Mahatma Gandhi once talked about ‘believing eye’. This happened in 1926. Earlier, disillusioned by the violence of Chauri Chaura in 1922, he had withdrawn a widespread political agitation known as Non-Cooperation- Khilafat movement. Shifting his ground from the political to social and organizational areas, Gandhi focused on constructive programmes in villages i.e. flood relief, national schools, promotion of khadi, anti-liquor campaigns and social upliftment of lower caste groups in this period. Like his other activities and programmes, these initiatives also provoked the ire of his belligerent critics. On national education, a correspondent from Gujarat questioned, ‘Since some of the staunchest supporters of non-co-operation have lost faith in it and since the numbers attending national institutions are dwindling, what is the use of holding on to these tottering schools and colleges and wasting good money after bad institutions?’ Mahatma replied in a language laden with faith, determination and symbolism:

Here, it may be noticed that without skirting the core concern of this correspondent from Gujarat, Mahatma swiftly transferred the narrative weight from the national education to Swaraj by bringing in three elements: virgins, flag-post and the flag. The necessity of virgins in performing certain rituals, the sacred nature of the flag post and the flag are all wrapped here in a language of faith and patriarchy. Believing eye is the guide in such an ensemble of sacredness, politics and symbols.