Word Weavers: Kasturba Gandhi

Kasturba Gandhi (1869-1944) was an Indian political activist and leader in the movement for Indian Independence during British Colonial rule. She was married to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi). During her life participated in many civil disobedience campaigns and marches and did work to support women’s welfare throughout her life. She is said to have been a key inspiration for Gandhi’s Satyagraha, a form of nonviolent resistance or civil resistance.

For Further Reading: 

• Kasturba Gandhi
• Daughter Of Midnight - The Child Bride of Gandhi by Arun Gandhi
• Kasturba Gandhi: Accidental Activist (PBS Documentary)
• Life Sketch of Kasturba

This month, we’re talking about Word Weavers — people who coined terms, popularized words, and even created entirely new languages. These activists, writers, artists, and scholars used language to shape ideas and give voice to experiences that once had no name. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:09):
Hello for Wonder Media Network. I'm Jenny Kaplan and this
is Womanica. This month we're talking about word weavers, people
who coined terms, popularized words, and even created entirely new languages.
These activist writers, artists, and scholars used language to shape
ideas and give voice to experiences that once had no name.
In the early nineteen hundreds, while entrenched in civil rights

(00:31):
activism for the Indian population in South Africa, Gandhi first
employed the term satiagrah to describe his approach to nonviolent resistance.
Today's Womaniquin, though not the progenitor of the word satiagrah,
is credited as a defining font of inspiration for the
development and evolution of her husband's approach to resistance. Please welcome.

(00:53):
Casturba Gandhi. Astorba was born Costur Kapadia on April eleventh,
eighteen sixty nine and present day Gujarat, a state on
the western coast of India. Her father was a well
known textile merchant. Kastorba's future husband, known then as Mohundas Gandhi,
also grew up in Gujarat. Their fathers worked together and

(01:16):
were friendly. The family's close relationship led to Kastorba and
Gandhi's betrothal when they were both just seven years old.
The two were married in eighteen eighty two, when they
were around the age of thirteen. Marriage from such a
young age was not easy for Kastorba. The Gandhi family
moved to a city several days journey away, separating her
from the life she had known. In her new home,

(01:40):
she assisted with housework and chores while her husband went
to school. In the early years of the marriage, Gandhi
had more traditional views on gender roles and often sought
to bring Kastorba under his control, limiting her movement and
requiring her to ask permission to leave the house. While
she was dutiful, she didn't not allow him to overpower her,

(02:01):
refusing to cower to his threats to send her away
for perceived disobedience. Three years into their marriage, Kastoorba gave
birth to her first child, but sadly, the child died
just a few days later. Soon after, Gandhi left to
study at university, which would be the beginning of many
periods of physical separation for the couple. Eventually, he returned

(02:24):
home and the couple had the first of their four
sons in eighteen eighty eight. Gandhi then left Gstorba and
their newborn son to study law in England. His decision
went against the desires of his cast elders, and as
a result, the family was excommunicated. This was hard on Castorba,
who could no longer rely on her community and became isolated.

(02:45):
After his studies, Gandhi found work in South Africa as
a lawyer. It would be several years before the rest
of the family joined him. By the time Gestorba and
her sons joined Gandhi in South Africa, he had already
made quite a name for himself. In nineteen oh six,
they moved to the Phoenix Settlement, a community created in
accordance with Gandhi's ideals for communal living. In the Phoenix Settlement,

(03:10):
Kasturba became a mother figure to all in the community,
known as Bah, which means mother, and so her name
shifted from castor to Castorba as we know her today.
Kastorba also spent long periods alone on the settlement as
her husband traveled and was frequently imprisoned for his activism.
Throughout Kasturba stayed devoted. In nineteen oh eight, when Gandhi

(03:32):
faced prison time for his first Statyagraha campaign, Kastorba ate
the same food he was given in jail and solidarity
with his hardships. She did this despite challenges to her health,
which had begun after challenging childbirths. Satyakra has the term
Gandhi and his supporters developed to define the determined but

(03:53):
nonviolent resistance to evil central to their activism. The term
also has a literal meaning to hold on to truth
or to cling to truth. Satiagra has come to mean
more than just the action of non violent resistance. It's
also about taking on the burdens of injustice and remaining
true to one's ideals. It's a mindset and an active work.

(04:15):
When reflecting on Castorba's influence on himself and his philosophy,
Gandhi said this, she was a woman always of very
strong will, which in our early days I used to
mistake for obstinacy. But that strong will enabled her to
become quite unwittingly my teacher in the art and practice
of nonviolent non cooperation. Through Castorba's resistance and demonstrations of strength,

(04:37):
Satiagraha was formed in nineteen thirteen, South Africa Supreme Court
decided to essentially nullify all non Christian marriages in South Africa.
Castorba protested the decision and was sentenced to three months
in prison. This spurred more women to participate in active protest,
and the notoriety of their action led to a large

(04:58):
strike of Indian mine work. Eventually, the South African government
agreed to recognize non Christian marriages. In the midst of
this successful campaign, Kastorba and her family relocated back to
India to help India's fight for independence from British colonial rule.
She assisted her husband on most of his major campaigns.

(05:22):
In nineteen seventeen, Kastorba joined Gandhi's work with Indigo farmers,
teaching women's skills to become more self sufficient, like weaving
their own clothes. Then, in nineteen twenty eight, during another
Satiagraha campaign, she encouraged women to participate in civil disobedience
like picketing and boycotting. Kustoorba often took her husband's place

(05:42):
in campaigns when he faced prison time, and was herself
imprisoned again numerous times throughout the nineteen thirties. In nineteen
forty two, Gandhi was set to lead a nationwide Satiagraha
campaign under the Quit India resolution, but before it could begin,
he was arrested. And, not wanting to abandon the fight
for Indian independence in her husband's place, Kastorbo went to

(06:04):
Shivaji Park to address the audience of many thousands. Shortly thereafter,
she was arrested. Kastorba spent the last years of her
life imprisoned in Aga Khan Palace alongside her husband. Kasturba's
story is inherently intertwined with her husband's, but her actions
stand aparton on their own. Her legacy is a movement leader,

(06:27):
as a wife and mother, and as a foundational figure
in sach Yagraha, cannot be sidelined. Kastorba passed away on
February twenty second, nineteen forty four, after suffering multiple heart attacks.
She was seventy four years old. All month we're talking
about word weavers. For more information, find us on Facebook
and Instagram at Wamanica podcast special thanks to Liz Kaplan,

(06:51):
my favorite sister and co creator. Talk to you tomorrow