E-Book - Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi – His Life & TimesChapter XXThe Last FastRICHARD Symonds, a British friend who had met Gandhi in Bengal while doingrelief work there, fell ill with typhoid in New Delhi in November 1947. Gandhiinvited the patient to Birla House.Once the doctor advised brandy for the sick man. The house was searched anda bottle of brandy found; on being asked, Gandhi, a strict prohibitionist, saidhe had no objection to it being given to Symonds. He took the same attitudesubsequently when sherry was recommended to Symonds.On the approach of Christmas, Gandhi asked a group of Indian Christian girls todecorate Symond's room with holly and gay festoons; on Christmas Eve, at theMahatma's suggestion the girls came and sang carols.Gandhi spent at least a few minutes and often much longer, with the patienteach day. His only interference in the cure was to urge the application of mudpacks to the abdomen. For the rest, his chief contribution to the restoration ofthe Englishman's health was to make him laugh whenever he was with him.Symonds had been to Kashmir and wanted to discuss the situation with Gandhi,but except on the Mahatma's day of silence he never got a chance, for Gandhientertained Symonds with funny stories and jokes from the moment he cameinto the room till the moment he left. The Kashmir problem was too grave for apatient.Kashmir, including the beautiful Vale of Kashmir, is at the top of the world, innorthernmost India. Its Hindu maharaja had ruled his 800,000 Hindu subjectsand 3,200,000 Moslem subjects with equal disregard of their welfare andfreedom. In September 1947 the Pakistan government abetted incursions intoKashmir by the wild warriors of the tribal area between the North-west Frontierand Afghanistan; subsequently Pakistan regular troops invaded Kashmir.Alarmed and helpless, the maharaja asked that his state be admitted into theIndian Union. On October 29 the accession was officially announced, and thewww.mkgandhi.org Page 554