The Ashram had been in existence only a few months when we were put to a
test such as I had scarcely expected. I received a letter from
Amritlal Thakkar to this effect: 'A humble and honest untouchable
family is desirous of joining your Ashram. Will you accept them?'
I was perturbed. I had never expected that an untouchable family
with an introduction from no less a man than Thakkar Bapa would so
soon be seeking admission to the Ashram. I shared the letter with my
companions. They welcomed it.
I wrote to Amritlal Thakkar expressing our willingness to accept the
family, provided all the members were ready to abide by the rules of
the Ashram.
The family consisted of Dudabhai, his wife Danibehn and their
daughter Lakshmi, then a mere toddling babe. Dudabhai had been a
teacher in Bombay. They all agreed to abide by the rules and were
accepted.
But their admission created a flutter amongst the friends who had
been helping the Ashram. The very first difficulty was found with
regard to the use of the well, which was partly controlled by the
owner of the bungalow. The man in charge of the water-lift objected
that drops of water from our bucket would pollute him. So he took to
swearing at us and molesting Dudabhai. I told everyone to put up
with the abuse and continue drawing water at any cost. When he saw
that we did not return his abuse, the man became ashamed and ceased
to bother us.
All monetary help, however, was stopped. The friend who had asked
that question about an untouchable being able to follow the rules of
the Ashram had never expected that any such would be forthcoming.
With the stopping of monetary help came rumours of proposed social
boycott. We were prepared for all this. I had told my companions
that, if we were boycotted and denied the usual facilities, we would
not leave Ahmedabad. We would rather go and stay in the
untouchables' quarters and live on whatever we could get by manual labour.
Matters came to such a pass that Maganlal Gandhi one day gave me
this notice: 'We are out of funds and there is nothing for the next
month.'
I quietly replied: 'Then we shall go to the untouchables' quarter.'
This was not the first time I had been faced with such a trial. On
all such occasions God has sent help at the last moment. One
morning, shortly after Maganlal had given me warning of our monetary
plight, one of the children came and said that a Sheth who was
waiting in a car outside wanted to see me. I went out to him. 'I
want to give the Ashram some help.' Will you accept it?'
'Most certainly,' said I. 'And I confess I am at
the present moment at the end of my resources.'
'I shall come tomorrow at this time,' he said. 'Will you be here?'
'Yes,' said I, and he left.
Next day, exactly at the appointed hour, the car drew up near our
quarters, and the horn was blown. The children came with the news.
The Sheth did not come in. I went out to see him. He placed in my
hands currency notes of the value of Rs. 13,000, and drove away.
I had never expected this help, and what a novel way of rendering
it! The gentleman had never before visited the Ashram. So far as I
can remember, I had met him only once. No visit, no enquiries,
simply rendering help and going away! This was a unique experience
for me. The help deferred the exodus to the untouchables' quarter.
We now felt quite safe for a year.
Just as there was a storm outside so there was a storm in the Ashram
itself. Though in South Africa untouchable friends used to come to
my place and live and feed with me, my wife and other women did not
seem quite to relish the admission into the Ashram of the
untouchable friends. My eyes and ears easily detected their
indifference, if not their dislike towards Danibehn. The monetary
difficulty had caused me no anxiety, but this internal storm was
more than I could bear. Danibehn was an ordinary woman. Dudabhai was
a man with slight education but of good understanding. I liked his
patience. Sometimes he did flare up, but on the whole I was well
impressed with his forbearance. I pleaded with him to swallow minor
insults. He not only agreed, but prevailed upon his wife to do
likewise.
The admission of this family proved a valuable lesson to the Ashram.
In the very beginning we proclaimed to the world that the Ashram
would not countenance untouchability. Those who wanted to help the
Ashram were thus put on their guard, and the work of the Ashram in
this direction was considerably simplified. The fact that it is
mostly the real orthodox Hindus who have met the daily growing
expenses of the Ashram is perhaps a clear indication that
untouchability is shaken to its foundation. There are indeed many
other proofs of this, but the fact that good Hindus do not scruple
to help an Ashram where we go the length of dining with the
untouchables is no small proof.
I am sorry that I should have to skip over quite a number of things
pertaining to this subject, how we tackled delicate questions
arising out of the main question, how we had to overcome some
unexpected difficulties, and various other matters which are quite
relevant to a description of experiments with Truth. The chapters
that follow will also suffer from the same drawback. I shall have to
omit important details, because most of the characters in the drama
are still alive, and it is not proper without permission to use
their names in connection with events with which they are concerned.
It is hardly practicable to obtain their consent or to get them
every now and then to revise the chapters concerning themselves.
Besides, such procedure is outside the limit of this autobiography. I
therefore fear that the rest of the story, valuable as it in my
opinion to seekers after Truth, will be told with inevitable
omissions. Nevertheless, it is my desire and hope, God willing, to
bring this narrative down to the days of Non-co-operation.