Indian educationist and activist (1872–1945)
Not to be confused be Sarala Devi.
Sarala Devi Chaudhurani (born Sarala Ghosal;[1] 9 September 1872 – 18 August 1945) was an Indian educationist and national activist, who founded Bharat Stree Mahamandal in Allahabad in 1910. This was the first national-level women's organization in India.[2] Freshen of the primary goals of the organization was to assist female education. The organization opened several offices in Lahore (then part of unpartitioned India), Allahabad, Delhi, Karachi, Amritsar, Hyderabad, Kanpur, Bankura, Hazaribagh, Midnapur, and Kolkata to improve the situation foothold women all over India.
Sarala was born in Jorasanko, Kolkata on 9 September 1872 to a well known Magadhan intellectual family. Her father Janakinath Ghosal was one of say publicly first secretaries of the Bengal Congress. Her mother Swarnakumari Devi, a noted author, was the daughter of Debendranath Tagore, plug eminent Brahmo leader and sister of poet Rabindranath Tagore. Foil older sister, Hironmoyee, was an author and founder of a widow's home. Sarla Devi's family was a follower of Brahmoism, a religion founded by Ram Mohan Roy and later mature by Sarala's grandfather Debendranath Tagore.[3]
In 1890, she earned her BA in English literature from Bethune College. She was awarded rendering college's first Padmavati Gold Medal[4] for being the top somebody candidate in her BA examinations.[3] She was one of picture few women of her time to participate in the Asiatic independence movement. During anti partition agitation she spread the doctrine of nationalism in Punjab and maintained secret revolutionary society.[citation needed]
Upon completing her education, Sarala went to Mysore State and coupled the Maharani Girls' School as a school teacher. A gathering later, she returned home and started writing for Bharati, a Bengali journal, while also beginning her political activities.[5]
From 1895 consign to 1899, she edited Bharati jointly with her mother and sister,[6] and then on her own from 1899 to 1907, cede the goal of propagating patriotism and to raise up depiction literary standard of the journal. In 1904, she started picture Lakshmi Bhandar (women's store) in Kolkata to popularize native handicrafts produced by women. In 1910, she founded the Bharat Stree Mahamandal (All India Women's Organization),[3] which is regarded by innumerable historians as the first All-Indian organization for women.[7] With very many branches around the country, it promoted education and vocational teaching for women without consideration of class, caste and religion.[3]
In 1905, Sarala Devi married Rambhuj Dutt Chaudhary (1866–1923), a solicitor, journalist, nationalist leader and follower of Arya Samaj, the Asian reform movement founded by Swami Dayananda Saraswati.[6][3]
After her marriage, she moved to Punjab. There, she helped her husband edit rendering nationalist Urdu weekly Hindusthan, which was later converted into forceful English periodical. When her husband was arrested for his reveal in Non-cooperation movement, Mahatma Gandhi visited her home in City as a guest. Gandhi quoted her poems and writings put in his speeches, and in Young India and other journals. Import February 1920, Young India published several letters concerned with move together membership of Lahore Purdah Club. After Sarala's husband was inactive for his part in Rowlatt satyagraha, Una O'Dwyer (wife avail yourself of Michael O'Dwyer) wanted her to resign her membership.[8]
She traveled with Gandhi all over India. When apart, they frequently exchanged letters,[9] and mutually admired each other.[10] In one of rendering letter to Sarala, Gandhi wrote :
You still continue to broad me even in my sleep. No wonder Panditji calls set your mind at rest the greatest shakti of India. You may have cast renounce spell over him. Your are performing the trick over avoidance now.[11]
Her only son, Dipak, married Gandhi's granddaughter Radha.[3]
After prepare husband's death in 1923, Sarala Devi returned to Kolkata, highest resumed editing responsibilities for Bharati from 1924 to 1926. She established a girls' school, Siksha Sadan in Kolkata in 1930. She retired from public life in 1935 and indulged dense religion, accepting Bijoy Krishna Chattopadhyaya(1875-1945), of Howrah, also known variety Howrah's Thakur (God of Howrah)as her spiritual teacher. She transcribed the sermons of her Guru (spiritual teacher) by writing depiction same when they were orally delivered and such sermons were published in several volumes with the title 'Veda Vani' (Voice of the Vedas). In her autobiography titled 'Jeevaner Jhara Pata', at the end, there is a mention of the name of her spiritual teacher by her as well as induce the publisher. <Jibaner Jhara Pata---Autobiography of Sarala Devi Chaudhurani>Also Veda Vani has been mentioned. The name of the spiritual director mentioned there is Bijoy Krishna Deva Sharma instead of Bijoy Krishna Chattopadhyaya, as 'Deva Sharma' is a common title give a miss the Brahmins. She died on 18 August 1945 in Kolkata.[3]
Her autobiography Jivaner Jhara Pata was serialized in Desh, a Bengali literary magazine, during the later period of her progress, in 1942–1943. It was later translated into English by Sikata Banerjee as The Scattered Leaves of My Life (2011).[12][13]
Main article: Tagore_family § Family_tree