With the stopping of monetary help came rumours of proposed social boycott. We were prepared for all this. I had told my companions that, if we were boycotted and denied the usual facilities, we would not leave Ahmedabad. We would rather go and stay in the untouchables’ quarter and live on whatever we could get by manual labour.
Matters came to such a pass that Maganlal Gandhi one day gave me this notice: “We are out of funds and there is nothing for the next month.”
I quietly replied: “Then we shall go to the untouchables’ quarter.”
This was not the first time I had been faced with such a trial. On all such occasions God has sent help at the last moment. One morning, shortly after Maganlal had given me warning of our monetary plight, one of the children came and said that a Sheth who was waiting in a car outside wanted to see me. I went out to him. “I want to give the Ashram some help. Will you accept it?” he asked.
“Most certainly,” said I. “And I confess I am at the present moment at the end of my resources.”
“I shall come tomorrow at this time,” he said. “Will you be here?”
“Yes,” said I, and he left.
Next day, exactly at the appointed hour, the car drew up near our quarters, and the horn was blown. The children came with the news. The Sheth did not come in. I went out to see him. He placed in my hands currency notes of the value of Rs. 13,000, and drove away.
I had never expected this help, and what a novel way of rendering it! The gentleman had never before visited the Ashram. So far as I can remember, I had met him only once. No visit, no enquiries, simply rendering help and going away! This was a unique experience for me. The help deferred the exodus to the untouchables’ quarter. We now felt quite safe for a year.