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Kasturbai Mohandas Gandhi (, born Kasturbai Gokuldas Kapadia; 11 April 1869 – 22 February 1944) was an Indian political activist. She married
Mohandas Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...
, more commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi, in 1883. With her husband and her eldest son, Harilal, she was involved in the
Indian independence movement The Indian independence movement was a series of historic events with the ultimate aim of ending British Raj, British rule in India. It lasted from 1857 to 1947. The first nationalistic revolutionary movement for Indian independence emerged ...
in
British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...
. ''National Safe Motherhood Day'' is observed on April 11 every year in India, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Kasturbai Gandhi. Mohandas affectionately called her ''Baa'' and in letters referred to her as ''Mrs. Gandhi''.


Early life and background

Kasturbai Gokuldas Kapadia was born on 11 April 1869 to Gokuladas Kapadia and Vrajkunwerba Kapadia. The family belonged to the
Modh Modh is an Indian caste. Its members are people who use the name and originate from Modhera in Gujarat. Culture In that state and in Rajasthan, Lords Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh created Brahmins who were masters in Vedas, so that they can ...
Bania caste of
Gujarati Gujarati may refer to: * something of, from, or related to Gujarat, a state of India * Gujarati people, the major ethnic group of Gujarat * Gujarati language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by them * Gujarati languages, the Western Indo-Aryan sub ...
Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
tradesmen and were based in the coastal town of
Porbandar Porbandar is a city in the States and territories of India, Indian state of Gujarat, perhaps best known for being the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi and Sudama. It is the administrative center of the Porbandar District and it was the former capi ...
. Little is known of Katsurbai's early life. In May 1883, 14-year-old Kasturbai was married to 13-year-old Mohandas in a marriage arranged by their parents, arranged marriage being commonplace and traditional in India. They were married for a total of sixty-two years. Recalling the day of their marriage, her husband once said, ''"As we didn't know much about marriage, for us it meant only wearing new clothes, eating sweets and playing with relatives."'' However, as was prevailing tradition, the adolescent bride was to spend the first few years of marriage at her parents' house, and away from her husband.Gandhi (1940)
Chapter "Playing the Husband"
.
Writing many years later, Mohandas described with regret the lustful feelings he felt for his young bride, ''"even at school I used to think of her, and the thought of nightfall and our subsequent meeting was ever haunting me."'' At the beginning of their marriage, Mohandas was also possessive and manipulative; he wanted the ideal wife who would follow his command. Although their other four sons ( Harilal, Manilal , Ramdas, and
Devdas ''Devdas'' ( bn, দেবদাস, transliterated as ''Debdās'') is a Bengali romance novel written by Sarat Chandra Chatterjee. The story pivots a tragic triangle linking Devdas, an archetypal lover in viraha (separation); Paro, his forbidden ...
) survived to adulthood, Katsurbai never fully recovered from the death of her first child. The first two sons were born before Mohandas first went abroad. When he left to study in
London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
in 1888, she remained in
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. In 1896 she and their two sons went to live with him in
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
. Later on, in 1906, Mohandas took a vow of chastity, or brahamacharya. Some reports indicated that Katsurbai felt that this opposed her role as a traditional
Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
wife. However, Gandhi quickly defended her marriage when a woman suggested she was unhappy. Gandhi's relatives also insisted that the greatest good was to remain and obey her husband, the
Mahatma Mahatma (English pronunciation: , sa, महात्मा, translit=mahātmā) is an honorific used in India. The term is commonly used for Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who is often referred to simply as "Mahatma Gandhi". Albeit less frequent ...
.
Ramachandra Guha Ramachandra "Ram" Guha (born 29 April 1958) is an Indian historian, environmentalist, writer and public intellectual whose research interests include social, political, contemporary, environmental and cricket history, and the field of economics. ...
's biography ''
Gandhi Before India ''Gandhi Before India'' is a 2013 book by the Indian historian Ramachandra Guha, the first part of a planned two-volume biography of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. The book deals with Gandhi's life up to his return to India following a 21-year peri ...
'' described the marriage, saying, "They had, in the emotional as well as sexual sense, always been true to one another. Perhaps because of their periodic, extended separations, Kasturba deeply cherished their time together."


