Gandhi is studied by us in great detail but almost always we tend to look at him from a single perspective. He is called the 'Mahatma' and rightly so, but we must remember that he was not the only man responsible for India's attainment of Swaraj. There were other great people who made equally big sacrifices, maybe even bigger ones, and played a very important role in helping the country achieve independence. One of these people was Kasturba Gandhi.
Today in school we were introduced to a stage actor who had studied Gandhi in great detail. She performed a one woman play, the first that I had ever seen, called 'Jagdamba'. Although it was her first performance in the country, she had performed the same play several time in the United States. 'Jagdamba' was the name Gandhi had coined for his wife, meaning Mother of the Universe.
The play was my first proper introduction to Kasturba and from it I gathered that she was a simple but strong woman who believed in Gandhi as much as Gandhi believed in his principles. The entire play was from her point of view and it made us look at Gandhi from a very different perspective. The play covered the significant moments of Gandhi's life, from the time of his marriage, tracing his journey to Durban, to Johannesburg and then back to India, right till the last days of his imprisonment at the Aga Khan Palace.
What strikes us about Kasturba right from the start is her simplicity and her immense love for Gandhi. She cherishes moments spent with him when they lived together in Rajkot, when he was afraid of the dark and she helped him maneuver out of his room at night. She has full faith in Gandhi and never stops believing in him. Gandhi, although a caring and loving husband, believed in his principles more than anything else. He was ready to go to any lengths to follow his principles, forcing his decision on family, though in a very diplomatic and manipulative way. Kasturba, although illiterate, had her own opinions, that sometimes did not match with Gandhi's and for this reason she had to make many sacrifices but not once is she seen complaining about them. She continues to believe in Gandhi and supports him till the very end.
Gandhi says Kasturba is his inspiration for Satyagraha. He involves her in all his activities, trying to set an example, enticing women to join the movement.Kasturba respects Gandhi and his decisions, never losing confidence in him, playing her part with dignity. She is strong in her own way, she derives strength from her husband, never letting anyone pity her for her sacrifices.
Kasturba accompaines Gandhi during his imprisonment in the Aga Khan Palace, being his constant support. We can see her loneliness and her longing for a simple life of peace yet she believes in Bapu and knows what he's doing is essential for the country. In the end, she says, all she wants is for her 'Mohaniya' to place his hand on her shoulder and let her guide him out of the room, because he was afraid of the dark.
What strikes us about Kasturba right from the start is her simplicity and her immense love for Gandhi. She cherishes moments spent with him when they lived together in Rajkot, when he was afraid of the dark and she helped him maneuver out of his room at night. She has full faith in Gandhi and never stops believing in him. Gandhi, although a caring and loving husband, believed in his principles more than anything else. He was ready to go to any lengths to follow his principles, forcing his decision on family, though in a very diplomatic and manipulative way. Kasturba, although illiterate, had her own opinions, that sometimes did not match with Gandhi's and for this reason she had to make many sacrifices but not once is she seen complaining about them. She continues to believe in Gandhi and supports him till the very end.
Gandhi says Kasturba is his inspiration for Satyagraha. He involves her in all his activities, trying to set an example, enticing women to join the movement.Kasturba respects Gandhi and his decisions, never losing confidence in him, playing her part with dignity. She is strong in her own way, she derives strength from her husband, never letting anyone pity her for her sacrifices.
Kasturba accompaines Gandhi during his imprisonment in the Aga Khan Palace, being his constant support. We can see her loneliness and her longing for a simple life of peace yet she believes in Bapu and knows what he's doing is essential for the country. In the end, she says, all she wants is for her 'Mohaniya' to place his hand on her shoulder and let her guide him out of the room, because he was afraid of the dark.
