1. TELEGRAM TO MAHOMED ALI KHULNA, [June 17, 1925] REGARDING DELHI TROUBLE1 WANT SAY NOTHING ON MERITS. HAVE FULLEST FAITH YOUR INTEGRITY AND GODLINESS. MAY HE GUIDE US ALL. GANDHI From a photostat : S.N. 10644 2. TELEGRAM TO BASANTI DEVI DAS 2 [KHULNA, June 17, 1925 ] BASANTI DEVI DAS STEPASIDE DARJEELING MY HEART WITH YOU. MAY GOD BLESS YOU. EXPECT YOU BE BRAVE. BABY3 MUST NOT OVERGRIEVE. REACHING CALCUTTA EVENING. GANDHI From a photostat : S.N. 10644 3. TELEGRAM TO SATCOURIPATI ROY [KHULNA, June 17, 1925 ] UNTHINKABLE BUT GOD IS GREAT. MISSING FIRST TRAIN KEEP ESSENTIAL ENGAGEMENTS. LEAVING NOON. PRAY AWAIT ARRIVAL FINAL FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS. THINK BODY SHOULD BE RECEIVED RUSSA ROAD UNLESS FRIENDS HAVE VALID REASONS CONTRARY. NATION’S WORK MUST NOT STOP BUT ADVANCE DOUBLE SPEED HIS GREAT SPIRIT NOBLE EXAMPLE GUIDING US. HOPE PARTY STRIF WILL BE HUSHE AND ALL WILL HEARTILY JOIN DO HONOUR 1 The reference is not clear. 2 This and the telegrams that follow were sent on the passing away of C. R. Das on June 16, at Darjeeling. Gandhiji received the news at Khulna on the following day. 3 Mona Das VOL.32 : 17 JUNE, 1925 - 24 SEPTEMBER, 1925 1 MEMORY THIS IDOL OF BENGAL AND ONE OF GREATEST OF INDIA’S SERVANTS. CANCELLING ASSAM TOUR. GANDHI From a photostat : S.N. 10644 4. TELEGRAM TO URMILA DEVI [KHULNA, June 17, 1925 ] URMILA DEVI NATURAL GRIEVE OVER DEATH LOVED ONES. BRAVE REMAIN UNPERTURBED. I WANT YOU BE BRAVE AND MAKE EVERY MAN YOUR BLOOD BROTHER. REACHING EVENING. GANDHI From a photostat : S.N. 10644 5. TELEGRAM TO MONA DAS [KHULNA, June 17, 1925 ] MONA BE TRUE TO FATHER AND BE BRAVE FACE IRREPARABLE LOSS, MAY GOD COMFORT YOU. EXPECT YOU CONSOLE BHOMBLE AND SUJATA. REACHING EVENING. GANDHI From a photostat : S.N. 10644 6. TELEGRAM TO VALLABHBHAI PATEL [KHULNA, June 17, 1925 ] VALLABHBHAI PATEL DESHBANDHU DIED HEART FAILURE DARJEELING. REMAINS REACHING CALCUTTA TOMORROW. AM PROCEEDING THERE TODAY. OBSERVE MOURNING BEFITTING OCCASION INVITE ALL PARTIES. GANDHI From a photostat : S.N. 10644 2 THE COLLECTED WORKS OF MAHATMA GANDHI 7. TELEGRAM TO SAROJINI NAIDU [KHULNA, June 17, 1925 ] SAROJINI NAIDU HYDERABAD DESHBANDHU DIED YESTERDAY DARJEELING. WHO CAN KNOW OR FRUSTRATE GOD’S PURPOSE. YOU MUST NOT DISTURB REST IF YOU WILL CONTRIBUTE FULL SHARE MAKING UP LOSS ACCORDING OUR CAPACITY. GANDHI From a photostat : S.N. 10644 8. TELEGRAM TO SHAUKAT ALI 1 [KHULNA, June, 17, 1925 ] SHAUKAT ALI DESHBANDHU GONE. GOD’S WILL BE DONE. HE ALONE IS GREAT. GANDHI From a photostat : S.N. 10644 9. TELEGRAM TO SATYAGRAHA ASHRAM, VYKOM2 June 17, 1925 SATYAGRAHA ASHRAM VYKOM I HEAR PROHIBITION ORDERS WITHDRAWN. MY CONGRATULATIONS. HOPE NO OFFENSIVE DEMONSTRATION AND NO ACT CALCULATED UNNECESSARILY IRRITATE ORTHODOXY. GANDHI From a photostat : S.N. 10644 1 At the end of this telegram Gandhiji wrote : Repeat to Mahomed Ali and add “inform Maulana Abul Kalam”. 2 In March 1925, Gandhiji went on a tour of Kerala, and held discussion with local leaders like K. Kelappan Nair, and the Commissioner of Police, Trivandrum— W. H. Pitt, with whom he later maintained contact in regard to the problem; vide “Letter to W. H. Pitt”, 18-3-1925. Gandhiji released this correspondence to the Press on March 24, stating that the “agreement” embodied therein marked some progress in the movement for the reform. VOL.32 : 17 JUNE, 1925 - 24 SEPTEMBER, 1925 3 10. AN APPEAL1 June 17, 1925 DEAR COUNTRYMEN, The nation is in mourning for Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das. And yet why should we mourn? For though Deshbandhu is dead, he shall live in us. We must take up the work at the point he has left it. Our first lesson must commence with rendering the honours that are due to the dead. Let our affection be not blind but intelligent. When the remains reach the Sealdah station, there is likely to be a great rush of people. If we are to satisfy the desire of everyone to pay his or her respect to the remains, the following rules must be observed : 1. There must be no shouting. 2. There must be no rush towards the carriage. People should stand where they find themselves and must not push their way through the crowd. 3. A clear way must be kept for the coffin-bearers to pass. 4. There should be no one in front save the authorized band of Kirtankars and others. Those who wish to take part in the procession will kindly take up the rear. They must not break through the line. 5. At the burning ghat, there should be no rush made towards the funeral pyre. It will not be possible to expose the body to view as it is feared that, three days having already elapsed, it must be in a state of decomposition. 6. Please remember that respect for the memory of the deceased patriot demands not any outward temporary show of affection, but an inward determination to deserve heritage the Deshbandhu has left us. I am your servant, M. K. GANDHI Amrita Bazar Patrika, 19-6-1925 11. THE GREAT BEREAVEMENT CALCUTTA, June 17, 1925 When the heart feels a deep cut, the pen refuses to move. I am too much in the centre of grief to be able to send much for the 1 This was distributed in the form of leaflet. 