The Story of My Experiments with Truth · Chapter
That Memorable Week!—I explained
Gandhi describes the events surrounding the 6th April 1919 hartal, including the success in Bombay, the administration of pledges, the sale of proscribed literature, his arrest and detention en route to the Punjab, and the violent police re
What happens
Gandhi describes the events surrounding the 6th April 1919 hartal, including the success in Bombay, the administration of pledges, the sale of proscribed literature, his arrest and detention en route to the Punjab, and the violent police response to the crowd in Bombay.
Themes in this chapter
Nonviolence and Satyagraha
Gandhi insists on peaceful civil disobedience, selling proscribed literature openly and urging calm despite police violence.
Social Justice and Anti-Colonialism
The hartal and civil disobedience are directed against British colonial laws, particularly the salt tax and repressive legislation.
Religion and Interfaith Dialogue
Hindus and Muslims unite in the hartal; Gandhi speaks at a mosque and emphasizes Hindu-Muslim unity pledges.
Characters to notice
- Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
Narrator and central figure; organizes the hartal, sells proscribed literature, is arrested and detained.
- Shankarlal Banker
Sent a wire to Gandhi asking him to be present for the 6th April celebrations in Bombay.
- Swami Shraddhanandji
Delivered a speech in the Jumma Masjid in Delhi; summoned Gandhi to Delhi after the hartal.
- Hakim Ajmal Khan
His word was law in Delhi regarding the hartal.
- Shrimati Sarojini Naidu
Delivered a speech at a mosque in Bombay; went out in a car to sell proscribed literature.
- Umar Sobani
Arrived with Anasuyabehn to take Gandhi to Pydhuni to pacify the crowd.
- Anasuyabehn
Arrived with Umar Sobani to take Gandhi to Pydhuni to pacify the crowd.
- Mahadev Desai
Accompanied Gandhi; sent to Delhi to convey news to Swami Shraddhanandji.
Key passages
“Delhi had never witnessed a hartal like that before. Hindus and Mussalmans seemed united like one man.”
The hartal in Delhi was unprecedented, with Hindus and Muslims acting as one.
Highlights the unity of the two communities in the protest.
“I suggested that the people might prepare salt from seawater in their own houses in disregard of the salt laws.”
Gandhi proposed that people make salt from seawater at home to break the salt laws.
Foreshadows the later Salt Satyagraha.
“Five and ten rupee notes just flew out to cover the price of a single copy, while in one case I remember having sold a copy for fifty rupees!”
People paid far more than the four-anna price for the proscribed books, with some giving five or ten rupees, and one person paying fifty.
Shows the public's eagerness to support the civil disobedience campaign.
“I besought the crowd to be calm, but it seemed as if we should not be able to escape the shower of brickbats.”
Gandhi pleaded with the crowd to stay calm, but brickbats continued to fall.
Illustrates the tension and violence during the procession.
