Mahatma Gandhi

The jail life had badly affected the health of Kasturba. She was completely bed-ridden when she came out. She was now under the care of a doctor in his hospital. The doctor advised Gandhiji to give her meat-syrup, otherwise, he warned, she would die. But Gandhiji refused. Kasturba also was against taking any such thing. The doctor got angry. He said: `Quit this place if you don't want to follow my advice.' Gandhiji left at once the hospital with Kasturba.

Once, during this illness, Gandhiji asked Kasturba to give up the use of salt and pulses in food. Kasturba was not inclined to accept the suggestion. She said: `Give up salt and pulses? Even you won't like to give that up!'

At once Gandhiji took a vow: `Well, I won't take salt and pulses for a year.'

Now Kasturba was full of remorse. (She wept and said: `Please you don't take a vow. I agree to give up salt and pulses.')

But Gandhiji was firm in what he had said. He carried out his word not for one year but for full ten years.

Soon after that, Kasturba regained her health and was alright.

Gandhiji spent nearly 21 years in South Africa. He returned to India in 1915.

Then he set up an Ashram in Ahmedabad on the banks of river Sabarmati. He named it Satyagraha Ashram. He did all sorts of manual work in the Ashram with his co-workers. He would sweep the floor, work in the kitchen, clean the utensils and grind corn also. Once a pleader came to him and asked for some work to do. Gandhiji was in the kitchen at that time. He said: `Yes, here is some work for you. Please clean these food grains'. The pleader stood puzzled. For the first time he met a leader to whom all kind of work was sacred.

Gandhiji became a common topic of talks when the pleaders met in their clubs.

One of these pleaders was very bitter in his remarks. But shortly a miracle happened. The moment this pleader saw how bold and fearless Gandhiji was, he left his practice and jumped into the struggle under Gandhiji's leadership. He soon became the foremost disciple of Gandhiji. He was Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

It was the year 1916. Gandhiji was invited to participate in the foundation ceremony of the Banaras Hindu University at Kashi. It was a gorgeous show. Even the Viceroy had come from Delhi to attend it. A number of Indian Maharajas, bedecked in costly jewellery were present. Much was said about the poverty of India and the uplift of the poor.

Gandhiji was clad in his simple Kathiawadi dress. He made here his first great political speech in India. He spoke in English. The first words came out like a bomb-shell: `It is a matter of shame that I am compelled to address my countrymen in a language that is foreign to me."

Soon another bomb-shell: `You speak about the poverty of India and make an exhibition of jewellery. There is no salvation for India unless you strip yourselves of this jewellery and hold it in trust for your countrymen.'

Still another bomb-shell: `The country will be free not through the pleaders and the rich, but through the peasants. If we are afraid of God, we won't ever fear the Princes and the Maharajas, or the Viceroy or King George himself.'

And the last bomb shell: `If I find it necessary for the salvation of India that the English should be driven out, I would not hesitate to declare that they would have to go and I would be prepared to die in defence of that belief.'

His speech was like a powerful current of fresh air. It instilled new life in the paralyzed limbs of India. The people said: `Here at last is a man who can help us.'

He adopted a Harijan girl named Lakshmi as his daughter. This upset the orthodox Hindus. They went red with rage and stopped helping the Ashram. Gandhiji decided to close down the Ashram for want of money. At the last moment an unknown gentleman came to the Ashram and gave him Rs. 13000/- in cash. The Ashram was saved.

In Bihar, the cultivators were forced by European planters to grow indigo. They were treated unjustly and not paid properly. They requested Gandhiji to help them. Gandhiji went to Champaran to study the grievances of the peasants. This was in the year 1917.

The European District Magistrate ordered Gandhiji to leave the district. Gandhiji refused to obey. He was summoned to the court. The magistrate said: `If you leave the district, the case against you will be withdrawn.' But Gandhiji refused to oblige.

The court-room was packed. A large crowd was outside shouting slogans. On Gandhiji's advice the crowd dispersed peacefully.

Gandhiji pleaded guilty and said: `You can send me to jail'. However the case was postponed.

This was the first instance of satyagraha in India. The whole country experienced a pleasant shock.

At last the case was withdrawn by the Government. Gandhiji was allowed to stay in the district. He visited villages, recorded statements of peasants and proved their sufferings. The battle was won.

A new wave of hopes swept over the country. For the first time the people knew that the so-called invincible British government can be challenged successfully.

Gandhiji travelled all over India. He saw the terrible poverty of the people.

At one place, seeing the dirty clothes of women, he asked Kasturba to advise them to be clean.

When Kasturba approached those women, one of them led her to her hut and said: `See, I have no other clothes. I have put on the only piece of cloth I have! How am I to wash it?'

When Gandhiji heard this tale from Kasturba, he was terribly moved. He was pained at heart, for he felt strongly for his poor countrymen. Though he was always simple in his dress, he decided to be simpler still. He gave up wearing a cap, a shirt and a dhoti too! Henceforth he wore only a lion-cloth. How could he wear so many clothes, when his countrymen couldn't get the bare minimum to protect their modesty?