Mahatmaji and Women

Those who are familiar with the life and writings of Mahatma Gandhiji know well his attitude and approach toward women. Several standalone articles and books have been written on this subject. One outstanding example is Daughter of Midnight: The Child Bride of Gandhi, [London, Blake Pub. Ltd. 1998], a book by his own grandson, Arun Gandhi, which explores Gandhiji’s nuanced relationship with women in both public and private life.

However, when I read Gandhiji’s first-hand account of a particular episode during the Satyagraha movement in South Africa, I began to understand his views in deeper and more personal ways—more than what secondary sources or interpretations could ever convey. While some critics have questioned his methods or philosophy concerning women, many have also marvelled at the extraordinary respect he consistently showed them—especially rare in Indian society, and even more so in his own time.

One should not only read Gandhiji’s writings but also look closely at the roles he offered women in social transformation to appreciate the depth of his character. The following summary recounts a striking example of this, drawn from his autobiography Satyagraha in South Africa.¹

The Incident in South Africa: A Summary

In 1913, a legal judgment by Justice Searle of the Cape Supreme Court declared that only Christian marriages registered by the state were legally valid in South Africa. This meant that marriages conducted according to Hindu, Muslim, and Zoroastrian customs were rendered invalid. Indian women were thus suddenly labelled as concubines, and their children illegitimate—with no rights to inheritance².

This deeply insulted the dignity of Indian families, especially women. Gandhiji wrote to the government requesting them to amend the law, but the authorities refused. In response, the Satyagraha movement escalated. Gandhiji made a bold decision: not only would women be invited to join the struggle, they would lead parts of it³.

He began by inviting the Tamilian sisters who had lived on Tolstoy Farm. He explained the dangers: jail, forced labor, insults by warders. One woman was pregnant, six had babies in arms—but all were eager to participate. Eleven of them, mostly Tamil women, stepped forward fearlessly⁴.

Initially, their peaceful resistance did not result in arrest. So Gandhiji devised a strategy: while one group crossed provincial borders without permits, another group, including the women, would go to Newcastle—a coal-mining town—and speak to indentured Tamil and Telugu labourers, encouraging them to strike. The risk of arrest became real, and the movement gained momentum⁵.

Later, Gandhiji turned to the Phoenix Settlement, intending to send even more women—including his own relatives—to jail. He insisted that they act on their own conscience, not due to his influence. He refused to ask his wife Kasturba directly, but she overheard his conversation and asserted:

“What defect is there in me which disqualifies me for jail? I also wish to take the path to which you are inviting the others.”⁶

Gandhiji warned her again of the risks and made it clear she could withdraw at any time. But she replied firmly:

“If you can endure hardships, and so can my boys, why cannot I? I am bound to join the struggle.”⁷

Eventually, a group of sixteen volunteers, including Kasturba Gandhi, women from the Phoenix Settlement, and other close companions, went forward to court arrest.

Conclusion

This episode not only highlights Gandhi’s strategic leadership but also reveals his extraordinary trust in the courage and independence of women. He neither coerced them nor used them symbolically. Instead, he invited them to stand as equals in sacrifice—and often, they surpassed the men in their fearless commitment.

In today’s world, where women’s empowerment is often presented as a modern achievement, Gandhiji’s example offers a much older and deeper model—one in which respect, equality, and freedom were lived out, even in the midst of political struggle and personal risk.

Of course, Gandhiji himself evolved over time, shaped by life experiences and the quiet yet firm resistance of his own wife, Kasturba. In his early years, he often imposed his ideals upon her. One striking incident, recounted in Daughter of Midnight, captures this well: while in South Africa, a Harijan guest left behind a night-soil bucket under his bed. When Kasturba, with visible hesitation, tried to clean it, Gandhi rebuked her harshly, saying she should have done it cheerfully—and even threatened to throw her out of the house.

But Kasturba stood her ground. She confronted him boldly, reminding him that they were alone in a foreign land with no family support and that such treatment was unjust. This moment became a turning point. Gandhi later acknowledged the mistake and recognized her quiet strength and enduring spirit. As he would write later:

“The wife, with her matchless powers of endurance, has always been the victor.”⁸

Indeed, it was Kasturba’s influence—and her courageous partnership—that played a vital role in transforming Gandhi the man into Gandhi the Mahatma.

Ashram, August 2, 2025

Footnotes

1. See: M. K. Gandhi, Satyagraha in South Africa, The Selected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, Volume Two, translated from the Gujarati by Valji Govindji Desai, www.mkgandhi.org. Chapters 39, pp. 256–259. ↩
2. “This terrible judgment thus nullified… all marriages celebrated according to the Hindu, Musalman and Zoroastrian rites.” ↩
3. “Patience was impossible in the face of this insult offered to our womanhood… We decided even to invite them to come into line along with the men.” ↩
4. “One of them was pregnant while six of them had young babies in arms… These sisters were with one exception all Tamilians.” ↩
5. “They should proceed to and post themselves at Newcastle… and advise the indentured Indian labourers there to go on strike.” ↩
6. “What defect is there in me which disqualifies me for jail?” – Kasturba Gandhi ↩
7. “If you can endure hardships and so can my boys, why cannot I? I am bound to join the struggle.” – Kasturba Gandhi ↩
8. See Mahatma Gandhi, The Story of My Experiments with Truth and Arun Gandhi, Daughter of Midnight: The Child Bride of Gandhi, London: Blake Publishing Ltd., 1998, p. 85. See also: https://dayanandbharati.in/husband-and-wife ↩