84 "Presenting" the Past
one person would be quite ashamed of doing violence to a comparatively
small group of 70,000 white men in India. If Indians achieved the fourfold
constructive program of khadi, communal unity, prohibition of intoxicants,
and removal of untouchability, they would not only avoid unnecessary
suffering but attain swaraj swiftly.^36
It was necessary that even the physically weakest person should be able
to take due share in the struggle for swaraj in order to enjoy the same free-
dom and rights as the strongest. If women and children should be able to
play an equal part with men, then the struggle had to be nonviolent, for
their participation was not possible in armed warfare.^37 Under Ramara-
jya everything would be done with justice, and the voice of the people
would always be respected. So all must help, and khadi should become the
"universal and constructive instrument" for this. The power of the people
could be strengthened through civil disobedience. It should be the duty
of everyone to contemplate Ramarajya day and night, and a true contem-
plation would always include proper methods. According to Gandhi, "It
should be remembered that in order to establish Ramarajya no learning is
necessary. The necessary talent is found in all—men and women, young
and old, and in people of all religions. The only sad thing is that not all
perceive its presence now. Cannot every one of us, if we want, today give
proof of qualities such as truth, non-violence, propriety of conduct, brav-
ery, forbearance, courage, etc.?"^38
Nevertheless, women played a prominent role in his imagings of Rama-
rajya. Addressing a group of women at Giridih on October 7,1925, Gandhi
explained that swaraj was not only the political home rule but also dharma
raj, which was generally understood as Ramarajya. In order to attain that
noble state, he exhorted the women to become like Sita, who, according to
Gandhi, was the soul of Ramarajya. He advised further that the women
should adopt her piety and spin their own charkha, as Sita did. Gandhi
said at another meeting, "I want to establish Ramarajya. I do not talk to
the men about Ramarajya because I know that they are sure to help that
cause when the womenfolk come forward to do so. Therefore, whenever
I talk to the womenfolk I always talk not about swaraj but of Ramarajya.
This Ramarajya does not concern merely the administration of the coun-
try. But certain other reforms as well are absolutely necessary." He would
offer the women nothing but dharma, and it could be protected mainly
by the strength of character.^39 The role model he offered, Sita, was pure
at heart and kept her body clean by wearing hand-spun and hand-woven
khaddar.*^0 Citing Sita, confirming the absence of imported cloth during her
time, and claiming authoritatively that all women at that time plied the
charkha and wore khadi, Gandhi drove home the message of the indepen-
dence struggle. Explaining that foreign cloth did not add to their beauty,
he asked them to wear khadi and to make their sons and daughters also
wear the same and become pure.