Maharani Chimnabai 2

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Just like it’s always said : “Behind every successful man, there is a woman”. Born as Shrimant Gajrabai Devi, to Shrimant Sardar Bajirao Amritrao Ghatge, Sarjerao, of Dewas, Maharani Chimabai II was the second wife of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III. Renamed as Maharani Chimnabai II upon marriage, the queen was just as visionary as her husband.

The Better-Half Maharani Chimnabai II :

Just like her husband Sayajirao III, the Queen made an identity of her own as a prominent female leader of Baroda. Working alongside her husband,in her early years she was greatly influenced by his progressive ideas.  She even wrote a book on women along with S.M. Mitra, named “The Position of Women in Indian Life.” She inspired, encouraged and established various organizations for the upliftment of the women of his state.

Owing to her clear and open views, the Maharani was unanimously chosen the first president of All Indian Women’s conference, held at Pune in January 1927. In a period when conservative beliefs and practices regarding women were very popular and strong in society she surprisingly advocated compulsory primary education for girls and demanded abolition of child marriage at the conference which was attended by some of the dynamic and prominent Indian women of the time including Ms. Sarojini Naidu, Ms. Kamala Devi Chattopadhya, Mathu Laxmi Reddy and Rajkumari Amrit Kaur.

Abolishing the “Purdah” :

Although in the foreign countries the Maharani moved without ‘purdah’ with the Maharaja and acted freely like any other western woman, back at home she observed the system until the year 1914. Sayajirao along with Chimnabai  viewed the purdah system with dis-favour and considered it foolish.

Thus in the year 1914, the Purdah system saw it’s last day in Baroda when Maharani Chimnabai discarded the Purdah and sat on the same sofa with the Maharaja at a public function in Naya Mandir.

The Institutes and Grants :

On her way to reforming the female education in the State she gave liberal financial aids to institutes and scholarships to the girls studying in colleges. Along with these she established and became the president of various institutes for the progress of womenfolk of the state. She remained the president of the Maharani Chimnabai Mahila Pathasala; Maharani Chimnabai Udyogalaya; Maharani Chimnabai High School; and Maharani Chimnabai Maternity and Child Welfare League and Maharani Chimnabai Ladies Club.

The most important women’s institute inspired and founded by Maharani Chimnabai II was – The Maharani Chimnabai Udyogalaya or The Chimnabai Women’s Industrial Home. It was started in 1914 with a view to maintaining and training middle class and working class women especially widows in some crafts, so that they may become self supporting.  Maharani Chimnabai donated one lakh rupees as corpus of this fund to be utilized for providing scholarships to female students for receiving higher education in Bombay.

Apart from this, she made many donations to various institutes supporting female education and upliftment.

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The role played by her in social and educational reforms was by no means insignificant in the life and work of Sayajirao. Her work and contribution  in the field of women empowerment laid the foundation of the same across Gujarat. All this has thus gained her a place in the hearts of her people as well as the status of one of the leading ladies of India who worked for the cause of Indian women in the early 20th century.

Source: Wikipedia
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