In 1800s India, it was unheard of for a woman to receive an education. It was even more unheard of for a woman to teach men. Pandita Ramabai did both.
We weren’t previously familiar with her work. But as we learned more about this remarkable woman, we were moved by the way God not only drew her to Himself but used her to draw countless other Indian women to Himself.
A Life of Compassion
Pandita Ramabai was born in India on April 23, 1853. Her family belonged to the Brahmin caste, the highest caste in India. And even though it went against the social norms, her father believed that she should learn the sacred Sanskrit language and be taught to read.
After the deaths of both of her parents, Pandita and her brother traveled to different sacred sites, reciting the ancient texts. Finally, they came to Calcutta, where she lectured before many men. They marveled at her learning and gave her the title “Sarasvati”—after the Hindu goddess of wisdom.
Here are some facts about her extraordinary life:
- She married a man who was culturally “beneath” her, but they loved each other and had one daughter. Unfortunately, he died after only nineteen months of marriage.
- She formed a society of ladies called the Arya Mahila Samaj (Arya Women’s Society) to encourage women’s education and discourage child marriage.
- She felt the Lord calling her to England, where she came to accept Christ as Savior. From there, she traveled to America, and she was inspired by the treatment women received in both countries.
- She returned to India, where she opened the Sharada Sadan (House of Wisdom) as a place of refuge for outcast widows whose lives held no real hope.
- Her name, Ramabai, means “delight-giver.”
Courage in the Face of Custom
Custom reduced the widows of Indian society to the lowest of the low—impoverished and socially outcast. Pandita Ramabai knew that something had to change. So, she courageously opened a home where these widows could come and receive an education and vocational training.
At first, the home was strictly non-religious; sacred writings from both Hinduism and Christianity sat side-by-side on the shelves of the library. But when her students saw her faith, many were drawn to the Lord and came to follow Him too.
Toward the end of her life, she began to translate the Bible into the Marathi dialect so more of the people she ministered to could read God’s truth in their own language. She completed the project just before she went home to be with the Lord in 1922.
Pandita Ramabai lived up to her name, Delight-giver. Her God-given courage enabled her to advocate for the rights of those her society treated like property, and God used her compassion and influence to bring many daughters into His family.
“Meanwhile, we shall patiently await the advent of the kingdom of righteousness, wherein the weak, the lowly and the helpless shall be made happy because the great Judge Himself ‘shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.’” –Pandita Ramabai, The High-Caste Hindu Woman, p. 68
Want to Learn More?
You can read about Pandita Ramabai here:
The High-Caste Hindu Woman
Pandita Ramabai Sarasvati
https://archive.org/details/panditaramabaisa00butluoft/mode/2up?view=theater
