Porbandar, where Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born, was a quiet seaside town on the north-west coast of India, and the Gandhi family lived in a large old house on the edge of the town. They were a cultured Hindu family - they had books in their home and Mohandas played music when he was young. The Gandhis were part of the Vaishya caste. It was not a high caste, but the Gandhis had more money than a lot of lndian families. By the late nineteenth century, people's jobs were not always decided by their caste and Mohandas' father, Karamchand, was an important man. He was a diwan - or first minister - of the princely state of Porbandar, so he helped to rule the state. He was brave, generous and honest, but easily got angry. Mohandas' mother, Putlibai, was an intelligent, sensible woman and Mohandas loved her very much. She was very religious. She prayed before every meal and went to the temple every day. Like many Hindus, she also often fasted - she ate and drank nothing for several days.