16. Half Anna Worth Lakhs of Rupees

Bapuji was raising funds in Orrisa for the Khadi project. He was in a meeting when a very old woman came to see him. All her hair was grey and she had a hump back. She had to struggle with the volunteers before she could reach Gandhiji. "I wanted to see you," she said and taking a half anna coin from her waist-band kept it at Gandhiji's feet and left patiently. Gandhiji quickly picked up the coin and kept it with himself. Jamnalal Bajaj, who aptly looked after the accounts, was sitting nearby.

He said, "Give me the coin, Bapu." Gandhiji said, "No, I can't give it to you." "I handle Charkha Sangh's all the cheques worth thousands of rupees and yet you won't trust me with this petty coin?" retorted Jamnalalji. Gandhiji replied, "This half anna coin is worth lakhs of rupees. If a person having lakhs of rupees gives a thousand rupees to someone there's nothing extraordinary about it. But this coin from the poor old lady is worth millions of rupees. Just imagine how generous she might be!"