Gandhi’s statement suddenly changed
the atmosphere in Durban. The press declared Gandhi innocent and condemned his
assailants. The Durban incident raised Gandhi’s prestige and won sympathy
abroad for the Indians in South Africa.
As the struggle in South Africa
continued, a change was coming over Gandhi. He had begun with a life of ease
and comfort, but this was short-lived. As he became more and more involved in
public activities, his expenses. He took to washing and ironing his own
clothes, and he did it so badly at first that the other lawyers laughed at him.
But soon he became quite an expert at this and his collars were no less stiff
and shiny than theirs.
Gandhi once went to an English
barber in Pretoria. The barber insolently refused to cut a “black” man’s hair.
Gandhi at once bought a pair of clippers and cut his own hair. He succeeded
more or less in cutting the front part but spoilt the back. He looked very
funny and his friends in the court laughed at him.