Gandhiji's Family

Gandhiji insisted on celibacy in the Ashram. He said that till the country was independent people should not think of marriages, but serve the motherland. However, those  who married, also got his blessings. He would tell the importance of restraint. According to him a couple should have sex only when they want to have a child. At other times they should try to live like friends.

Gandhiji blessed the marriage of one muslim girl Shireen Kazi. Later on he used to bless only inter caste marriages where at least one partner was Harijan. The observance of celibacy was laid down as a discipline to be strictly followed by all those who lived in the ashram. But those who could not observe this rule, were entrusted work in other constructive activities outside the Ashram area where they had to live and work. The result was that Gandhiji established his contact with everybody according to his status in life and guided him on the path to spiritual and moral development through the service of the society.

Gandhiji acted as a rural doctor for the villagers. He had immense faith in nature-cure. He advocated that almost all the ailments could be cured with the help of the five elements of which the body is made, viz sunlight ,air, water, earth and the sky. Gandhiji used castor oil, soda-bi-carb and enema whenever needed for himself and advised others also to use them. Gandhiji had great faith and attraction in treatment through the soil. He used to apply mud plaster on many occasions while having rest during the day time. He would go to sleep after applying mud plaster on his abdomen. During summer, when he went out he sometimes would put the mattress on which he sat on his head to save himself from heat.

The place was full of mosquitoes. They were the first to attack Gandhiji started living here. Malaria and typhoid afflicted the ashramites. The first duty in the ashram was to serve the sick. Gandhiji used to help in sponge bath, enema and other dispensing activities. This encouraged others also to come forward and serve the sick.

In 1944 when he was released from prison due to poor health, he spent some days to recover health in Pune, Panchgani, Juhu, etc. He reached Sevagram in the second week of August.