Political career

Kasturba Gandhi first involved herself with politics in South Africa in 1904 when, with her husband and others, she established the
Phoenix Settlement Inanda or eNanda ( isiZulu: ''pleasant place'', also possibly, ''level-topped hill'') is a township in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa that is situated 30 km north-west of the Durban CBD; it forms part of eThekwini, the Greater Durban Metropolita ...
near
Durban Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...
. In 1913 she took part in protests against the ill-treatment of Indian immigrants in South Africa, for which she was arrested and on 23 September 1913 was sentenced to hard labour. While in prison, she led other women in prayer and encouraged educated women to teach the uneducated women how to read and write. Gandhi and Mohandas left South Africa in July 1914 and returned to live in India. In spite of Kasturba’s
chronic bronchitis Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchi (large and medium-sized airways) in the lungs that causes coughing. Bronchitis usually begins as an infection in the nose, ears, throat, or sinuses. The infection then makes its way down to the bronchi. ...
she continued to take part in civil actions and protests across India and often took her husband's spot when he was in prison. The majority of her time was dedicated to helping out and serving in
ashrams An ashram ( sa, आश्रम, ) is a spiritual hermitage or a monastery in Indian religions. Etymology The Sanskrit noun is a thematic nominal derivative from the root 'toil' (<
Here, Gandhi was referred to as "Ba" or Mother, because she served as mother of the ashrams in India. A point of difference between Gandhi and Mohandas was the treatment of their children in their ashram. Gandhi believed that their sons did not deserve special treatment, while Kasturba felt that Mohandas neglected them. In 1917, Gandhi worked on the welfare of women in
Champaran Champaran is a region of Bihar in India. It is now divided into an East Champaran district and a West Champaran district. Notable people * Manoj Bajpai – Indian film actor * Dinesh Bhramar – poet and noted figure in Hindi and Bhojpuri l ...
,
Bihar Bihar (; ) is a state in eastern India. It is the 2nd largest state by population in 2019, 12th largest by area of , and 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West Be ...
where Mohandas was working with
indigo Indigo is a deep color close to the color wheel blue (a primary color in the RGB color space), as well as to some variants of ultramarine, based on the ancient dye of the same name. The word "indigo" comes from the Latin word ''indicum'', m ...
farmers. She taught women hygiene, discipline, health, reading and writing. In 1922, she participated in a ''
Satyagraha Satyagraha ( sa, सत्याग्रह; ''satya'': "truth", ''āgraha'': "insistence" or "holding firmly to"), or "holding firmly to truth",' or "truth force", is a particular form of nonviolent resistance or civil resistance. Someone w ...
'' (nonviolent resistance) movement in
Borsad Borsad is a town and a municipality in Anand district in the state of Gujarat, India. It is located around 17 km from Anand. It is surrounded by the fertile Charotar region which largely produces tobacco, bananas, cotton, barley and oth ...
,
Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
even though she was in poor health. She did not take part in Gandhi's famous
Salt March The Salt March, also known as the Salt Satyagraha, Dandi March and the Dandi Satyagraha, was an act of nonviolent civil disobedience in colonial India led by Mahatma Gandhi. The twenty-four day march lasted from 12 March to 6 April 1930 as a di ...
in 1930, but continued to take part in many civil disobedience campaigns and marches. As a result, she was arrested and jailed on numerous occasions. In 1939, Gandhi took part in nonviolent protests against the British rule in
Rajkot Rajkot () is the fourth-largest city in the Indian state of Gujarat after Ahmedabad, Vadodara, and Surat, and is in the centre of the Saurashtra region of Gujarat. Rajkot is the 35th-largest metropolitan area in India, with a population of ...
, after the women in the city specifically asked her to advocate for them. Gandhi was arrested once again, and kept in
solitary confinement Solitary confinement is a form of imprisonment in which the inmate lives in a single cell with little or no meaningful contact with other people. A prison may enforce stricter measures to control contraband on a solitary prisoner and use additi ...
for a month. Her health worsened but she continued to fight for independence. In 1942, she was arrested again, along with Mohandas and other freedom fighters for participating in the
Quit India movement The Quit India Movement, also known as the August Kranti Movement, was a movement launched at the Bombay session of the All India Congress Committee by Mahatma Gandhi on 8th August 1942, during World War II, demanding an end to British rule in ...
. She was imprisoned in the
Aga Khan Palace The Aga Khan Palace was built by Sultan Muhammed Shah Aga Khan III in the city of Pune, India. The palace was an act of charity by the spiritual leader of the Nizari Ismaili Muslims, who wanted to help the poor in the neighbouring areas of Pun ...
in
Pune Pune (; ; also known as Poona, (List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name from 1818 until 1978) is one of the most important industrial and educational hubs of India, with an estimated population of 7.4 million ...
. By this time her health had severely deteriorated and she died at the detention camp in Pune. Mohandas wrote of his wife in terms which showed that he always continued to expect obedience from her. "According to my earlier experience, she was very obstinate. In spite of all my pressure she would do as she wished. This led to short or long periods of estrangement between us. But as my public life expanded, my wife bloomed forth and deliberately lost herself in my work."


