“You should know that your problem has become much more difficult for me even than our national freedom,” Gandhi says in one of the letters in reference to Harilal’s daughter Manu, who had come to stay with her grandfather at Sabarmati Ashram. “Manu is telling me number of dangerous things about you. She says that you had raped her before eight years and she was so much hurt that medical treatment was also to be taken.”
LONDON – A British auction house has put on sale three explosive letters revealing Mahatma Gandhi’s deep concerns over the behaviour of his eldest son Harilal. Mullock’s Auctioneers are hoping to fetch over £100,000 for the letters written in June 1935.
“You should know that your problem has become much more difficult for me even than our national freedom,” Gandhi says in one of the letters in reference to Harilal’s daughter Manu, who had come to stay with her grandfather at Sabarmati Ashram. “Manu is telling me number of dangerous things about you. She says that you had raped her before eight years and she was so much hurt that medical treatment was also to be taken.”
Mullock’s said in a statement that the letters were written in Gujarati and were in good condition. “These have come via descent from a branch of Gandhi’s family to the present vendor,” the statement said. “As far as we are aware they have never before been seen in public and as such they provide remarkable new information on the troubled relationship Gandhi had with his son.”
Another autographed letter from Gandhi reads: “Please let me have pure truth please tell me if still you are interested in alcohol and debauchery. I wish that you better die rather than resort to alcohol in any manner.”
The series of letters is part of Mullock’s ‘Historical Documents Sale’ on May 22. The sale will also include another set of 27 autographed letters to Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, sister of Jawaharlal Nehru, some written by Gandhi from prison.
The auctioneers had earlier sold 50 personal objects belonging to Gandhi — including the will he left his son (sold for £55,000), a shawl he spun himself (£40,000), a power of attorney (£25,000) and a drop of his blood (£7000) — for £287,000 (Rs 2.5 crore).
