Ramabai Ambedkar’s Legacy in Marathi Songs
Ramabai Ambedkar, born on 7th February, is known as Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s wife, but she was more than that. She was ‘Ramaai’ —the mother of the community. Her life marks a pivotal moment in India’s feminist and anti-caste history.
Ramabai played a monumental role in both Babasaheb’s life and the broader anti-caste struggle, yet her story remains underrepresented in historical literature. Fortunately, her legacy lives on through songs and couplets from Marathi Dalit communities, which keep her memory alive. These songs, celebrating Ramaai’s courage, selflessness, and unwavering love for the community, are often sung during significant moments of anti-caste resistance.
On Ramabai Jayanti, we’ve translated five such songs from Marathi, to honor her life, contributions and her enduring spirit.
Ramabaicha Janma Jhala
“1898 saal te kiti ho bhagyawaan
Ramabai cha janam jhala wata Sakhar Paan
Bhikhu-Rukmini harshat dang jhale ho Baarshat
Wanand gaav nachu lagla houni bebhaan”
Translation: “How fortunate was the year 1898;
Ramabai was born, distributing sweets to all.
Bhikhu and Rukmini (parents of Ramaai) were filled with joy, attending the naming ceremony;
The village of Wanand (her birthplace) began to dance, overwhelmed with delight.”
The song joyfully celebrates the birth of Ramabai as a profoundly fortunate event for the entire village and community. Born into a Mahar family living on the outskirts of the village, the song highlights how Ramabai was destined to inspire humanity, breaking barriers of caste and paving the way for progress. Despite facing hardships early in life—losing her mother, Rukmini, to illness and later her father, Bhikku, while he was working—Ramabai was raised by her uncle in Mumbai. This song is traditionally played during naming ceremonies in Dalit Marathi households, capturing the essence of hope, unity, and celebration that Ramabai’s birth symbolizes.
Majhya Ramai Che Upkar
“Aamha milvun dilay saar Bangla gaadi aani Ghar-daar
Bahujan chya heeta sathi mul gamavali chaar-chaar
Ashya Kathin Kaali Sansaar toh kela damana
Nahi fit-ta fitnaar mazya Ramaai Che upkar”
Translation: “We got the right to own a bungalow, a car, and a home;
For the welfare of the Bahujan community, she sacrificed her four children.
In such difficult times, she held the world together with courage;
I can never repay the debt of my Ramaai's contributions.”
The powerful and inspiring voice of musical icon Kadubai Kharat resonates as she sings about the remarkable contributions Ramai has made to the community. She and Babasaheb endured unimaginable hardships, including the devastating loss of their four children named Gangadhar, Ramesh, Indira (Indu), and Rajratna along with the constant worry over their only surviving son, Yeshwant, who was also in fragile health. In addition to grappling with poverty and hunger, Ramai tirelessly labored to sustain the family, often surviving on minimal food, while Babasaheb was away pursuing his studies. Her resilience and countless sacrifices have forever indebted the community, paving the way for a life of dignity, respect, and equality for generations to come.
Navkotichi Mata Ramai
“Kiti he watal samadhan
Trupta jahleli mula pahun
Vatsalyachi ti murti pahili kirtine ajaramar rahili
Dilraj dilachi dil jamai Navkotichi Mata Ramaai”
Translation: “How satisfying it felt to see the children content and fulfilled;
That embodiment of motherly love I saw, she remained immortal through her glory;
She won the hearts, brought harmony to all, and was Ramaai, the mother of millions.”
This powada, a traditional Marathi-style ballad, narrates the journey of how Ramu rightfully earned the honorific of Ramaai, mother to millions. When Radhabai Varale, who was running a hostel for Dalit students, faced a shortage of funds to provide food, Ramai selflessly offered to pawn her jewelry to ensure the students were fed. Later, when Babasaheb urgently needed funds for the construction of a bungalow in Mumbai, Ramai went even further—selling her jewelry without hesitation. Her strength, sacrifice, and dedication stand as a testament to her indomitable spirit and her profound role in their transformative journey.
Fatkyat Lugdyat Nandli Ramai
“Pai paisa lavnya bhima la
Thaplya tine kityek gaurya
Fatkyat Lugdyat nandli
Ramai tava shaluta natlya hya navrya”
Translation: “She saved penny by penny for Bhim by making many gauris (cow dung cakes used for fire/cooking). Ramabai lived in tattered clothes, yet remained steadfast, so now the new brides can adorn heavy sarees.”
During the most challenging times, when the Ambedkar family struggled with unemployment and lacked enough money for food, Ramabai bore the weight of these hardships with quiet strength. She and the women of the family resorted to making cow dung cakes for meager earnings. To shield the family’s plight from others, Ramabai would venture out after dark to gather firewood, ensuring the neighbors wouldn’t discover their struggles.
Chalalis Rama Tu Mala Soduni
“Tula bhetavaya Rama
Aaj aala ha samaj
Tuzi yaad karti sare ashru dhaluni
Chalalis Rama tu mala Soduni ”
Translation: “To meet you, Rama, today;
The whole community has come for you.
Everyone remembers you and is shedding tears;
You left Rama, leaving me behind.”
Written from the perspective of a grieving Babasaheb, this deeply emotional song captures the profound and incomparable loss of Ramabai, a loss felt not only by Babasaheb but by the entire world. Babasaheb reflects on the devastating impact of losing his beloved Ramu at just 37 years old, her life cut short by relentless illness. For Babasaheb, the loss was irreparable—a void that could never be filled. For the community, it was the loss of a mother whose unwavering love and tireless sacrifices had shaped their lives. Despite the sorrow, the song is a tribute to Ramaai’s immense strength, backbreaking labor, and boundless compassion. It reminds us that while her absence is deeply felt, her legacy endures, giving hope and inspiration for a better future—a future she helped build with every sacrifice she made.
Ramabai’s Feminist Legacy
While Ramai may not have been as formally educated as Babasaheb, her unwavering actions reflected the same ideals and steadfast commitment to their shared mission of liberating the marginalized. She endured all of their hardships to keep the movement alive. Ramabai’s resilience is a powerful reminder to women who now have the privilege of education and financial independence, that our empowerment has been built on the sacrifices of Dalit women like Ramabai. She broke the chains of oppression to pave the way for us all, inspiring generations to rise stronger and freer.
Sources:
https://thesatyashodhak.com/ramabai-ambedkar/“Ramabai and Ambedkar”, Sharmila Rege, Dalit Feminist Theory: A Reader, 2019Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, C.B. Khairmode, Multiple VolumesRadhabai Balwantrao Varale, Matoshree Ramabai Ambedkar Yaancha Sahavasat (In the Company of Respected Mother Ramabai Ambedkar), Aurangabad: Kaushalya PrakashanDhananjay Keer, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar: Life and Mission, Reprint of third edition, Popular Prakashan
