Found at Last!

At last, after no end of wandering in Gujarat, Gangabehn found the spinning wheel in Vijapur, in the Baroda State. Quite a number of people there had spinning wheels in their homes, but had long since consigned them to the lofts as useless lumber. They expressed to Gangabehn their readiness to resume spinning, if some one promised to provide them with a regular supply of slivers, and to buy the yarn spun by them. Gangabehn communicated the joyful news to me. The providing of slivers was found to be a difficult task. On my mentioning the thing to the late Umar Sobani, he solved the difficulty by immediately undertaking to send a sufficient supply of slivers from his mill. I sent to Gangabehn the slivers received from Umar Sobani, and soon yarn began to pour in at such a rate, that it became quite a problem how to cope with it.

At last, after endless searching in Gujarat, Gangabehn found the spinning wheel in Vijapur, in the Baroda State. Quite a few people there had spinning wheels at home. But they had long ago put them away in their lofts as useless junk. They told Gangabehn they were ready to spin again if someone promised them a regular supply of slivers and bought their yarn. Gangabehn shared the joyful news with me. Providing slivers proved difficult. When I mentioned the problem to the late Umar Sobani, he solved it at once. He offered to send a sufficient supply of slivers from his mill. I sent the slivers from Umar Sobani to Gangabehn. Soon yarn began pouring in so quickly that it became quite a problem to keep up with it.

Mr. Umar Sobani’s generosity was great, but still one could not go on taking advantage of it for ever. I felt ill at ease continuously receiving slivers from him. Moreover it seemed to me to be fundamentally wrong to use mill-slivers. If one could use mill-slivers, why not use mill-yarn as well? Surely no mills supplied slivers to the ancients? How did they make their slivers then? With these thoughts in my mind I suggested to Gangabehn to find carders who could supply slivers. She confidently undertook the task. She engaged a carder who was prepared to card cotton. He demanded thirty five rupees, if not much more, per month. I considered no price too high at the time. She trained a few youngsters to make slivers out of the carded cotton. I begged for cotton in Bombay. Sjt. Yashvantprasad Desai at once responded. Gangabehn’s enterprise thus prospered beyond expectation. She found out weavers to weave the yarn that was spun in Vijapur, and soon Vijapur Khadi gained a name for itself.

Mr. Umar Sobani was very generous, but I could not go on taking advantage of his generosity forever. I felt uneasy receiving slivers from him again and again. Moreover, it seemed fundamentally wrong to use mill-made slivers. If one could use mill-made slivers, why not use mill-made yarn too? Surely no mills supplied slivers to people in ancient times? How did they make their slivers then? With these thoughts in mind, I suggested that Gangabehn find carders who could supply slivers. She confidently took on the task. She hired a carder who was willing to card cotton. He asked for thirty-five rupees a month, if not much more. At the time, I considered no price too high. She trained a few youngsters to make slivers from the carded cotton. I begged for cotton in Bombay. Sjt. Yashvantprasad Desai responded at once. Gangabehn’s enterprise thus prospered beyond expectation. She found weavers to weave the yarn spun in Vijapur, and soon Vijapur Khadi made a name for itself.

While these developments were taking place in Vijapur, the spinning wheel gained a rapid footing in the Ashram. Maganlal Gandhi, by bringing to bear all his splendid mechanical talent on the wheel, made many improvements in it, and wheels and their accessories began to be manufactured at the Ashram. The first piece of Khadi manufactured in the Ashram cost 17 annas per yard. I did not hesitate to commend this very coarse Khadi at that rate to friends, who willingly paid the price.

While these developments were taking place in Vijapur, the spinning wheel quickly gained ground in the Ashram. Maganlal Gandhi used all his splendid mechanical talent to make many improvements to the wheel. The Ashram began making spinning wheels and their accessories. The first piece of Khadi made in the Ashram cost 17 annas per yard. I did not hesitate to recommend this very coarse Khadi to friends at that price. They willingly paid it.

I was laid up in bed at Bombay. But I was fit enough to make searches for the wheel there. At last I chanced upon two spinners. They charged one rupee for a seer of yarn, i. e., 28 tolas or nearly three quarters of a pound. I was then ignorant of the economics of Khadi. I considered no price too high for securing handspun yarn. On comparing the rates paid by me with those paid in Vijapur I found that I was being cheated. The spinners refused to agree to any reduction in their rates. So I had to dispense with their services. But they served their purpose. They taught spinning to Shrimatis Avantikabai, Ramibai Kamdar, the widowed mother of Sjt. Shankarlal Banker and Shrimati Vasumatibehn. The wheel began merrily to hum in my room, and I may say without exaggeration that its hum had no small share in restoring me to health. I am prepared to admit that its effect was more psychological than physical. But then it only shows how powerful the physical in man reacts to the psychological. I too set my hand to the wheel but I did not do much with it at the time.

