With my mother's permission and blessings, I set off exultantly for Bombay,
leaving my wife with a baby of a few months. But on arrival there
friends told my brother that the Indian Ocean was rough in June and
July, and as this was my first voyage, I should not be allowed to sail
until November. Someone also reported that a steamer had just been sunk
in a gale. This made my brother uneasy, and he refused to take the risk
of allowing me to sail immediately. Leaving me with a friend in Bombay,
he returned to Rajkot to resume his duty. He put the money for my
travelling expenses in the keeping of a brother-in-law, and left word
with some friends to give me whatever help I might need.
Time hung heavily on my hands in Bombay. I dreamt continually of going to England.
Meanwhile my caste-people were agitated over my going abroad. No Modh Bania had been
to England up to now, and if I dared to do so, I ought to be brought to
book! A general meeting of the caste was called and I was summoned to
appear before it. I went. Now I suddenly managed to muster up courage I
do not know. Nothing daunted, and without the slightest hesitation, I
came before the meeting. The Sheth – the headman of the community – who
was distantly related to me and had been on very good terms with my father, thus
accosted me:
'In the opinion of the caste, your proposal to go to England is not proper. Our
religion forbids voyages abroad. We have also heard that it is not
possible to live there without compromising out religion. One is obliged
to eat and drink with Europeans!'
To which I replied: 'I do not think it is at all against our religion to go to
England. I intend going there for further studies. And I have solemnly
promised to my mother to abstain from three things you fear most. I am
sure the vow will keep me safe.'
'But we tell you,' rejoined the Sheth, 'that it is not
possible to keep our religion there. You know my relations with your father and you
ought to listen to my advice.'
'I know those relations.' said I. 'And you are as an elder to me. But I am helpless in
this matter. I cannot alter my resolve to go to England. My father's
friend and adviser, who is a learned Brahman, sees no objection to my
gong to England, and my mother and brother have also given me their
permission.'
'But will you disregard the orders of the caste?'
'I am really helpless. I think the caste should not interfere in the matter.'
This incensed the Sheth. He swore at me. I sat unmoved. So the Sheth pronounced his
order: 'This boy shall be treated as an outcaste from today. Whoever
helps him or goes to see him off at the dock shall be punishable with a
fine of one rupee four annas.'
The order had no effect on me, and I took my leave of the Sheth. But I wondered how my
brother would take it. Fortunately he remained firm and wrote to assure
me that I had his permission to go, the Sheth's order notwithstanding.
The incident, however, made me more anxious than ever to sail. What would happen if
they succeeded in bringing pressure to bear on my brother? Supposing
something unforeseen happened? As I was thus worrying over my
predicament, I heard that a Junagadh vakil was going to England, for
being called to the bar, by a boat sailing on the 4th of September. I
met the friends to whose care my brother had commended me. They also
agreed that I should not let go the opportunity of going in such
company. There was no time to be lost. I wired to my brother for
permission, which he granted. I asked my brother-in-law to give me the
money. But he referred to the order of the Sheth and said that he could
not afford to lose caste. I then sought a friend of the family and
requested him to accommodate me to the extent of my passage and
sundries, and to recover the loan from my brother. The friend was not
only good enough to accede to my request, but he cheered me up as well.
I was so thankful. With part of the money I at once purchased the
passage. Then I had to equip myself for the voyage. There was another
friend who had experience in the matter. He got clothes and other things
ready. Some of the clothes I liked and some I did not like at all. The
necktie, which I delighted in wearing later, I then abhorred. The short
jacket I looked upon as immodest. But this dislike was nothing before
the desire to go to England, which was uppermost in me. Of provisions
also I had enough and to spare for the voyage. A berth was reserved for
me by my friends in the same cabin as that of Sjt. Tryambakrai Mazmudar,
the Junagadh vakil. They also commended me to him. He was an experienced
man of mature age and knew the world. I was yet a stripling of eighteen
without any experience of the world. Sjt. Mazmudar told my friends not
to worry about me.
I sailed at last from Bombay on the 4th of September.