15 Interesting Facts about ‘Ba’ of India – Kasturba Gandhi
It is said the ‘Behind every successful man, there is a woman”. The Independence movement was led by Mahatma Gandhi but there was also a woman behind him that supported him in his every movement to get the ‘British’ out of the country. She was none other than his wife, Kasturba Gandhi or popularly known as ‘Ba’ among the masses.
So, here are some interesting facts about Kasturba Gandhi or ‘Ba’ of India that you should know.
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Ba’s Early life
Kasturba was born on April 11, 1869, in Porbandar, to Gokuldas Makanji, a merchant, and his wife Vrajkunwerba Kapadia. Her father was a friend of Karamchand Gandhi, the father of Mohandas Gandhi. Elders of both families decided to marry them off.
Child Marriage was a common practice in India in the 1900s. Both the children were betrothed to each other when they were seven.
click next to see what Gandhiji had to say on marriage
Mahatma Gandhi on Marriage with Ba
The young couple got married in 1882 and started living together as husband and wife. They initially played together and became friends as they were too young to understand the complexity and responsibility of the marriage.
As been said by Gandhi “…for us marriage meant only wearing new clothes, eating sweets and playing with relatives.”
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Kasturba Gandhi was Mohandas’ World at a time
The marriage happened early when both of them were still kids. MKG married Kasturba while he was still in school and was extremely possessive about her. He also said that when in school, he used to think about her all the time.
In his autobiography, he’s embarrassed for his immaturity.
click next to see the Mahatma Gandhi’s role in Education of Ba
Gandhi Educated Kasturba
Kasturba was an absolute illiterate. Mahatma Gandhiji took it upon himself and started teaching his wife. Gandhi taught her the alphabets and how to read and write.
But due to many domestic responsibilities on her, she could not learn much. It is also said that she could not learn much because she did not share the same enthusiasm for education as her husband had.
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Birth of the first Son- Harilal
Their first son was born in the year 1888. He was named Harilal. Mahatma Gandhi left for England to study but she could not accompany him as she had to stay back to raise their son.
In the coming years, she gave birth to two more sons after the return of Gandhiji. The sons were named as Manilal Gandhi (1892) and Ramdas Gandhi (1897).
The relationship of Ba has been beautifully described in the movie ‘Gandhi, My Father.”
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Ba’s role in South Africa
In 1897, Kasturba Gandhi travelled with Gandhiji to South Africa where he practised law. From 1904 to 1914, she was active in the Phoenix Settlement near Durban. She worked with the Gandhi and closely followed him there. During this time, she also gave birth to her fourth son in 1900, Devdas Gandhi (1900).
Click next to see the first arrest of Kasturba Gandhi
Kasturba Gandhi’s Arrest in South Africa
During the Mahatma Gandhi’s movement in South Africa, she actively participated in the demonstrations to improve the conditions of the Indian workers in South Africa. Kasturba encouraged women volunteers to take part in the Indian freedom struggle and even took Gandhi’s position when he was in jail.
She was even arrested and sentenced to three months in jail for protesting against working conditions for Indians in South Africa.
Click next to see her reaction on celibacy of her husband
Kasturba Gandhi welcomed Gandhiji’s decision of Celibacy
In 1906, Mahatma Gandhi took an oath of lifetime celibacy and chastity. Kasturba Gandhi stood by her husband in this decision and she never complained about it and wholeheartedly supported her husband.
The couple never had any sexual relationships after this oath.
Click next to see the only brawl between them
Argument on Untouchability
In South Africa, Mahatma Gandhi tried to reason with Kasturba Gandhi and urged her not to keep an untouchable as a servant in the house and she should do all the work of household to with Kasturba Gandhi did not agree. He then in a fit of rage dragged her by the arm to the outside of the house and asked her to leave if she continued to disagree.
Kasturba was deeply hurt by this incident and Gandhiji was embarrassed on his behaviour. He then later swore of never letting anger to control him. Later, Kasturba too developed a liberal outlook and denounced untouchability and casteism.
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Ba’s Return to India
Kasturba Gandhi returned to India with Mahatma Gandhi to India in 1915 to support the Indian Independence Movement. She accompanied in rallies and even in his travels. She became involved in social service and started teaching, reading and writing to the poor sections of the society.
She helped Mahatma Gandhi in founding Sabarmati Ashram. In the Ashram, everybody called her ‘Ba’ which means mother. She was later referred with this title all her life.
Click next to see the Support of Ba from the Indian Women
‘We want Ba to lead us’
In 1922, Gandhiji was in Jail. The women in Borsad tried to contact Ba and asked them to lead them. “We want Ba with us. We want her here to inspire confidence in the town.” That was the cry of the women.
Ba at that time was suffering from Anaemia. When she heard about them, she immediately took the next train. She said “I must see those women who have so bravely faced the Lathi charge of the police. I must be with them to give them support. Bapu would have been with them today. But he is not free.” Despite many doctors advising her to rest, she continued the movement. She said “These moments when I have to work like Bapu are so rare. I cannot think of rest now”
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Ba’s imprisonment in Freedom Struggles
on January 15th, 1932 she was convicted to six weeks’ simple imprisonment.
On March 15 she was again arrested and was convicted by the Magistrate of Bardoli to six months’ rigorous imprisonment.
On the 1st of August, 1933, she was taken in custody from Sabarmati Ashram and convicted to six months’ imprisonment.
In 1939, she volunteered to join the Rajkot struggle as she felt a kind of personal call to return to her hometown on active service. She was seventy then, very weak in health, and was kept in solitary confinement in a village near Rajkot, when she very nearly collapsed.
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Ba’s Last Breath in Pune
In her last imprisonment in the Aga Khan Palace, Pune in 1942, Kasturba did not keep well. She was seventy-four. In January 1944, Kasturba suffered two heart attacks after which she was confined to her bed much of the time. She asked for an Ayurveda doctor. At first, she responded, recovering enough by the second week in February to sit on the verandah in a wheelchair for a short period, and chat but later succumbed to her illness.
On February 1st, 1944 she had a severe heart attack which led to her death on 22 February 1944.
Click next to see Mahatma Gandhi’s Reaction on her death
Gandhiji was heartbroken
Gandhiji kept vigil during the whole night. When the day broke on February 23, about 150 relatives and friends were allowed inside the Palace to attend the funeral rites. Gandhiji were in deep meditation at that time. At her pyre, Gandhiji stayed for six hours under the blazing Sun. He stood leaning on a staff.
“At this moment”, he said, “how can I separate myself from my old and faithful companion…? I cannot even imagine life without Ba. She was a part and parcel of myself. Her death will leave a permanent void in my life which will never be filled.”
Click next to see her immense contribution in Freedom Struggle
Ba’s Contribution in Freedom Struggle
Ba was widely popular among the Indian Women. She is credited to bring women out of their houses to join the freedom struggle. She was the one to lead them whenever Mahatma Gandhi was out or in jail.
Ba was praised by Mahatma Gandhi in his autobiography. Mahatma Gandhi always encouraged Kasturba to be outspoken, dissent openly, assess situations independently without influence and determine what she had to do. He gave her credit for this in his autobiography which at that time very few men did.
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