Samipya 1991 Vol 08 Ank 01 02

Author(s): Pravinchandra C Parikh, Bhartiben Shelat
Publisher: Bholabhai Jeshingbhai Adhyayan Sanshodhan Vidyabhavan

Page 104

of these institutions they ployed their role for the social development of women. This role in its turn helped to strengthten the spirit of nationalism amongst women and men.
The correspondence between one of the founders of Jyotisangh, Mrudula Sarabhai and Pushpa Mehta18 reveals the point that they were in a position to play this role. Jyotisangh was considered to be a laboratory to search for the workings theories of social development through the activities which dealt with the women's development.19
Amongst these six women Pushpaben Mehta played very prominent role, and so her concept of social development of women is worth mentioning. The genesis of her concept of social development of women may be traced from her very childhood. Her monther Hetuba used to propogate women's education and was imparting education to the village women. Pushpaben's father, Shri Harprasad Desai was an Aryasamajist and a reformist, used to render Kelp and shelter to needy women. This family atmosphere of the childhood and the conviction of Pushpaben to help the women, brought the right opportunities to serve the cause. Vikas gruha, the women's institution, with which Pushpaben remained closely connected, used to work on the principle that a woman is an individual, in the sense that she should enjoy social freedom and status as much as her male counterparts as an agent of social change, and the society's attitude towards women should be on that line. An orphan girl is a nation's wealth and the responsibility of her upbringing is with the society.20
In the connection with this principle Pushpaben tried to bring about changes in the social status of women in Gujarat. Through vikas gruha, She mainly tried to ban the child-marriages. She helped the woman to claim for their livelihood, when they were deserted by their husbands. In Saurashtra she strived to see that the principle of monogamy should be strinctly followed.
In 1944 Shri Panchal Pragati Gruha, a social institution was founded in Halvad On 16th July, 1945. 'Shri kanta vikas gruha' in Rajkot and in the same year "Vadhwan Vikas Vidyalaya were also founded. Through all these three institutions Pushpaben wanted to make the position of women respectable in the society.
In order to be effective and influential in this field, she kept close contact with politics. The history of her life as a social worker, reveals this point with Pushpaben other women also played important role in this fields.
1001
From the Viewpoint of the Constructive aspect of the Indian freedom struggle, specially during Gandhian era (1920-1947), urban women in the freedom struggle should be highlighted, from these two aspects, namely their role in spiritual development or in the experiment to have integral male-female conciousness in a woman's personality and in the field of social development. In the present age of the adventure. in human consciousness, both these aspects need the tender research care from the social scientists.
[Samtрya: April, '91-March, 1992