2. KASTURBA GANDHI
Kasturba Gandhi was the daughter of a prosperous1 businessman of Porbander (Kathiawar). She was married at the very young age of thirteen to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Her father was a strong believer in prevalent customs and traditions. He did not believe in educating her. After her marriage, it was her husband who taught her to read and write. In 1897, she joined her husband in South Africa and worked there till 1914. Along with her husband, she led the women's satyagraha there for which she was imprisoned.
On his return to India in 1915, Kasturba joined her husband, Gandhiji in the cause of the indigo2 workers in Champaran, Bihar, and took an active part in the No Tax Campaign in Kaira, Gujarat in 1918.
Kasturba not only took part in the campaign but also delivered significant speeches wherever she went. For instance, addressing the women of Vadhtal Village on 6 April 1916, she said: "The true religion of a woman is to follow the footsteps of her husband like Sita. If she also encourages her husband to stick to the sacred pledges (of non-payment of the revenue dues) her progeny is sure to be brave and India will then win swaraj."
In the First Non-cooperation Movement launched by Gandhiji, she accompanied him and went from village to village. Along with her husband, she made a special appeal to women, asking them to spin and wear khadi, boycott government schools and colleges and remove untouchability. She was arrested in 1931 and again In 1932, for picketing liquour and foreign cloth shops. In 1939, she was arrested for participating in the Rajkot Satyagraha and was released only when Mahatma Gandhi began his fast. She was again arrested in August 1942, when proceeding to address a meeting of protest1 against the arrest of her husband and was lodged in a detention2 camp along with her husband in Pune. She looked after her husband when he undertook a twenty- one day fast in February 1943. Her health gradually broke down and she died in detention on 22 February 1944. During her entire life she worked whole-heartedly for the welfare of people and the removal of untouchability. She lived a simple and austere3 life.
You must be aware that behind the success of every man lies the hand of a woman. Kasturba Gandhi played a similar role for her husband. She stood by him in all adversities throughout her life. Along with her husband she participated in all his satyagraha struggles. In fact, she was the moving spirit behind the Mahatma. She was an equal partner in his constructive programmes of Hindu-Muslim Unity and in working for the welfare of the people.
I. Glossary prosperous (Adj) - rich and successful, financially successful.
Indigo (Adj) - very dark blue in colour. campaign (n) - a series of planned activities that are intended to achieve a particular social, commercial or political aim progeny (n) - a person's children picketing (n) - the activity of standing outside the entrance to a building in order to protest about something and stop people from entering the building
Progeny (n) - offspring
Prevalent (Adj) – widespread or common.
Customs (n) – the usual way of behaving or acting.
Traditions (n) – a belief or custom handed down from one generation to another.
Imprisoned (Adj) – put into prison.
Sacred (Adj) – connected to a god or goddess and greatly revered.
Appeal (v) – make an earnest or formal request.
Indigo (n) - a deep blue dye or colour picketing (v) – form a picket outside a workplace campaign (n) – an organized course of action to achieve a goal. Protest (n) – a statement or action indicating disapproval. lodged (n) – live somewhere as a lodger or present a complaint or appeal etc. detention (n) – detaining or imprisonment
Austere (Adj) – severely simple and plain
II. Word Power
A. Rearrange the jumbled letters to make meaningful words (Answers are given directly) i. roprupseso – prosperous ii. socutm – custom iii. drcsae – sacred iv. einetr – entire v. epapal – appeal
B. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words given in the box in order to make a meaningful passage. (Answers are given directly)
Country, history, vow, footsteps, speeches, pledge, joined, custom, prosperous, accompanied
Ramdin was a very honest and hard-working man. He worked day and night and became prosperous. He was very fond of reading. Once he read the life history of Gandhiji. He was very much impressed and thought of doing something for his country. He took a pledge to walk on the footsteps of Gandhiji. His wife, an active lady also joined him. She accompanied him wherever he went for social upiittment, though in those days the custom of accompanying one’s husband was forbidden. She gave speeches wherever she went and took a vow to uplift the position of Indian women.
III. Language Study
A. Prepositions
I. Read the following sentences (Answers are given directly) a. There is a cow in the field. b. He is fond of music. c. She sat by the fire and told me a tale. d. Rohit went to Mumbai. e. He worked and sang from morning till night. f. What are you looking at? g. I went for a walk.
The words underlined are words placed before a noun or pronoun to show their relationship to some other words in the sentences. They are called prepositions.
In sentence 1, the word in shows the relationship between two things cow and field. In sentence 2, the word of shows the relationship between the attribute expressed by the adjectives ‘fond’ and ‘music’. In sentence 3, the word by shows the relationship between the verb ‘sat and ‘fire’. Likewise in sentences 4, 5, 6 and 7 the prepositions play the same roles.
B. Read the conversation between Rahul and his teacher Mr Khanna. The conversation, however, has a few gaps in it. Fill up the gaps with suitable prepositions given in bracket (in, on, to, from, for, till, after, with, at) (Answers are given directly)
Rahul : Sir, where are we going this Sunday?
Mr Khanna : The school is planning to take you to a dam.
