Women's Role in India's Civil Disobedience Movement Documented by New Photographs

Introduction

Recently discovered photographs are providing visual documentation of women's significant participation in India's 1930-31 civil disobedience movement, which was led by Mahatma Gandhi. These images depict women in active political roles, sometimes holding prominent positions that reposition male participants.

Context of the Movement

The civil disobedience movement followed Gandhi's salt march in April 1930, which challenged the British monopoly on salt production. The Indian National Congress encouraged its supporters to produce contraband salt, boycott foreign goods, and engage in demonstrations that often led to confrontations with police. Prior to this, the Congress had established 'purna swaraj' (complete independence) as its primary political objective for India.

Historians acknowledge the civil disobedience movement as a pivotal period in Indian political history. Its key aspects included:

• Increased Female Participation: Although Gandhi initially restricted women from joining the salt march, female leaders successfully advocated for greater involvement.
• Media Utilization: Congress leaders utilized contemporary media technologies, including photography, radio, and film, to disseminate their political struggle internationally.

The Nursey Album Discovery

Approximately two decades ago, an album containing photographs from the movement was acquired by the Alkazi Foundation, a Delhi-based art collection, from a London auction. The album, titled "Collections of Photographs of Old Congress Party- K. L. Nursey," offered limited information about its origin and owner. The photo captions were brief and contained inaccuracies.

In 2019, the Alkazi Foundation's curator, along with historians from Duke University, began a detailed examination of the album. The photographs within the Nursey album illustrate a comprehensive narrative of events in Bombay (now Mumbai).

Unlike earlier staged political photography in India, these images capture candid scenes, including:

• Violent confrontations with police.
• Wounded volunteers being transported.
• Marches occurring during monsoon conditions.
• Continuous processions of men and women through Bombay's urban landscape.

Female Leadership and Shifting Dynamics

The album particularly highlights the active role of women in the civil disobedience movement and their contributions to empowerment. Sumathi Ramaswamy of Duke University noted the emphasis on women in action within the collection. For instance, images depict Lilavati Munshi, a Congress leader, providing instructions to men during a raid on a government-owned salt pan. Another photograph shows Munshi standing outside a boycotted British department store, facing British police officers.

This visual record of female leadership represents a change from earlier Indian nationalist activities, such as the non-cooperation movement of 1920-22, where women's roles were more constrained. The Nursey album documents not only prominent figures like Munshi but also thousands of unidentified female volunteers. These include women gathering on Bombay's Chowpatty Beach to produce contraband salt and members of the Desh Sevika, an all-female volunteer force, engaging with police over a provisional national flag. The photographs also show female volunteers bringing their young daughters to participate, indicating the involvement of multiple generations in anti-colonial politics.

The album further illustrates instances of altered gender dynamics. Women's processions, some carrying taklis (spindles) to promote homespun khadi cloth, occupied Bombay's streets, at times positioning men to the side. Additionally, middle-class men, many without prior domestic experience, conducted classes on boiling and cooking salt for volunteers. These collective actions by both men and women contributed to the movement's impact and Gandhi's global recognition.