Q. What is Gandhi’s attitude to Indian Youths going about with
English girls? What was his own
experience?
How did he enjoy it?
Child marriages were
almost a common practice in India till the later part of the 20th
Century. The Indian students going to England for their higher education were
either already married or were forced to marry before setting on voyage to
England. In England all college students were bachelors, studies being regarded
as incompatible with married life. Therefore, Indian students in England felt
ashamed to confess that they were married. If they would say that they were
married, it would be impossible for them to flirt with young girls of the
family with whom they were living. The flirting was more or less innocent.
Parents even encourage it and that sort of association between young men and
women may even be necessity there.
Many Indian Students
succumbed to the temptation in indulging such relations, choosing a life of
untruth. Gandhi viewed it as undesirable but he too caught in the contagion. He
did not hesitate to pass himself off as a bachelor though he was already
married and had a son. But he was none the happier being a dissembler. His
reserve and his habit of reticence saved him from going into deeper water.
It was a customary in
the English families, taking out their guests for evening walk accompanying
with the young ladies of those families. One day his land lady’s daughter took
him to the nearby lovely hills of Ventnor. Though Gandhi was not slow walker
but his companion walked even faster, dragging him after her all the way. She was flying like a bird whilst he was thinking
when he would get back home. They, thus, reached to the top of a hill. Despite her high-heeled shoes, she darted down
the hill like an arrow while Gandhi struggling to get down. However he came
down with the greatest difficulty with the help of the young lady.
After a few days later,
Gandhi met an old lady who was kind and affectionate. She invited him to her
London house for dinner. The old lady enthusiastically introduced Gandhi to many
more ladies while he visited her house on Sundays. This acquaintance with
ladies helped him to come out from the bashfulness. Taking this opportunity as an advantage Gandhi
developed a special attraction towards a young lady. She too felt interested in
their meetings. Later, Gandhi felt guilty for not revealing the secret of his
marriage. He decided to declare the truth and wrote a letter confessing her
that he was married and had a son. He thanked her for her concern and
affection. The old lady was very happy on receipt of his letter. She liked his
sincerity and honesty and invited him to her home further. In this way, Gandhi
purged himself of the canker of untruth.
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