For Global Peace with Social Justice in a Sustainable Environment

Rani Vidyavati and Mahatma Gandhi

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- dr.yadav.yogendra@gandhifoundation.net;

dr.yogendragandhi@gmail.com

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

Rani Vidyavati and Mahatma Gandhi

Rani Vidyavati was a queen of Hardoi Riyasatz. She was one of the close associates of Mahatma Gandhi. Mahatma Gandhi treated with her as a sister. He guided her by writing letters and gave solutions of every mentioned problem. He guided about her son prince Virendra Kumar also. I was very happy. The receipt for the money has been sent from the Ashram. The solution to your difficulties with regard to the spinning-wheel has also been suggested. If even then the spinning-wheel cannot be worked write again to the Ashram and also to me. It was a meritorious act on your part to have collected funds for cow-protection. I hope that all women will give attention to this work. 1 God alone can give you strength. May it be well with you? You should not start on uncooked food all of a sudden. Leafy vegetables can be certainly taken raw. But if you want to experiment, you should start with leafy vegetables, fruit and milk. There is no harm in taking a little salt. 2

The money you have collected can be used only for cow-protection. It is good that you thought of devoting yourself to the service of the poor instead of coming to me. Is it difficult for you to persuade the elders of the need to give up the purdah? Women must resolve to discontinue a custom which only causes harm to the country. You are bound to succeed if you humbly but firmly make the effort. 3 The problem is a difficult one. Nothing wrong should be done even when the motive is good. If you satisfy Jang Bahadur’s physical desires, his addiction to drinking will increase and you will then not have the same influence on him as you now have. That is my view. But in the end, of course, your duty does not lie only in following what I say. You must do as your conscience dictates and having done it not feel unhappy. It is very difficult to know one’s duty and doing it can differ from individual to individual. Ba will visit Shahabad. Send somebody to take her there. Let Jang Bahadurji read this letter. Surrender to Rama is his sole help. He will succeed if he is firm in his decision. 4

If somebody takes away our spinning- wheel by force, we must spin on a takli. If even the takli is taken away, we can prepare takli from a piece of bamboo and spin on it. If even this is not possible let us not feel that the yajna has been violated. It would be wonderful if you could work in a village. Where is Lakshmi Devi? How is your health? Why have you written in pencil? Are you cheerful? 5 When the women at the Ashram are ready to go to jail, you ladies may also go. In the meantime you should do organizational work in villages. 6 Narandas has given me news of you. I hope you are well in body and mind. What is Laxmi Devi doing? Both of you should write to me. It is good that jang Bahadurji has gone to jail. 7

I shall not use the formal ‘aap’ in addressing you. But can love be expressed through words? Love is related to the heart and can be recognized through the heart. When words come from the heart, they do have some meaning. Tara’s is a sad story. If Tara is firm, if she has humility, courage and tolerance, she can leave the house of her in-laws and live with you in the Ashram. You alone can know if you can give her refuge. Through humility, Tara will be able to win over her relatives in the end. That is the certain result of Satyagraha. For this result, there should be sincere love even for the oppressor. Just as fire is always extinguished by water, anger is also calmed down by love. How is your health? How is Laxmi Devi? We should have known about her. How is Jang Bahadur? 8 It is my firm view that Rani Vidyavati should not involve herself with the editorship of any paper. 9

I have been able to read your letter only today, the day of silence. No matter how much people denigrate us we must continue to do our duty. In our future swaraj women should have the same property rights as men. What will actually happen neither I nor anyone else can say. It will depend on the devotion to truth among men and the strength and unity of women. I hope you and Lakshmi will contribute much in this. You have rightly said that everything will depend upon our character. I cannot write with the right hand, so I have written this with the left hand. I hope to return before long. 10 Wonderful! You rebuke me! I had one letter from you. I did send a reply but you did not receive it. What can I do about it? The same has been the case with many other letters of mine. True, I would not have written to you had there been no letter from you. You must understand that I am a prisoner. You see, I have not been able to write even to Swarup and Krishna. My health is perfect. I shall regain strength in a few days. You have not written anything about your health. 11

I can understand what you say. It is a matter neither for sorrow nor shame. There is no doubt that in your present condition it is difficult strictly to follow the rules. But with effort this can be managed. Therefore rather than feel unhappy you should try to make such effort as you can. I am regaining my strength day by day. I expect in two or three weeks, I shall be quite fit again. How is your health these days? Tell Lakshmi to write to me. Tara should never give up her studies. You are perhaps aware that after her release Prabhavati has come here and will be staying on. Jayaprakash is also in the nearby prison. 12 Why did you go to Hardoi in spite of the pain? One can be attached even to service. You can render true service only by giving up attachment altogether. Can the cripple not worship? One can also serve through one’s mind. Take a couple of Harijan girls into your house and bring them up. Lakshmi has not been writing at all. How is that? Write to her that I shall be satisfied if I have a postcard from her. Do you receive Harijan Sevak? 13

