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A SISTER'S DIFFICULTY
A sister writes:
" A year ago I heard you speaking on the supreme necessity
of every one of us wearing khadi, and thereupon decided to adopt
it. But we are poor people. My husband says that khadi is costly*
Belonging as I do to Maharashtra, I wear a sari 8 yards long.
Now, if I reduce the length of my sari to 6 yards, there would be
great saving, but the elders will not hear of any such reduction,
I reason with them that wearing khadi is the more important
thing and that the style and length of the sari are absolutely im-
material, but in vain. They say that it is my youth that puts all
these new-fangled notions into my head. But I expect they will
agree to the proposed reduction in length, if you are good enough
to write to me, saying that khadi ought to be used, even at the
cost of the style of clothing."
I have sent the desired reply to the sister. But I take
note of her' difficulty here, as I know that the same
difficulty is encountered by many other sisters as well.
The letter in question bears witness to the 'strong
patriotic feeling of the writer, for there are not many
sisters who, like her, are ready to give up old styles or old
customs on their own initiative. The number of such
sisters and brothers is legion'as would gladly have Swaraj,
if it could be attained without suffering any discomfort or
incurring any expenditure, and in spite of their sticking to
'old customs regardless of their propriety or the reverse.
But Swaraj is not such a cheap commodity. To attain
Swaraj implies the cultivation of a spirit of self-sacrifice,-
including the sacrifice of provincialism.
Provincialism is a bar not only to the realization of
national Swaraj but also to the achievement of provincial
autonomy. Women, perhaps, are more responsible than
inen for keeping up this narrow spirit." Variety is worth
Cherishing up to a certain limit, but if the limit is exceeded,
amehities and "customs, masquerading under the name of
variety, are subversive of nationalism. The Deccarii sari is
a thing of beauty, but the beauty must be -let go, if it can be
secured only by sacrificing the nation. We "should consider
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