(Mahatma Gandhi is known to be one of the most courageous, even ‘seditious’ writers who ever dared to challenge the mighty British Empire in India, and yet his pen has written some of the sweetest letters — letters bubbling with love and human sympathy—. In the year 1930 when he was in Yervada Jail the inmates of Yervada Jail received very affectionate letters from him, some of which are reproduced below :)
I — TO MIRA BAI.
Yours is the first letter I take up to write from the Jail and that on the silence day. I have been quite happy and have been making up for arrears of rest. The nights here are cool and, as I am permitted to sleep at night under the sky, I have refreshing sleep. About the change made in the manner of taking the diet, you will learn from my general letter.
It was a great treat to receive the wheel so thoughtfully sent and with things so carefully packed in it. The carding bow, the superintendent tells me, was lost on the way by the friends who brought it*. I am in no hurry for it as you have sent me a liberal quantity of slivers. I do not know who sent me the books. They were not the ones I wanted however this mistake does not matter much as I do not miss the books just now.
I am giving as much time as I can to the takli. I find that I have no speed on it at all. I hardly get thirty rounds in one hour. For the first day I gave nearly seven hours to nearly reach 160 rounds. I was washed out at the end of the performance. I must learn the trick of getting more speed. I am, therefore, in no hurry to the books—
The prison officials are all kind and attentive, Love BAPU.
- It has since been found by the friends and posted to the Jail.
II — GENERAL LETTER TO ALL THE INMATES OF THE ASHRAM.
My health is alright. I rise in the morning at the Ashram hour (4 A.M.) I am given a light, so I can read the Gita chapters according to our custom. I am gradually recovering from my exhaustion of so many days. I rest regularly at 8 in the morning, and 12 noon, and thus get some two to three hours sleep during the day. I gave up oranges during my march, but have begun to take them again here. On the first day I took raw goat’s milk and am continuing it for the present. I take about three pounds. I shall have to reduce it a little or take it in the form of curds. In the mornings, also, I take cold water instead of hot. They give me full facilities for making it hot, but if the body can be maintained on cold water, why bother about hot water. I have left off honey. I had begun taking cold water baths, but from yesterday I am again bathing with hot water. The goat is milked in my presence, so there is no question as to the cleanliness of the milk. If raw milk proves unsatisfactory I will, of course, get it heated.
They have given me a man to clean vessels, etc., Dates and raisins I am taking. There is no reason to be anxious about my diet. There is, and ought to be, no time in these days for taking superfluous care of others. We have no money and ought to have no money for superfluous expenses.
As for my spinning, it is regular. I make a daily bank of yarn. I never saw to my speed on takli outside the Jail. Interest should be created in spinning takli. In Wardha, some people have reached the speed of 80 rounds in half an hour. Let those who have learned there find out their exact speed and write to me.
III — TO “BA” (KASTURBA GANDHI)
How nice it was that I saw you and all the sisters the evening previous to my arrest. And I was able to go with you up to your residence which gave me much pleasure. God’s favours pour down upon us as rains from Heaven…
None of you should get nervous or troubled. All the verses of the sisters’ prayer were thoughtfully arranged. I hope they may be repeated with full concentration every morning.
To his son Devadas, he wrote: I do not know where you are. But there is God above to take care of us, so let us not worry about one another.
IV — TO LAKSHMI (THE LITTLE UNTOUCHABLE ADOPTED DAUGHTER OF GANDHIJI) AND OTHER LITTLE CHILDREN.
Little Birds,
Ordinary birds cannot fly without wings. With wings of course, all can fly. But if you, without wings will learn how to fly, then all your troubles will indeed be at an end. And I will teach you. See, I have no wings, yet I come flying to you every day in thought. Look, here is little Vimala, here is Hari and here Dharmakumar. And you also can come flying to me in thought.
There is no need of a teacher for those who know how to think, the teacher may guide us, but he cannot give us the power of thinking. That is latent in us. Those who are wise get wise thoughts. Tell me who, amongst you, are not praying properly in Prabhubhai’s evening prayer.
Send me a letter signed by all, and those who do not know how to sign may make a cross.
Yerawada Palace, Silence day. BAPU’S blessings.