I have to attend to heavy correspondence during travel. There is no other remedy to improve your health. The work of Harijan service is not difficult for you. Try to improve the conditions of the Harijans right where you are living. Keep writing to me. 14 There is nothing definite about my tour of U. P. If it does take place, I shall be certainly coming to your area. Write to Hridaynathji and Thakkar Bapa. If I come, whatever money is collected will remain with me, It will not be given to any local man. It will be spent only after consultation with the All India Spinners’ Association and therefore with me. Hence, have no worry with regard to the money. 15 You will have seen my statement. Remain free from arrogance and do only so much by way of service as you can. I do not see the need of your coming to the Bombay Congress. There will be no chance at all of my being able to see anyone. Those who come will not be coming out of any desire to serve. In such a situation, those who wish to follow the path of service would do well to serve wherever they may be stationed. If I am not in prison in December and if I am at Wardha, you may certainly spend a couple of months with me. Let us see what happens. 16

I have one from Jang Bahadur too. I was sorry. You must have received my telegram. If an operation is necessary, everything can be done at the Seva Sadan at Calcutta. Why should the poor be harassed? It is improper to delay such matters. Keep me informed. You are of course entitled to come to me any time you choose. My staying here or anywhere else has now uncertain. As such, plans are afoot for my Delhi visit. 17 If you want to be treated by a doctor then the Seva Sadan of Calcutta is the place for you. But I always prefer nature cure. There are water-cure experts in Lucknow too. You can seek advice from them and do what you can. I cannot advise you about earth-cure from here. Whatever I or anyone else says in this regard should be considered as of no account. You should do what seems good to you. I can write to Dr. Bidhan Roy if you desire to go to the Seva Sadan. Your doctor in Lucknow can consult him and then you can go there. If you are planning to go immediately you can send me a telegram and I shall write at once. There were some complaints against you. These were sent to you yesterday. 18

Be calm and get well. We shall talk about the complaints later. Forget that you are a Rani. Be a humble servant in thought, speech and action. If it is malnutrition, consult your doctor. Is anyone accompanying you? Take eggs as medicine. If eggs alone could put things right I would consider it an achievement. 19 Tara writes that you worry about her. What can you gain by worrying? What can you achieve by her being with you? Your concern at the moment is to regain your health. You will certainly be all right if you calmly pursue the treatment. 20 Why are you making yourself miserable? When you want to die a heroic death and tread the path of the brave, how can you show such weakness of heart? You must display heroism under all conditions. When one is afflicted with sickness, there are more occasions to show courage. She is a true heroine who does not forget God in pain, shows a concern for the nurse, is content with whatever nursing she gets, takes the least amount of service and is always prepared to embrace death. Being roused to battle and die is heroism of an inferior kind. I am sending a telegram to Dr. Roy today. Whatever happens, you will not show anger or condemn anyone. You are not going to leave the Seva Sadan in a hurry. Send a comforting letter to Tara. Tell her not to cry. If you smile even in your moment of sorrow, others will not cry either. 21

If you are learning Bengali there and if everyone is envious of your cheerfulness, I shall congratulate you. What right does one who is both mother and father have to worry? Also, is there a rule for one who is only a mother that she must remain free from anxiety? There is no chance of my going to Calcutta now. 22 You are of course aware that I had been touring in Travancore. What should I write now? I have already written to Dr. Roy. He will of course admit you. Why do you insist on a letter written in my own hand? These days my right hand needs rest. Writing with the left hand takes time. 23 Since Dr. Roy knows you now, why do you need a letter from me at all? Write to him introducing yourself and go when he is agreeable. Write to me if there is no reply from Dr. Roy. 24

I am dictating replies to the letters lying before me. Among them I find your letter too. I am not quite sure if I have replied to this letter. Tara is a cheat. She is also somewhat lazy. Once in a while she writes to me, even makes promises and subsequently forgets everything, Congratulation’s on Virendra having started wearing khadi. If you live carefully and work within the limits of your capacity, your health will be all right. It is of course good that Tara is studying again. There is no reason for being disheartened if one has failed. Students study to acquire knowledge, not for passing examination. Examinations are a kind of measuring-rod. When students fail, they study more and increase their knowledge. This is not bad at all. 25 My health is now all right. Do come over when I reach Segaon. Tell me all about the conditions there. If you write to Rajendra Babu and others, they will all listen to you. Where is Lakshmi these days? What does she do? Have you fully recovered? I shall be here till the end of this month, if not longer. 26

A great calamity has indeed befallen you. These are your moments of trial. You have to bear it with fortitude. There is a tuberculosis hospital in Delhi but it is for the benefit of Delhi people only and is always full. But the one at Bhowali is the best, where people belonging to the U.P. are given priority, and there is another at Dharampur. There is no cause for worry. If Rajendra observes restraint in diet he will recover. If the tuberculosis is in its early stages it is not incurable. 27 There is no end to your misery. But what is it to you? Some may die today, some tomorrow, all are destined to die. Why grieve over it? Moreover, you have dedicated yourself to the country, then why are perturbed? Be alert, give courage to everyone as before and become even more absorbed in service. 28 You will learn from the back of this what I have done. Now something will have to be done there itself. What makes you think you will go mad? Those who have faith in God can never lose their head. Bear with patience whatever unhappiness comes your way. 29

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