Health and death

Gandhi suffered from chronic
bronchitis Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchi (large and medium-sized airways) in the lungs that causes coughing. Bronchitis usually begins as an infection in the nose, ears, throat, or sinuses. The infection then makes its way down to the bronchi. ...
due to complications at birth. Her bronchitis was complicated by
pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity ...
. Gandhi's health further deteriorated in January 1908, as she fasted while Gandhi was in prison, becoming gravely ill. Gandhi came so close to death that Mohandas apologised to her, and promised he would not remarry if she were to die. The British doctors prescribed
penicillin Penicillins (P, PCN or PEN) are a group of β-lactam antibiotics originally obtained from ''Penicillium'' moulds, principally '' P. chrysogenum'' and '' P. rubens''. Most penicillins in clinical use are synthesised by P. chrysogenum using ...
which could heal her, but Mohandas refused to allow foreign medicine to be injected into her. In January 1944, Gandhi suffered two
heart attacks A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...
after which she was confined to her bed much of the time. Even there she found no respite from pain. Spells of breathlessness interfered with her sleep at night. Gandhi asked to see an
Ayurvedic Ayurveda () is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. The theory and practice of Ayurveda is pseudoscientific. Ayurveda is heavily practiced in India and Nepal, where around 80% of the population rep ...
doctor, a more familiar form of Indian treatment. After several delays, the government allowed a specialist in traditional Indian medicine to attend to her. At first she responded, recovering enough by the second week in February to sit on the
verandah A veranda or verandah is a roofed, open-air gallery or porch, attached to the outside of a building. A veranda is often partly enclosed by a railing and frequently extends across the front and sides of the structure. Although the form ''veran ...
in a wheelchair for short periods and talk with him. Later she suffered a relapse. She died at the
Aga Khan Palace The Aga Khan Palace was built by Sultan Muhammed Shah Aga Khan III in the city of Pune, India. The palace was an act of charity by the spiritual leader of the Nizari Ismaili Muslims, who wanted to help the poor in the neighbouring areas of Pun ...
in
Pune Pune (; ; also known as Poona, (List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name from 1818 until 1978) is one of the most important industrial and educational hubs of India, with an estimated population of 7.4 million ...
, at 7:35 PM local time on 22 February 1944, aged 74. The Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust Fund was set up in her memory. Mohandas requested that this fund be used to help women and children in villages in India.


