Hand Writing and Mahatma Gandhi

[Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav]

Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav

Senior Gandhian Scholar, Professor, Editor and Linguist

Gandhi International Study and Research Institute, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India

Contact No. – 09404955338, 09415777229

E-mail- [e-mail];

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Mailing Address- C- 29, Swaraj Nagar, Panki, Kanpur- 208020, Uttar Pradesh, India

 

Hand Writing and Mahatma Gandhi

Drawing will be taught not as a fine art but because the pupil should be able to draw for practical purposes, draw maps, for instance, and straight lines, have a good hand-writing and should know memory drawing. 1 Day after day I have postponed dictating my reply to find time for writing but the right hand being in need of rest and left-hand writing somewhat tedious especially when you are hard pressed for time, in order not to delay acknowledging your letter any longer, I am resorting to dictation. 2

You must learn to make your hand-writing as beautiful as pearls. The handwriting in your letter was quite good, but you should improve it a little every day. It is one of the virtues of a person devoted to dharma that he or she is exact in every matter, small or big. 3 My handwriting is very poor. I have full experience of what difficulties readers find in deciphering it. To do anything which causes hardship to others implies violence. Hence everyone can see that bad hand writing constitutes violence. The same can be said in regard to the other conditions. The above rules have permanent application and, in my present state of health, they are doubly relevant. Be that as it may, if my correspondents receive no replies, they should not conclude that this is due to lack of civility. 4         

The left-hand writing is by way of change and rest for the right hand. Writing of the fruit salad, I give you my discovery. I find that fruit to produce the greatest effect should be taken by itself and on an empty stomach. You might almost say, the same law applies to juicy fruit that applies to opening medicines. In fact all food should be taken as medicine. The Sanskrit for food and medicine is a common word aushadh. Kisen will explain this more fully to you. Medicine need not be nasty to taste; nor is it taken for the pleasure of the palate. Food should be treated exactly in the same manner, i.e., suitable food in suitable proportion in suitable manner and at suitable times. 5 Your Hindi is going forward by leaps and bounds. I see that very soon you will write correct and chaste Hindi. The few sentences you have written are really perfect and the hand-writing is equally good. 6

References:

 

1. Talk with teachers of the National School, June 23, 1917
2. Letter to C. Ramalinga Reddy, March, 20, 1926
3. Letter to Motibehn Mathuradas, January 3, 1931
4. Navajivan, 3-5-1931
5. Letter to Mirabehn, November 3, 1932
6. Letter to Amrit Kaur, April 9, 1937