Mumbai Art Street: This mural honouring Savitribai Phule, Fatima Shaikh is a reminder of Hindu-Muslim unity – The Indian Express

An ode to the legacy of the foremost pioneers of education in India, the mural is dedicated to the ideals and beliefs of Phule and Shaikh who helped many break free from the shackles of patriarchy and caste barriers. Their eminence in female empowerment and education is now well known among the masses.

Born on January 3, 1831, she was married off at the age of 10. She joined the Teacher’s Training Institute in Pune and eventually went on to open a school for girls in Bhidewada, Pune in 1848.

Phule in her pursuit for women’s education and empowerment always fought against the oppressive social norms and injustices. (Express photo by Amit Chakravarty)

The hostility of the caste structure and the gendered perspective around girls’ education hardly deterred Phule. Often people had thrown cow dung on her and as resistance, she would carry an extra saree.

Shaikh, born on January 9, 1831, was a relentless advocate of women’s education. Shaikh had befriended Phule during a teacher training programme. Both Shaikh and Phule had a common mission – to strive for the education of the downtrodden – through which they found a deep companionship.

Shaikh’s commitment was so dauntless and radical to the cause of women’s education that the first school founded for girls by the duo in 1848 was in her residence in Pune. Sheikh had to not only face the onslaught of the Muslim orthodoxy but the outrage of the Marathi culture as well. She was a collaborator, a friend, and an aide of Phule in their quest for girl’s education.

Shaikh, born on January 9, 1831, was a relentless advocate of women’s education. (Express photo by Amit Chakravarty)

Saeed Hameed, the person behind the mural’s idea, explained that the 54 ft wide and 10 ft tall mural is made of fibre-moulding and has two sides. On the left side of the mural, Phule and Shaikh’s struggle to establish a girl’s school in Pune is portrayed. Along with this, it gives credit to Usmaan Shaikh, Fatima Shaikh’s brother, in whose house Jyotirao (social reformer) and Savitribai Phule took residence and where the first girl’s school was founded.

On the right side, Hameed said, eminent female icons have been portrayed. Besides Lata Mangeshkar and Sania Mirza, the mural portrays Tessy Thomas, the first woman scientist to head a missile project in India. It displays Arunima Sinha, the world’s first female amputee to scale Mt Everest and other mountains. It also portrays Sarla Thukral who was among the first Indian women to fly an aircraft. These prominent figures and many others were portrayed as a reminder that Phule and Shaikh’s struggle was life-changing for many. The duo helped do away with unjust societal norms holding women back from achieving their dreams and aspirations.

During the inauguration of the mural, MLA Abu Azmi highlighted that during the freedom struggle, Hindus and Muslims fought together – there was no division, he had stressed. Given the current climate of divisiveness and hate in the country, Azmi said, the mural honouring Phule and Shaikh is an ode to the brotherhood and love between the two communities.

The mural’s idea was formulated a year ago and it took more than six months to get the paperwork for the mural completed. A 64 ft wall was constructed with a good foundation to reduce the effects of traffic movement on the mural and the wall. Damodar and Tushar Shinde are the artists behind the mural. The MHADA Beautification fund and Azmi’s fund were used to shape up the mural, said officials.