could work and be independent. Ultimately she decided to remarry and try her luck again.

 

Anna's sister in law suggested a girl who was also in Sharada Sadan ,she knew her, so she thought that she could continue staying in Anna's home. The girl ( Dwarka ) was weak was not suffiently healthy, and died later.

 

Baya's father was to a great extent progressive in his thoughts. He believed in humanity as a principle, helped people he knew in his own way, without considering the caste factor. He believed in Bhakti Marg, that is ardent devotion to deity. He thought if God is responsible for her widowhood then He should accept her offering Pooja ( worship ) too. Those who did not accept it,he politely stated that his God approved it, if anyone against it, can stay away.

 

This was the test of mental strength for many and to an extent quite an ordeal too. All stood the test,even Baya too could not escape the stigma through out her life. We are blessed that people like Anna and Baya led an unrelenting battle for women's education, thus women can have power and control over their life.

 

 

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