THE MOTHER OF THE NATION

KASTURBA GANDHI
THE LESSER KNOWN FREEDOM FIGHTER
PERSONAL LIFE OF KASTURBA GANDHI
Daughter of Gokuldas Mahanji, a wealthy merchant Kasturba Gandhi was born on April 11,
1869, in Porbandar. She was an Indian political activist. She was engaged at the age of 7 and
married at 14 with Mohandas Gandhi, commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi, in May 1883.
Mohandas affectionately and her supporters called her Baa . There have been numerous
books written on her personal life, including The Secret Diary of Kasturba Gandhi,
and Kasturba Gandhi: The Silent Sufferer among others. National Safe Motherhood Day is
observed on 11 April every year in India, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Kasturba
Gandhi.[1]

HER POLITICAL CAREER

Kasturba Gandhi’s political career began in South Africa when she got involved in the political
activism in the Phoenix settlement near Durban in the year 1904. Being in south Africa she
was still working for Indians . During a rally in 1913 against the working conditions of Indians
in that region, she was arrested. She remained there till 1914, taking part in the protests.
Kasturba Gandhi returned to India in 1914 with her husband. From there her journey started
of being a freedom warrior of India.

HER CONTRIBUTION IN FREEDOM STRUGGLE

In 1917, Kasturba focused on helping improve the welfare of women in Champaran, Bihar,
where Gandhi was working with indigo farmers. She taught women hygiene, discipline and
health. As Gandhi launched Civil Disobedience and Quit India Movement, Kasturba was a
front-liner at these agitations. She would often step into the role of leading the movements.
Kasturba played an active role in the Borsad Satyagraha of 1923-24 and the Bardoli
Satyagraha of 1928. Bardoli had set a new example as it was the first time that the rural
women participated in the freedom struggle. Kasturba did not believe in qualities like
courage only belonging to a particular gender. How strong women she was can be proved
when In 1930 when Gandhi was going  for Dandi march, Manilal’s (Gandhi’s son) young wife,
Sushila started to cry. Kasturba asked them to be brave. “Our men are warriors,” she
said, “We are warriors’ wives. We must give the men courage. If we are brave, they will be
brave.”During the time when women were not given many rights and were considered as only
to work at homes. An independent women KASTURBA GANDHI became an inspiration of
millions of Indian women. She once wrote a powerful speech addressing the country during
one of the Quit India Movement marches, Aparna Basu writes, “The women of India have to
prove their mettle. They should all join in this struggle, regardless of caste or creed. Truth and
nonviolence must be our watchwords. Kasturba was going from town to town and village to
village on foot or by bullock cart visiting workers and urging women to picket liquor shops,
spin and wear khadi. She looked like a soldier of satyagraha engaged in a grim fight.

QUOTES OF KASTURBA GANDHI

1. Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live
forever.
2. The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
3. Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are
in harmony
4. My life is my message.
5. Don’t listen to friends when the Friend inside you says don’t do this.
6. Whenever you have truth it must be given with love, or the message
and the messenger will be rejected
7. We must become the change we want to see.
8. There is more to life than increasing its speed.