4 THE COLLECTED WORKS OF MAHATMA GANDHI readers of Young India across the wire. The five days of communion with the great patriot which I had at Darjeeling brought us nearer to each other than we ever were before. I realized not only how great Deshbandhu was, but also how good he was. India has lost a jewel. But we must regain it by gaining swaraj. M. K. GANDHI Young India, 18-6-1925 12. LETTER TO RAMDAS GANDHI Wednesday, June 17, 1925 CHI. RAMDAS, I am waiting for a train at Khulna. On reaching Khulna from Barisal by steamer I received a telegram that Deshbandhu Das1 was no more. I am deeply shocked; because we had come very close at Darjeeling2. My anguish has a selfish cause: But it is there and I am not able to get over it. I have sent a few telegrams.3 After debating whether I should eat or fast I came to the conclusion that it would be proper to eat. And then of course there was the meeting here. I attended it.4 But for that meeting I would have gone straight to Calcutta. At the meeting I broke down although I did my best not to. After that I had no desire left to write. So I span. Spinning brought comfort. Then I bathed and ate. Then the post was brought. It included your letter and many others. I went through them. And now I have sat down to write to you, because this is the most convenient time. It means a lot to me that you have started taking interest in the work there. May that interest continue. Try to read the Gita occasionally, and if possible regularly. Even if you read only two verses you must read them along with the meaning. Your report about Kundla is interesting. If you overcome your fear, you will see that you have a lot of strength. 1 Chitta Ranjan Das had passed away at Darjeeling on June 16, 1925. 2 Where Gandhiji had staved with C. R. Das from June 3 to June 6. 1925; vide “At Darjeeling”, 10-7-1925. 3 Vide “Telegram to Basanti Devi Das”, 17-6-1925, “Telegram Satcouripati Roy”, 17-6-1925, “Telegram to Urmila Devi”, 17-6-1925, “Telegram to Mona Das”, 17-6-1925, “Telegram to Vallabhbhai Patel”, 17-6-1925, “Telegram to Sarojini Naidu”, 17-6-1925 and “Telegram Shaukat Ali”, 17-6-1925. 4 Vide “Speech at Public Meeting, Khulna”, 17-6-1925. VOL.32 : 17 JUNE, 1925 - 24 SEPTEMBER, 1925 5 In view of the above circumstances you may take it that I shall be in Calcutta for the time being. I shall write more from there. Only this much for now. Blessings from BAPU [PS.] Surendra’s letter is worth reading. I am sending it to you. You may tear it up after reading. From the Gujarati original: Ramdas Gandhi Papers. Courtesy: Nehru Memorial Museum and Library 13. SPEECH AT PUBLIC MEETING, KHULNA1 June 17, 1925 You have heard from Acharya Ray what a terrible blow has befallen us, but I know that if we are true servants of the country, no blow, however great, will break our spirit. I was faced with a conflict of duties this morning as soon as the sad news was broken to me. It was my duty to leave for Calcutta by the first train available. It was also my duty to go through the programme you had fixed up for me. The spirit of service in me prompted me to finish the work here, but whilst I have preferred to stop here, to meet those who have come from distant places, I shall, instead of my usual speech on Congress work, devote it to the memory of the departed Deshbandhu. I am sure that my staying here to go through the programme in preference to running up to Calcutta will please his soul. Mr. Das was one of the greatest of men.2 I have had the privilege of knowing him for the last six years, and, when I parted from him only a few days ago at Darjeeling, I said to a friend that the closer I came to him the more I came to love him. I saw during my brief stay at Darjeeling that no thought but that of the welfare of India occupied his mind. He dreamed and thought and talked of the freedom of India and of nothing else and I may tell you that, until the moment I took leave of him in Darjeeling, he was asking me to stop longer in Bengal to bring the different parties together, so that the energies of all may be concentrated on one 1 Seven addresses were presented to Gandhiji on behalf of the local bodies, the Municipality, the District Board and the People’s Association. Sir P. C. Ray announced the news of the death of C. R. Das. 2 The newspaper reports that Gandhiji broke down and was unable to proceed for a minute or two. 6 THE COLLECTED WORKS OF MAHATMA GANDHI purpose throughout my tour in Bengal. Those who had differences with him, those who bitterly criticized him did not hesitate to admit that no other man could take his place in Bengal. He was fearless. He was brave. His love for the young men of Bengal was boundless. There is not a young man but has told me that never had his request to Mr. Das for