As the years passed and you became India's most
beloved leader, I had none of the fears that beset the wife who may
be cast aside when her husband has climbed the ladder of success,
as so often happens in other countries. I knew that death would
still find us husband and wife.
For years Kasturabai performed the duties of treasurer of the public
funds which the idolized Mahatma is able to raise by the millions.
There are many humorous stories in Indian homes to the effect that
husbands are nervous about their wives' wearing any jewelry to
a Gandhi meeting; the Mahatma's magical tongue, pleading for the
downtrodden, charms the gold bracelets and diamond necklaces right
off the arms and necks of the wealthy into the collection basket!
One day the public treasurer, Kasturabai, could not account for a
disbursement of four rupees. Gandhi duly published an auditing in
which he inexorably pointed out his wife's four rupee discrepancy.
I had often told this story before classes of my American students.
One evening a woman in the hall had given an outraged gasp.
"Mahatma or no Mahatma," she had cried, "if he were my husband
I would have given him a black eye for such an unnecessary public
insult!"
After some good-humored banter had passed between us on the subject of
American wives and Hindu wives, I had gone on to a fuller explanation.
"Mrs. Gandhi considers the Mahatma not as her husband but as her
guru, one who has the right to discipline her for even insignificant
errors," I had pointed out.
Pages:
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583