The children were cared for by their paternal aunt, and lived in difficult circumstances. Shortly after their move, Ambedkar’s mother died. Ramji Sakpal retired in 1894 and the family moved to Satara two years later. This task was usually performed for the young Ambedkar by the school peon, and if the peon was not available then he had to go without water, Ambedkar states this situation as “No peon, No Water”. Even if they needed to drink water somebody from a higher caste would have to pour that water from a height as they were not allowed to touch either the water or the vessel that contained it. They were not allowed to sit inside the class. Although able to attend school, Ambedkar and other untouchable children were segregated and given no attention or assistance by the teachers. He used his position in the army to lobby for his children to study at the government school, as they faced resistance owing to their caste. Belonging to the Kabir Panth, Ramji Sakpal encouraged his children to read the Hindu classics.
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