help gone in vain. He earned lakhs and gave away lakhs to the young men of Bengal. His sacrifice was matchless. And who am I to talk of his great intellect and his statesmanship? On more than one occasion at Darjeeling, he told me that the freedom of India depends on non-violence and truth. The Hindus and Mussalmans of India should know that his heart knew no difference between the Hindus and the Mussalmans. I would like to tell all Englishmen in India that he bore no ill will to them. “If I live I live for swaraj; if I die I die for swaraj,” that was his vow to his motherland. What shall we do to perpetuate his memory? It is easy to shed tears, but no tears can help us or his nearest and dearest. Only if everyone of us, Hindus, Mussalmans, Parsis and Christians, all who call themselves Indians, pledge ourselves to do the work in which he lived, moved and had his being, shall we have done something. We are all believers in God. We should know that the body is ever perishing. The soul is imperishable. The body that held Mr. Das has perished, but his soul will never perish, not only the soul, but even the name of him who had served and sacrificed so much will remain immortal and every one, young and old, who follow his example to ever so little an extent will help to perpetuate his memory. We have none of us his intellect, but we can imitate the spirit in which he served the motherland. Mr. Das tried to learn spinning in Patna, and in Darjeeling I gave him spinning lessons and he promised me that he would try to learn spinning and spin so long as his body allowed. He had converted his Darjeeling House into a spinning club. His good wife pledged herself to spin at least for half an hour every day, excepting when she was ill, and his daughter who was there, his sister and sister’s daughter were all regularly spinning. Often would he say to me : ‘I think it is essential to go to the Councils, but spinning is equally essential and not only is it essential, it is impossible to make Council work effective without spinning.’ It is not for me to say how much he had done to bring the Hindus and Mussalmans together; and as to his love for the untouchables, I need only tell you what I heard last night from a Namasudra leader at Barisal. He said that the first to help him with VOL.32 : 17 JUNE, 1925 - 24 SEPTEMBER, 1925 7 money was Mr. Das and the next was Dr. Ray. You cannot all go to the Councils, but you can do all the three things that were dear to him. I regard myself as a loyal servant of India and a loyal brother and colleague of the late Mr. Das and as such I publicly declare that I shall, consistently with my principle, try to give hence-forward, if it is possible, even more help to the followers of Mr. Das than I have up to now done in their Council programme. I pray to God that He may ever keep me from doing or speaking aught calculated to injure his work. Our differences regarding the Council-entry remained, but our hearts were one. Differences in political methods will remain until the end of time, but they should never separate people or make of them mutual enemies. The same love of the motherland which prompted me to do one thing prompted him to do something else and such honest difference means no detriment to the cause of the country. Not differences in methods, but insincerity is the curse. During my stay at Darjeeling, I could see that Mr. Das’s tenderness towards his political opponents was every day increasing, but I must not attempt to describe those sacred memories. Mr. Das was one of the jewels among the servants of the country. His service and his sacrifice were matchless. May their memory ever remain with us and may his example inspire us to noble efforts! Our way is long and dreary and nothing will stand us in good stead as our own reliance on ourselves. Self-reliance was Mr. Das’s watchword and may it long inspire us! May his soul rest in peace! The Hindu, 18-6-1925 14. NOTES SPINNING IN DARJEELING But for the presence of Deshbandhu Das in Darjeeling, I hardly think I would have gone there though the sight of the snowy range was a temptation. I had thought that, for me, to deliver the message of the charkha to the fashionable people of Darjeeling would be simple folly. My fear was wholly unjustified. I was privileged to address a meeting of ladies who listened to the message of the wheel with sympathy. Mrs. Blair, the late W. C. Bonnerjee’s daughter, was to start a spinning class for the fashionable ladies. I was privileged, too, to deliver my message to a small meeting of missionaries. Of this, however, perhaps more later. Nor did I know that I should have the good fortune to see so 8 THE COLLECTED WORKS OF MAHATMA GANDHI many Nepali, Bhutia and other people. They evinced the greatest interest in the massage. But my keenest joy was to see Shrimati Basanti Devi Das learning spinning and taking a vow religiously to spin every day for at least half an hour except in cases of