Ajaat: this literally means ones without caste. The ajaat was a
bold social movement of the 1920s and '30s that at its peak had
tens of thousands of committed followers in what are present-
day Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. It was led
by the colourful and eccentric social reformer Ganpati
Bhabhutkar better known as Ganpati Maharaj. Chaitanya Prabhu
and Shyam Maharaj are his surviving grandsons. Apart from the
usual anti-liquor and anti-violence norms of such movements,
Ganpati Maharaj threw in others. He attacked caste frontally.
Many stopped idol worship at his call. He pressed for gender
equality and even railed against private property. And, in the
1930s, he and his followers declared themselves as ‘ ajaat.'
Very few know about this great social reformer in Maharashtra.
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/the-agony-
the-ajaat/article471250.ece
bold social movement of the 1920s and '30s that at its peak had
tens of thousands of committed followers in what are present-
day Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. It was led
by the colourful and eccentric social reformer Ganpati
Bhabhutkar better known as Ganpati Maharaj. Chaitanya Prabhu
and Shyam Maharaj are his surviving grandsons. Apart from the
usual anti-liquor and anti-violence norms of such movements,
Ganpati Maharaj threw in others. He attacked caste frontally.
Many stopped idol worship at his call. He pressed for gender
equality and even railed against private property. And, in the
1930s, he and his followers declared themselves as ‘ ajaat.'
Very few know about this great social reformer in Maharashtra.
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/the-agony-
the-ajaat/article471250.ece
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