When Mahatma Gandhi got angry with wife Kasturba for just Rs 4

As the world celebrates Mahatma Gandhi’s 150^th birth anniversary on Tuesday (October 2), one may recall lesser known incidents about Gandhi’s life that reveals his strong conviction on truth and ethics.

Gandhi once got angry with his wife, Kasturba because she “unlawfully” kept Rs 4 with her. The incident prompted the ‘Father of the Nation’ to write an article on it.

According to news agency PTI, Gandhi himself revealed the incident in a 1929 article which appeared in 'Navajivan', a weekly newspaper published by him.

In the article, Gandhi had said that while Kasturba had many of the merits, she also got “weaknesses” too which marred her virtues.

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Although she had given away all the money considering it to be the duty of a wife, “an ununderstandable, worldly desire still persists” in her, the Mahatma noted.

“A year or two back, she (Kasturba) had kept with her one or two hundred rupees which were received as presents from various persons on various occasions.

“The rule (at the ashram) is that she cannot keep anything as hers, even when it is given for her. So this keeping of money was unlawful,” he wrote in the article.

Some strangers had presented Kasturba four rupees. But instead of giving away the money to the office, according to the usual rule, she kept it with herself.

The leader of India’s freedom fight, further wrote that his wife’s “delinquency” was revealed only when some thieves arrived at the ashram.

“Fortunately for her and for the mandir (ashram), once thieves entered her room. They did not get anything, but her delinquency was detected owing to their coming,” he wrote.

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After being detected, in all humility, she gave back the money and vowed that she will never repeat such a thing.

“I believe hers was a honest repentance. She has taken a vow that she would leave me and the mandir, if any other lapse committed in the past is detected, or if she is caught doing the same thing again in future.

The mandir has accepted her repentance,” Gandhi added.

(With PTI inputs)