DIFFERENT REGISTERS
A simple life
By C.S. Lakshmi
Inspiring example: Kala Shahani. Illustration Irina Saakian, Sparrow Collections
KALA SHAHANI, an unusual Gandhian, died peacefully on September 26 this year, in Mumbai. I had gone to see her two weeks before. She was in bed but was her usual warm and kind self. She assured me she was not in pain. Another friend who had come along could not quite tell her that she had come because she had heard that she was sinking slowly. When she hesitated, Kala Shahani, with grace and humour, helped her to offer an explanation for her visit: "You have come to pay me your respects", she prompted her. That prompting, to me, signified her personality. Ever helpful to others and never wanting to trouble anyone for her sake.
Quiet determination
SPARROW's first oral history workshop in July 1997 was with Kala Shahani. When I approached her with the idea of a workshop with students, she was doubtful if her life would interest anyone. She wondered if her participation in the national movement and the principled life she led later, based on her belief in the Gandhian ideology of simplicity, should be spoken about at all. Finally she agreed when we told her that young students, born many years after 1947, would benefit a great deal listening to her. When we brought out a booklet based on the recordings made in the workshop, we were absolutely sure what the title of the booklet would be. It had to be Standing on Her Own Feet, for, that was something she constantly stressed in her narration. And it was this determination of hers, spoken in soft but firm tones, that won the students over.
Kala Shahani was born in 1919 in Karachi. She was the fourth among seven daughters and two sons. Her father, Lilaram Premchand Wadhwani, was committed to education. He was headmaster in a Government High School. He was a theosophist and believed in the equality of all human beings. Her father's gentle nature and his attitude towards people and life left a deep impression on Kala as a child. When Kala was 10, she heard Gandhi speak in a meeting. He spoke that day about leading a selfless life. Some women were so moved by his speech that they offered their jewels as charity. Kala had no jewels but she made up her mind that she would only wear khadi thereafter. She went home and told her mother and her mother did not take her seriously. Kala then took to the Gandhian way of persuasion — she went on a three-day fast! Her mother was finally convinced that this little girl knew her mind and initially bought her just two sets of clothes but later was forced to buy her more, for, since then, Kala wore only khadi.
Kala's devotion to Gandhi and his principles till she died was totally unwavering. Kala's father was a great admirer of Annie Besant. Kala also became a theosophist following her father and became a part of their inner circle. There were criticisms against Gandhi in that circle. There were comments that members of the Congress only knew how to shout slogans; they knew nothing about ruling the nation. Annie Besant herself did not speak well of the Congress. Kala's deep admiration and respect for Gandhi could not brook such criticism of his activities. Although she was also an admirer of her father, she had to tell him that she did not agree with him and that she did not want to be part of that group. Her father told her that she was certainly entitled to her views and could disagree with him and leave the group.
Common ground
It was this admiration for Gandhi that drew her to Jetanand Shahani, 12 years her senior, who was deeply involved in the freedom movement. Everyone called him "Shanti" — a name given to him by Sadhu Waswani because of his peace-loving nature. Shanti became the axis of her existence after marriage. She was with him in all his activities. She began attending charkha classes and giving Hindi lessons as Gandhi had been stressing the importance of a rashtra basha. Shanti owned a press, aptly called Motherland Press and, after a while, he began printing Quit India, a clandestine newspaper inciting people to carry out satyagraha against the British. It was for this "act of sedition" that Shanti Shahani was later arrested. He was in prison for six months. Kala Shani bore this trial and the greater physical, emotional and psychological trial of Partition because she kept her immense faith in humanity. The Shahani family of three, with little Govind, were among the last to leave Karachi. Kala Shahani never set eyes on Karachi, her hometown, again.
Kala Shahani was widowed at the age of 37. She could have stayed with her father and brother but her gentle father could be very firm. He told her to take up a job and be a self-respecting individual so that her son can have a bright future. As she left he said, "I have tears in my eyes as I see her go but I don't want tears in her eyes. When she knows she can't depend on anyone, she will find the strength to depend on herself." And that is how Kala took up a job in the Sindhi newspaper Hindustan, published from Bombay.
Faith in values
For people like Kala Shahani, with their immense faith in humanistic values, working for the nation and its independence and later living by those values was not a political act that belonged to the public sphere at a given historical period. It was more of an inner need, a spiritual seeking that shaped their personalities and lifestyles. Hence personal benefits or seeking recognition was not a part of their commitment to the nation. Kala Shahani chose not to take pension and other benefits offered to freedom fighters. "When you work for your mother — you call the country motherland, don't you? — how can you get paid for it?" she had told in the workshop. And this frail woman in her khadi sari worked till she was 80, gracefully living with her Parsi daughter-in-law, always encouraging her and admiring her for what she did. On her deathbed, she told Roshan Shahani, her daughter-in-law, who took care of her and read for her, "My hand is too weak to hold yours. But I hold you in my heart."
In SPARROW hangs her portrait, teaching us humility and reminding us constantly of the story of a woman who lived her life with courage and conviction. That people like Kala Shahani have lived amidst us is a rare blessing which we should not forget.
C.S. Lakshmi is an independent researcher and a writer. She writes in Tamil under the pseudonym Ambai. She is the founder-trustee and director of SPARROW (Sound and Picture Archives for Research on Women).
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