Legacy

Many institutions, roads, and cities are named after her: *
Kasturba Gandhi College for Women Osmania University is a collegiate university, collegiate Public university, public State university (India), state university located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Mir Osman Ali Khan, the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad in 1918 , He released a farma ...
*
Kasturba Hospital (Wardha) The Kasturba Hospital was started in 1945 by Dr Sushila Nayyar. It is a 1000-bed hospital, located in Sevagram, about 8 km from Wardha, and offers tertiary care healthcare facilities to rural patients. In 1969, the Mahatma Gandhi Institu ...
*
Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Kasturba Medical College, Manipal and Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, together known as KMC, are two private medical colleges in coastal Karnataka, India, established in 1953.Kasturba Nagar railway station *
Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya The Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya or KGBV is a residential girls’ secondary school run by the Government of India for the weaker sections in India. History The plan was introduced by the Government of India in August 2004. It was then integr ...
* Kasturba Nagar (Delhi Assembly constituency) * Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust * Kasturba Health Society *
Kasturba Nagar, Chennai Kasturba Nagar, or Kasturibai Nagar, is a neighborhood in Adyar, in the southern part of the Indian city of Chennai. It is bordered by Gandhi Nagar, Indira Nagar, Buckingham Canal and Tharamani. History Kasturba Nagar was established in 1949 ...
*
Kasturba Nagar, Puducherry Kasturbai Mohandas Gandhi (, born Kasturbai Gokuldas Kapadia; 11 April 1869 – 22 February 1944) was an Indian political activist. She married Mohandas Gandhi, more commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi, in 1883. With her husband and her eldest s ...
* Kasturba College for Women, Villianur, Puducherry *
Kasturba Road Kasturba Road is a street in Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka, India, which is connected to M G Road to the north and J C Road to the south. Some important landmarks situated along Kasturba Road are Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Kanteerava Indoor ...
*
Kasturba Gandhi Marg Kasturbai Mohandas Gandhi (, born Kasturbai Gokuldas Kapadia; 11 April 1869 – 22 February 1944) was an Indian political activist. She married Mohandas Gandhi, more commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi, in 1883. With her husband and her eldest so ...
,
New Delhi New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House ...
. *
Kasturba Nagar Kasturbai Mohandas Gandhi (, born Kasturbai Gokuldas Kapadia; 11 April 1869 – 22 February 1944) was an Indian political activist. She married Mohandas Gandhi, more commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi, in 1883. With her husband and her eldest s ...
,
Kochi Kochi (), also known as Cochin ( ) ( the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of K ...
. *
Kasturba Nagar Kasturbai Mohandas Gandhi (, born Kasturbai Gokuldas Kapadia; 11 April 1869 – 22 February 1944) was an Indian political activist. She married Mohandas Gandhi, more commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi, in 1883. With her husband and her eldest s ...
,
Bhopal Bhopal (; ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and the administrative headquarters of both Bhopal district and Bhopal division. It is known as the ''City of Lakes'' due to its various natural and artificial lakes. It i ...
.


In popular culture

Narayan Desai Narayan Desai (24 December 1924 – 15 March 2015) was an Indian Gandhian and author. Early life The son of Mahatma Gandhi's personal secretary and biographer Mahadev Desai, he was born in Bulsar (now Valsad), Gujarat on 24 December 1924. Bro ...
wrote a play, ''Kasturba'', based on Kasturba Gandhi. It was directed by Aditi Desai and was staged several times. In the 1982 film ''
Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...
'', the role of Kasturba Gandhi was played by
Rohini Hattangadi Rohini Hattangadi (''née'' Oak; born 11 April 1955) is an Indian actress, known for her work in Hindi, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada, and Gujarati films, and Marathi soap operas and theatre. She has won two Filmfare Awards, one National Film ...
.


See also

* List of civil rights leaders


References


Further reading

* * * *


External links


Gandhi and Kasturba
*Get to know abou

(हिन्दी) {{DEFAULTSORT:Gandhi, Kasturba 1869 births 1944 deaths Indian pacifists Indian independence activists from Gujarat Gujarati people Indian rebels Hindu pacifists
Kasturba Kasturbai Mohandas Gandhi (, born Kasturbai Gokuldas Kapadia; 11 April 1869 – 22 February 1944) was an Indian political activist. She married Mohandas Gandhi, more commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi, in 1883. With her husband and her eldest s ...
Gandhians People from Porbandar Deaths from pneumonia in India Deaths from bronchopneumonia Indian emigrants to South Africa 19th-century Indian women 19th-century Indian people 20th-century Indian women 20th-century Indian people Women Indian independence activists Women from Gujarat Colony of Natal people