Bahulicha Haud

Location - Faraskhana police station,Pune. Near DagaduSheth Ganpati.

Kalachya ooghat ha haud kadhicha ch kuthetari door jaun padlay. Tyawr asnara 'KashiBai' cha Putala bahuda nahisa zalay ki navta ch....

What happened with Bahuli? Is what I heard true? I wish it was not. So, I started searching for the truth about Bahuli and also the Bahulicha Haud. Wanna join? Oh, sorry, let me introduce you to Bahuli first.

Let's go back to the 19th century. One part of our country was fighting with the British, and another was grappling with our own bad practices, rituals, traditions, flawed ideologies, social injustices, and caste discrimination. Concurrently, there was a growing advocacy for education and equality in our society. Pune was yet to emerge as the educational hub but began to witness the foundational efforts by Mahatma Jyotirao Phule & Savitribai Phule towards this transformation on its streets.

However, these progressive reforms were not welcomed by the society. They faced significant opposition and hostility from conservative factions due to their radical challenge against established societal norms and traditional practices. Inhuman behaviour emerged when Savitribai initiated a girls' school.

In that era, Bahuli aka Kashibai, was born to Dr. Vishram Ramji Ghole & Ms. Ghole. Her father, a man with a firm attitude, walked on the path of the Satyashodhak Samaj and decided to send Kashibai to girls' schools. There was huge opposition from society as well as his own family. However, neither Kashibai nor her father was willing to step back.

Kashibai and her father were both unaware of the cruel scheme their family was planning. Just a few days after noticing that Kashibai wasn't heeding their opposition, her family/relatives mixed broken glass pieces into her food (ladoo), resulting in her untimely death due to internal bleeding. The dreams of education, the aspirations of a young girl, and the hopes of a father were all shattered by this heartbreaking act. Such a day was beyond anyone's worst nightmares.

In loving memory of Bahuli, Dr. Vishram Ramji Ghole built a fountain, which stands today near the Faraskhana police station parking area, within walking distance from Dagadusheth Ganpati. This structure was also well known in the past and Dagadusheth Ganpati was once called Bahulichya Haudacha Ganpati. Expansion of the Dagadusheth area led removal of Bahulicha haud from its original place. Though tucked away in a corner, the memories of Bahuli will never fade, just as the enduring efforts of Savitribai and Mahatma Phule for education in our society will always endure. Right?

Do you believe Kashibai was just 8 years old? She was the first casualty in the fight for women's education, symbolizing the sacrifices made in the pursuit of education for girls.

In 1848, Jyotirao and Savitribai established a school with 8 students at Bhide Wada, Pune. By 1851, their efforts had expanded to three schools, catering to more than 150 students.