illness. Her daughter knew it already. But she had neglected. it. She has now returned to it and added spinning by the takli which she picked in ten minutes. Shrimati Urmila Devi and her children have been spinning regularly for some time now. And Deshbandhu himself took lessons on the takli. But he finds spinning harder than giving defeats to the Government or winning cases for clients. “My husband can hardly turn the key of his box right; I have always to help him”, pleaded Basanti Devi on behalf of her husband. “You can, therefore, understand why it is so difficult for him to learn spinning.” But Deshbandhu has assured me that he is going to insist on learning spinning. He had lessons in spinning at the wheel in Patna. They were interrupted by his illness. He told me that he thoroughly believed in the charkha and wanted to help it in every way possible. It was a perfect pleasure to me to see the whole house-hold of the Mayor of Calcutta plying the charkha in fashionable Darjeeling creating a charkha atmosphere there. Needless to say, they were all dressed in khaddar. For Deshbandhu khaddar is not ceremonial wear. It is habitual with him. He tells me it would be difficult for him to revert to the foreign or mill-made cloth even if he wished to.1 WANTED A SECRETARY Those who are interested in cow-protection will not, I hope, think that I am neglecting the trust imposed upon me. At the time of accepting it, I warned the members of the Committee that I should be perfectly useless for any work for the Association if I did not succeed in finding a good secretary. I regret to inform them, and others interested, that I have as yet failed to find one to my satisfaction. He must have a competent knowledge of English and at least a working knowledge of Hindustani. He should be a whole-time worker with no other calls upon his time. He must be a lover of the cow and have faith in the programme sketched by the Association to achieve its object. He must have a pure character and a healthy body. He will be paid according to his needs so long as they are not extraordinary. Lastly, he must be a student capable of application; for he will be expected to study the literature connected with cow-protection. Will those who think they possess 1 Here Young India has the following note: Since the above was set in type, we have received the sad news of the passing away of the Deshbandhu on Tuesday, at 5.30 p. m. at Darjeeling, owing to heart-failure. Asstt. Editor, Y.I. VOL.32 : 17 JUNE, 1925 - 24 SEPTEMBER, 1925 9 the foregoing qualifications please write to me giving full particulars including the salary required? TILAK SWARAJ FUND What use has been made of this fund is a question that still continues to worry people. A Punjabi correspondent says that, in the course of his khaddar tour, he finds people inquiring about the disposal of the fund. I have repeatedly stated in these columns that full and certified balance-sheets have been published from time to time. Let the public also realize that the fund was distributed among twenty-one provinces and that several lacs were earmarked. Not only has the A.I.C.C. published an all-India balance-sheet, but the Provinces too, have done likewise. Though there has been here and there misapplication of the funds and even defalcation, on the whole I am satisfied that the money has been spent for the purpose intended. Any patient student of Congress affairs can, whenever he wishes, study the printed figures and find out for himself how the money was used. WHAT OF PURSES? The same Punjabi correspondent asks how the purses presented to me at the different places are utilized. As a rule, the money is left at the places where it is given with instructions for its use in the khaddar propaganda. Only, where I find no one whom I want to entrust with the use of the money given, I keep it with me and use it through the Ashram for khaddar propaganda. Where the money is earmarked, naturally, I have nothing to do but to hand the contents for the earmarked purpose to the persons concerned. HAS NO USE NOW The correspondent writes : During my hawking tours I find people saying: “As the Congress is on the wane, why are you giving yourself the useless trouble of hawking khaddar? When the Congress becomes strong again, we will buy khaddar; now we wear foreign cloth. Let us give ourselves the pleasure of using it for the time-being.” Thus talked to me several pleaders. This is one side of the picture. I met a pleader who bought some himself and took us to people and promised to hawk khaddar twice every week among all sorts of people. The instances of steady work can be multiplied. But I have never yet met anyone to say what these pleader friends in the Punjab are reported to have said. Surely, they do not need to be told that khaddar is not for temporary use. It is a permanent article of wear as wheat and rice are permanent article of food. And they 10 THE COLLECTED WORKS OF MAHATMA GANDHI