I was confined to bed in Bombay. But I was well enough to search for a spinning wheel there. At last, I came across two spinners. They charged one rupee for a seer of yarn, i. e., 28 tolas, or nearly three quarters of a pound. At the time, I knew nothing about the economics of Khadi. I considered no price too high for obtaining handspun yarn. But when I compared what I paid with the rates in Vijapur, I found I was being cheated. The spinners refused to lower their rates, so I had to stop using their services. But they had served their purpose. They taught spinning to Shrimatis Avantikabai, Ramibai Kamdar, the widowed mother of Sjt. Shankarlal Banker, and Shrimati Vasumatibehn. The wheel began to hum merrily in my room. I can say without exaggeration that its hum played no small part in restoring my health. I am ready to admit that its effect was more psychological than physical. But that only shows how powerfully the mind affects the body. I also tried my hand at the wheel, but I did not do much spinning at the time.

In Bombay, again, the same old problem of obtaining a supply of hand-made slivers presented itself. A carder twanging his bow used to pass daily by Sjt. Revashankar’s residence. I sent for him, and learnt that he carded cotton for stuffing mattresses. He agreed to card cotton for slivers, but demanded a stiff price for it, which however I paid. The yarn thus prepared I disposed of to some Vaishnava friends for making from it the garlands for the pavitra ekadashi. Sjt. Shivji started a spinning class in Bombay. All these experiments involved considerable expenditure. But it was willingly defrayed by patriotic friends, lovers of the motherland, who had faith in Khadi. The money thus spent, in my humble opinion, was not wasted. It brought us a rich store of experience, and revealed to us the possibilities of the spinning wheel.

In Bombay, I again faced the old problem of obtaining handmade slivers. A cotton carder used to pass Sjt. Revashankar’s residence every day, twanging his bow. I sent for him and learned that he carded cotton for stuffing mattresses. He agreed to card cotton for slivers, but he demanded a high price. I paid it. I sold the yarn prepared from the slivers to some Vaishnava friends. They used it to make garlands for pavitra ekadashi. Sjt. Shivji started a spinning class in Bombay. All these experiments cost a great deal. But patriotic friends, lovers of the motherland who had faith in Khadi, willingly paid for them. In my humble opinion, the money was not wasted. It brought us a wealth of experience and showed us the possibilities of the spinning wheel.

I now grew impatient for the exclusive adoption of Khadi for my dress. My dhoti was yet of Indian mill cloth. The coarse Khadi manufactured in the Ashram and at Vijapur was only 30 inches in width. I gave notice to Gangabehn that, unless she provided me with a Khadi dhoti of 45 inches width within a month, I would do with coarse, short Khadi dhoti. The ultimatum came upon her as a shock. But she proved equal to the demand made upon her. Well within the month she sent me a pair of Khadi dhotis of 45 inches width, and thus relieved me from what would then have been a difficult situation for me.

I now grew impatient to wear only Khadi. My dhoti was still made of Indian mill cloth. The coarse Khadi made at the Ashram and at Vijapur was only 30 inches wide. I told Gangabehn that unless she provided me with a Khadi dhoti 45 inches wide within a month, I would wear a short dhoti made of coarse Khadi. The ultimatum shocked her. But she rose to the challenge. Well within the month, she sent me a pair of Khadi dhotis 45 inches wide. She thus saved me from what would have been a difficult situation for me at the time.

At about the same time Sjt. Lakshmidas brought Sjt. Ramji, the weaver, with his wife Gangabehn from Lathi to the Ashram and got Khadi dhotis woven at the Ashram. The part played by this couple in the spread of Khadi was by no means insignificant. They initiated a host of persons in Gujarat, as well as outside, into the art of weaving handspun yarn. To see Gangabehn at her loom is a stirring sight. When this unlettered but self-possessed sister plies at her loom, she becomes so lost in it, that it is difficult to distract her attention, much less to draw her eyes off her beloved loom.

Around the same time, Sjt. Lakshmidas brought Sjt. Ramji, the weaver, and his wife Gangabehn from Lathi to the Ashram. He arranged for Khadi dhotis to be woven there. The couple played an important part in spreading Khadi. They taught many people in Gujarat and beyond how to weave handspun yarn. Seeing Gangabehn at her loom is stirring. This sister cannot read or write, but she is self-possessed. When she works at her loom, she becomes so absorbed that it is difficult to distract her. It is even harder to draw her eyes away from her beloved loom.