The Satyashodhak Samaj (Society of Truth Seekers) is a social reform society founded by Jyotirao Phule in Pune, Maharashtra, on September 24, 1873. It was established to mitigate the distress and suffering of Dalits and women by challenging the orthodox Brahmanical status and the unfair caste system. The core problem it aimed to solve was the exploitation of the Shudras and Ati-Shudras (Dalits) by the upper castes, particularly the Brahmins, by dismantling religious and social bondage.
The Samaj worked by promoting education for all, especially for women, Shudras, and Ati-Shudras, and by advocating for increased social rights and political access for underprivileged groups. Its key mechanism was the rejection of the need for priests as intermediaries between God and man, promoting a direct, personal spiritual connection and monotheism. The Samaj actively conducted Satyashodhak marriages without Brahmin priests, with the couple reciting vows in plain Marathi, and promoted social reforms like widow remarriage and inter-caste dining. Savitribai Phule, Jyotirao's wife, headed the women's section and was instrumental in advancing the educational mission. The Samaj spread its ideology through the Deenbandhu newspaper, published from 1877 to 1897.
The movement connects to the later Non-Brahmin Movement and the broader Dalit assertion, significantly influencing leaders like Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. After Phule's death in 1890, the movement languished but was revived in the early 20th century by Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur. Shahu Maharaj institutionalized the Samaj's ideology by reserving 50 percent of civil service posts in Kolhapur State for non-Brahmins, Prabhus, and Parsis in 1902. The Samaj eventually disbanded during the 1930s as many of its leaders joined the Indian National Congress party.