– A Mother to the Helpless
Full Name: Pandita Ramabai Saraswati
Birth: April 23, 1858 – Karnataka, India (near Mangalore)
Parents: Ananta Shastri & Lakshmibai
Husband: Bipin Behari
Home Calling: April 5, 1922
Saved at Age: 30
🌿 Early Life & Faith Journey
Pandita Ramabai was born in a Hindu Brahmin family. From childhood, she was brilliant and well-educated because her father taught her Sanskrit scriptures even though girls were not allowed to study them in those days.
But her early life was full of pain and loss. By the age of 12, she had lost her parents and brother due to famine. Later, after her marriage, her husband died only 19 months after their wedding because of cholera, and her little daughter also passed away soon after.
Though she faced great sorrow, Ramabai never gave up. She wanted to help the poor and suffering women of India who were forgotten and mistreated by society.
✝️ Meeting Christ
When she went to England for studies and training, she met some Christian sisters from the Church of England. Through their love and kindness, Ramabai came to know the real meaning of Christ’s love.
She realized that only Jesus could bring true freedom and hope to the women of India. So, she accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior and was baptized. Inspired by George Müller’s faith, she believed that God would provide for every need.
She often said,
“It is not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord.”
❤️ Ministry and Service
In 1889, Ramabai started “Sharada Sadan” in Pune for widows and young women who were abandoned or betrayed. There, she gave them education, shelter, and the message of the Gospel.
Later, she established the “Mukti Mission” at Kedgaon, near Pune. Through this mission, she cared for blind, poor, orphaned, and destitute women, teaching them skills and helping them stand on their own.
During one terrible famine, she rescued hundreds of women and children, giving them food, faith, and new life in Christ.
She was not only a servant of the poor but also a student of God’s Word. She spent years translating the entire Bible into Marathi, learning Hebrew and Greek to do it accurately.
Her strength came from prayer and Bible meditation. She lived very simply — only with her Bible and a few clothes, yet she impacted thousands with her love and faith.
🌸 Faith and Legacy
Pandita Ramabai’s faith was often tested, but she stood firm. She truly lived according to the Scripture:
(James 1:27) “Pure and undefiled religion before God is this — to visit orphans and widows in their trouble and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”
She showed Christ’s love by caring for the helpless, widows, and orphans, becoming a mother to the needy.
Even today, Mukti Mission continues her work, shining the light of Jesus in India.
💖 Message for Us
As Christians, we must follow her example — to love, serve, and help those in need. True devotion is not only prayer and worship, but also compassion and action.
Let us ask God to give us a heart like Pandita Ramabai, full of mercy, courage, and faith — to make our life meaningful for His glory.
“The Lord is my support and my helper; prayer and meditation on His Word are my life’s duty.” 🙏