Social reformers founded many institutions in Maharashtra. These institutions started special movements to improve the condition of women and their description is given below:
1. Paramhans Sabha: Social reformers of Maharashtra started movements in the 19th century for bringing consciousness to society. Paramhans Mandali was founded in 1849 A.D. It started the religious-social reform movement in Bombay. Its main objective was to oppose idol worship and the caste system. This Sabha started many schools of women’s education.
It also started institutions to give education in the evening. Jyotiba Phooley opened a school at Phone for the girls of scheduled castes so that the condition of women could be improved. He also tried to improve the condition of widows. That’s why the government passed an Act called the ‘Widow Remarriage Act’ in 1856 A.D. He opened an orphanage for the children of widows. There was another social reformer of Maharashtra ‘Gopal Hari Deshmukh’ who was famous by the name of ‘Lok-Hitkari’. He criticized social evils and stressed social welfare.
2. Prarthna Samaj: Prarthna Samaj was founded in Maharashtra in 1867 A.D. Mahadev Govind Ranade and Ram Krishna Gopal Bhandarkar were famous leaders of this society. They strongly opposed the caste system and child marriage. They were in favour of widow remarriage. They found ‘Vidhva-Vivaha Sangh’. They also opened educational institutions and orphanages at many places. Just because of their efforts, Deccan Educational Society was founded in 1884 A.D., which started Deccan college at Pune.
