86. Bapu and Ba

When, soon after his return to India early in 1915, Gandhiji, accompanied by Kasturba, paid a visit to Madras, they became the guests of Shri G. A. Natesan, the veteran journalist. It would appear that Shri Natesan, finding Kasturba in a discomforted mood on more than one occasion, brought the fact to the notice of Gandhiji. According to Shri Natesan, Gandhiji did not pause for a reply, but forthwith told him that "it was of her own making," and added: "She wants me to give her money for buying costly clothes for her grandchildren."

On Shri Natesan jocularly observing that Gandhiji was "a cruel husband", the latter quickly retorted as follows : "Look here, you are hard on me; it is a question of my forsaking my principles if I begin to yield to her wishes in these and other matters. She knows full well my views and is quite acquainted with my way of living. I have more than once implored her to live away from me and save herself from the discomfort and live happily with her children. But she would not. She, like the faithful Hindu wife, insists on following me wherever I go."