The Story of My Experiments with Truth

Upon settling in Durban, Gandhi’s drive to alleviate suffering led him to care for a person with leprosy and serve in a charitable hospital. These experiences gave him insights that were invaluable during the Boer War and in raising his children. Gandhi emphasized the profound influence of parents on a child’s education, beginning at conception. He considered the first five years of a child’s life the most crucial, stating, “The child never learns in after life what it does in its first five years” (267). In addition, he connected responsible procreation to spiritual growth.

Two chapters of the memoir highlight Gandhi’s journey toward embracing brahmacharya, which signifies chastity or sexual restraint. Although faithful in marriage, he believed that true fidelity transcended physical actions, prompting him to ask, “Did my faithfulness consist in making my wife the instrument of my lust?” (269). His commitment to brahmacharya evolved into a challenging vow, in which control over thoughts became as vital as physical restraint. Despite its difficulties, Gandhi found solace in his faith, asserting that God’s grace is the ultimate resource for those aspiring to spiritual liberation.

In his quest for a simpler life, Gandhi took up tasks like laundry and cutting his own hair, inspired initially by economizing but eventually representing his commitment to self-reliance and rejection of unnecessary dependencies. The refusal of an English barber in Pretoria to serve him because of racial prejudice first led Gandhi to cut his own hair and prompted reflections on the discrimination facing India’s “untouchables.”

During the Boer War, despite Gandhi’s personally sympathizing with the Boers, his loyalty to the British Empire led him to assist by organizing an ambulance corps of 1,100 Indian individuals. Their commendable service during the war fostered unity within the Indian community and increased their standing. Gandhi’s experiences during the war underscored the potential for unity and kindness, even in trying circumstances.

Gandhi was determined to rectify the unsanitary habits within the Indian community in South Africa. Despite facing challenges from an indifferent community, he partnered with city authorities to promote cleanliness. His endeavors reflected his belief that true reformers bear the onus of change. He asserted, “It is the reformer who is anxious for the reform, and not society” (284). In addition, he rallied the Indian settlers in South Africa to support their homeland during famines, a gesture that underscored their connection to India. Serving truth and justice, for Gandhi, continually presented new service opportunities.

Upon deciding to return to India, Gandhi faced an internal conflict over accepting lavish gifts from the Indian community in Natal, gifts that contradicted his life of simplicity. After much introspection, he established a trust for these gifts, ensuring that they would benefit the community. Gandhi believed that public servants should avoid potential distractions that opulent gifts could introduce, detracting from their service mission.

Back in India, Gandhi’s involvement in the congress meeting in Calcutta (present Kolkata) in 1901 revealed the organization’s shortcomings. He noted the lack of cleanliness, discipline, and coordination among members. Encounters with prevalent untouchability practices and poor sanitation deeply disturbed him: “The rush was so great, and the latrines were so few, that they needed frequent cleaning; but that was more than I could do” (292).

In his pursuit to assist, Gandhi approached the congress secretaries, accepting clerical work from someone unaware of Gandhi’s background. Gandhi’s observations unveiled inefficiencies within the congress, such as redundant tasks and the prevalent use of English. Despite these critiques, Gandhi developed a bond with the people there, signifying his empathetic nature.

At the congress meeting, Gandhi’s resolution addressing the plight of South African settlers faced challenges. Although the leader Gopal Krishna Gokhale assured Gandhi of its inclusion, Gandhi’s presentation was truncated, leading to feelings of disappointment. Still, the resolution passed, providing some consolation in that it symbolized national acknowledgment of settlers’ grievances.

During the British Raj, Indian rajas and maharajas were pressured into abandoning their traditional attire for Western styles during darbars, or courts held by princes. Gandhi observed this transformation at Calcutta’s India Club and was informed of the rajas’ implicit need to conform, which made them feel like mere servants to British officials such as Lord Curzon. At another event, Gandhi noticed rajas adorned in extravagant jewelry, viewing these accessories as “insignia not of their royalty, but of their slavery” (301). Gandhi critiqued this as symbolic of the sacrifices that “wealth, power, and prestige exact from man” (302) under British hegemony.

During his time with Gopal Krishna Gokhale in Calcutta (Kolkata), Gokhale’s work ethic and commitment to India deeply influenced Gandhi. Gokhale, viewing Gandhi as kin, shared insights and dialogues about public welfare and leadership evaluations. Gandhi admired Gokhale’s patriotism, which was epitomized in his statement, “‘What I want is freedom for my country. After that is won, we can think of other things’” (304). However, Gandhi was concerned about Gokhale’s health.

Gandhi’s stay in Calcutta (Kolkata) also involved interactions with various religious and philosophical minds. He engaged with Christian doctrines through discussions with Babu Kalicharan Banerji and was deeply disturbed by the animal sacrifices he witnessed at the Kali temple. This led him to assert that “the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being” (308).

Gandhi’s exploration under Gokhale’s guidance introduced him to eminent personalities and regional nuances in Calcutta (Kolkata) and beyond. His visits ranged from enlightening discussions to disheartening experiences, like the materialism he encountered at spiritual sites. Nevertheless, Gandhi sought to grasp the lived reality of the common Indian, so he embarked on a third-class rail journey across India. With Gokhale’s assistance and blessings from other significant figures, he initiated this journey.

Upon reaching Benares (Varanasi), a revered spiritual city, Gandhi was disenchanted by the commercialized and tainted atmosphere of the Kashi Vishvanath temple, declaring, “I searched here for God but failed to find Him” (315). This visit further emphasized the distinction between genuine spirituality and commercialized religiosity, underscoring Gandhi’s belief in personal authenticity on the spiritual path.

Initially practicing law in Rajkot, Gandhi moved to Bombay (now Mumbai) under the recommendation of Gokhale and close friends. His legal endeavors in Rajkot had bolstered his confidence, but an incident with an English judicial officer who dismissed the severity of the plague in Veraval underscored the British administration’s disconnection from Indian realities. Influenced by friends like Kevalram Dave, who felt that Rajkot wouldn’t harness Gandhi’s full potential, he established his chambers in Bombay, setting the stage for future public endeavors.

However, personal challenges awaited Gandhi. When Manilal, his son, fell critically ill with typhoid, doctors advised an animal-based diet for recovery. Unwavering in his convictions, Gandhi refused, stating, “Religion, as I understand it, does not permit me to use meat or eggs for me or mine even on occasions like this” (321). Instead, he turned to hydropathic treatments, using natural remedies like the wet sheet pack. Miraculously, after weeks of care and a diet of diluted milk and fruit juices, Manilal recovered, which Gandhi attributed to divine grace.

Gandhi’s budding legal career in Bombay (Mumbai) was interrupted when an urgent call beckoned him back to South Africa for Joseph Chamberlain’s anticipated visit. Heeding his commitment to the South African community, Gandhi agreed to return, contingent on the provision of travel funds. Maintaining his dedication to nurturing the younger generation, he embarked on the journey with several youths, emphasizing life’s uncertainties and the unwavering existence of the “Supreme Being hidden therein as a Certainty” (326). Thus, Gandhi arrived in Durban, geared up for the challenges that lay ahead.