This day 100 years ago

15 April 1920

This day 100 years ago, Gandhi penned four letters.

In the first letter addressed to the Danish missionary Esther Faering, with whom he shared a platonic relationship that led to several exchanges of romantic letters, Gandhi told Faering that he is “quite resigned” to her marriage and that he won’t argue against it. He wished her and her husband the best and told her to follow “God’s voice” that guides us all. The second letter was addressed to his fourth and youngest son Devdas Gandhi, checking on his well-being and the third letter was addressed to Prabhudas Gandhi, who grew up in the Phoenix Settlements Gandhi founded near Durban in South Africa. He informed Prabhudas that he would soon meet him at Sinhagad, near Pune, where Prabhudas lived.

His fourth letter was addressed to Mazharul Haque, a friend of Gandhi who had also taken part in the Champaran Satyagraha. Haque was also an important leader of the Indian National Congress in Bihar and also served as the President of the region’s Home Rule League. In the letter, Gandhi told Haque that he was hurt by the news of Haque not keeping well and wished him a speedy recovery. However, Gandhi also wrote the following urging Haque not to fear the possibility of his own death: “if death comes, why worry? Until you realize that the finer elements are your body and do not come out of the physical, you will have found a new body for yourself. This is simply an idea. Other people also console like this. All religions regard death as a welcome help. Therefore, nothing stops us from consciously contemplating death as Socrates did.”