Rahul : Which dam? Where is it?
Mr Khanna : I can’t tell now. It may be in Bhopal.
Rahul : What shall we do there?
Mr Khanna : We’ll play games on the ground.
Rahul : How long are we going to stay there?
Mr Khanna : We are going to stay there till 5 o’clock.
Rahul : May I take my younger brother along with me?
Mr Khanna : No. You can’t. It’s a school picnic. Moreover we are going to a dam. And you will be busy with your friends.
Rahul : At what time are we going to leave?
Mr Khanna : Go and get the information from the office.
IV. Listening Skills
You will now hear pairs of words pronounced the same way but with a different spelling and meaning. Write down the meanings against the words given below. i. bear : to have or continue to have something. i. bare : without any clothes or not covered by anything. ii. too : more than needed or wanted ii. to : in the direction of iii. vein : blood vessel along which blood flows from all parts of the body to heart. iii. vain : without use, value, meaning or result iv. hair : all the thread growth on the skin of animals especially on the human head. iv. hare : an animal, a rabbit v. deer : graceful quick running animal. v. dear : loveable
V. Speaking Skills Speak at least 5 sentences about your friend using these words
Honest, beautiful, handsome, hardworking, sincere,
courageous, tall, clever, civilized, gentle
VI. Writing Skills
Do you know any simple person like Kasturba? Write at least a paragraph about him/her with the help of this lesson.
VII. Comprehension
A. Choose the correct option and complete the sentences. (Answers are given directly)
1. Kasturba Gandhi was married at the age of thirteen. a. thirteen b. eighteen c. twenty one d. twenty two
2. She was taught by her husband. a. father b. mother c. brother d. husband
3. In 1942 she was arrested for protesting against the arrest of Gandhiji. a. Nehruji b. Gandhiji c. Lokmanya Tilak d. Gopal Krishna
B. Write, who said to whom and why?
“The true religion of a woman is to follow the footsteps of her husband like Sita ….
Ans. These words were said by Kasturba Gandhi to the women of Vadhtal village to inspire these women to encourage their husbands for not paying their revenue dues so that India may win Swaraj.
C. Answer the questions in one/two sentences 1. Who was Kasturba Gandhi? Ans. Kasturba Gandhi was the daughter of a prosperous businessman of Porbandar (Kathiawar).
2. Who was she married to? Ans. She was married to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.
3. Why was she arrested in 1939? Ans. In 1939, she was arrested for participating in the Rajkot Satyagraha.
4. What kind of life did she live? Ans. She lived a simple and austere life.
5. What was her special appeal to the women? Ans. Her special appeal to the women was asking them to spin and wear Khadi, boycott government schools and colleges and remove of untouchability.
6. What happened on 22 February 1944? Ans. Kasturba Gandhi used to look after her husband in the detention camp. Gradually her health started deteriorating and she died in the detention camp on 22 February 1944.
7. Complete the following Kasturba was arrested for Picketing liquor and foreign cloth shops Kasturba’s Death
1932 1944
What great events Gandhiji’s Return to India Non Tax Campaign in Kaira 1918 happened in the 1915 District of Gujarat years mentioned here?
1939 1897
Kasturba was arrested for Kasturba Joined her husband in South
Participating in Rajkot Satyagraha Africa.
Extra Questions
1. In 1915 why did Kasturba join Mahatma Gandhi?
Ans. In 1915 Kasturba joined Mahatma Gandhi for the cause of Indigo workers in Champaran.
2. At what age did she marry Mahatma Gandhi?
Ans. She married Mahatma Gandhi at the age of thirteen.
3. How many days fast did Gandhiji undertake in February 1943?
Ans. Gandhiji took a fast for twenty one days in February 1943.
4. What work did Kasturba Gandhi do her entire life?
Ans. Kasturba Gandhi worked for the welfare of people and removal of intouchability in her entire life.
D. Write the answers to the following questions in four or five sentences.
1. What did Kasturba address the women of Vadhtal village?
Ans. In her speech Kasturba addressed the women of Vadhtal village to follow their husband’s footsteps and if the women folk encouraged their husband to stick to the sacred pledges (of non-payment of the revenue dues) their children would surely be brave and India would win Swaraj.
2. Mention the date’s and reasons for Kasturba Gandhi’s arrests on different occasions?
Ans. a) In 1931 and 1932 Kasturba Gandhi was arrested for picketing liquor and foreign cloth shops. b) In 1939 she was arrested for participating in the Rajkot Satyagraha. c) In and August 1942, she addressed a meeting to protest against the arrest of her husband.
Extra Questions
1. Describe the early life of Kasturba?
Ans. Kasturba was the daughter of a prosperous business man of Porbander. She was married at a very young age of thirteen to Gandhiji. Her father being a strong believer of prevalent customs and traditions did not believe in educating her. She was taught by her husband to read and write.
VIII. Do It Yourself
Paste the pictures of Indira Gandhi, Mother Teresa and Laxmi Bai. Write a paragraph on each one of them.
INDIRA GANDHI MOTHER TERESA LAXMI BAI