During his stay at Kashi, the day of the inauguration of newly built Kashi Hindu University arrived. The funds for the university were provided by rich men, kings and princes of India. The inauguration ceremony was organised by Pundit Madan Mohan Malviya scheduled on 4 February, 1916. It was attended by the Viceroy Lord Harding, kings, princes, rajas and other dignitaries. Incidentally a man called Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi had also arrived, who had created a reputation with his non-violent satyagraha in South Africa against the racialist white regime. He too spoke at ‘Kashi Naresh Hall’ of the university before the distinguished gathering.
Gandhi spoke, ‘The Congress has passed the resolution of swarajya. I have no doubt that the Congress and the Muslim League would soon present a common programme. But right now my mind is not as much on the leaders of those parties as it is on the matter as to how would the students and the common folk of India react to it.
…yesterday a Maharaja who presided spoke on the subject of the poverty of India. Many others also pointed at it. But what you saw in the garishly opulent house that the Viceroy inaugurated? What pomp and show! How fashionable and glittering!!
…it was a dazzling demonstration of jewellery that would dazzle even a Paris jeweller. I compared the state of the millions of poor of this country with these kings of diamonds and pearls. I feel compelled to tell these kings that as long as you don’t give up this lust for jewellery and consider your riches as the national trust till then India won’t win freedom.
…in our country 70% of the population consists of farmers and as Mr. Higgin Botham yesterday said they have the power to raise two bags of grains where only one grew. But if we rob them of the fruit of their labour or allow someone else do that, we can’t claim to be conscious of enough swarjya spirit? Our liberation lies in the liberation of these farmers…not through doctors, lawyers or kings, princes and rich.
In these 2-3 days the thing that agitated my mind should be recounted as a matter of duty.
…when the Viceroy’s procession was passing through the roads of Benaras, the waves of fears were sweeping through our hearts. There was secret police everywhere. It hurt me. Why this distrust, my heart asked? In this way, instead of living close to the living death, if Lord Harding dies, won’t he be happier? But the representative of the powerful sovereign may not realise it. He may consider it necessary to live close to living death but why this necessity to saddle us with secret police?
It will anger us…will arouse resentment, cause exasperation. But we must not forget that today India has become impatient and excited. An army of anarchists (revolutionaries) has come up in India. I am also an anarchist but of a different kind.
If I ever meet these anarchists I would tell them that there is no place for your kind of anarchy in India (which is based on violence). If India is to gain victory over the mighty it can not count on the violent means. Their method is sign of fear. If we have true faith in God we shall not fear anyone—not these kings and raja-maharajas, not Viceroy, not secret police and not from King Geroge-V himself!
I respect these anarchists (revolutionaries) for their patriotism. But I want to ask them, where is the bravery in murdering someone? Is the weapon of a murder a sacred symbol of a honourable death? I repudiate it. No religion will allow that path of violence.
For the Indian police, if I felt, that British must go from here, I will tell them so in clear words. And I firmly think that for my beliefs I will not mind sacrificing my life because in my opinion that would be the honourable death.
…those misguided youth who throw bombs, hatch plots clandestinely. They fear exposure and when caught suffer punishments for zealousness. Some people tell me that if they had not done that…not thrown the bombs, we would not have achieved what we did…”
At that point Annie Basent who was sitting there as a special guest intervened, “Please stop that subject.” It is worth mentioning that Mrs. Basent was one of the founding members of Congress.
But Gandhi ignored her request and continued with his speech. The chairman of the meeting, Maharaja Darbhanga allowed Gandhi to carry on. In protest against the remarks of Gandhi several dignitaries, mostly rajas and maharajas who had financed the building up of the university rose up to stage a walkout. Gandhi said, “As long as the chairman does not stop me I will continue to speak.”
The youth in the audience shouted, “Gandhiji! Please go on…go on!”
The walkouts had caused some disorder on the stage. Malviya intervened by getting up with folded hands without saying anything. At this Gandhi stopped speaking and the meeting came to an abrupt end.
Gandhi’s speech became talk of the town. The newspapers printed the speech in detail. The editorials, analysis, articles and the comments continued to be printed for several days. Vinayak read every word of the speech of Gandhi again and again. It had made a deep impression on him. In the character named Gandhi he was seeing right amalgam of politics and spiritual awareness, he had dreamt of.
Vinayak at once wrote a letter to Gandhiji raising some doubts and requested the answers to clear them. Gandhiji obliged. Vinayak read Gandhiji’s letter several times. The old doubts seemed to clear up but several news question began to haunt his mind. He again wrote to Gandhiji requesting the answers.
Gandhiji wrote back—‘Right now I am very busy. It is impossible to take time off even for a letter. Better if you meet me in my ashram at Ahmedabad. Stay there for a couple of weeks and get all the answers you are seeking. Whenever time allows we would be able to talk.”
Vinayak liked the idea of Gandhiji. Without wasting any time he set out for Ahmedabad. His mind was telling him that he was finally making progress towards the goal of his life. Gandhiji’s ashram was in Kocharab area of Ahmedabad. Vinayak liked the atmosphere of the ashram which was simple life, unity between words and deeds, selfless dedication to country and the society, discipline and piety. There was no artificiality. Infact, the ashram felt like an abode of a saint and his followers. His first meeting with Gandhiji was very fruitful and encouraging. Gandhiji was equally impressed with Vinayak’s sharp mind, ascetic life style, self control and spirit of sacrifice.
After a few interactions the simplicity, burning desire for selfless service to society and national cause and humility of the young man made Gandhiji suggest to him, “If you like the life regimen of my ashram and want to dedicate your life to service, you can stay here. It will please me.”
Vinayak revealed to Gandhiji that he had promised some friends in Benaras that he would return to them within a fortnight. Gandhiji said that if his friends wanted to join the ashram they would be welcome. Vinayak went to Benaras and revealed to his friends his plan to join Gandhiji ashram at Ahmedabad. The friends were unwilling to go along. They had their own plans. So, Vinayak returned to Gandhi ashram.
Vinayak formally joined the ashram taking pledge to abide by all the rules and the regulations. Gandhiji enquired if Vinayak had informed his parents about his joining the ashram. Vinayak admitted that he had not. Infact his family had lost touch with him since he wrote the letter to his father from Surat.
Gandhiji advised, “Your parents must be worrying for you. It is a duty of a son to keep parents informed of his whereabouts and welfare. Denying them the information is also a kind of violence. It hurts them.”
Vinayak realised his mistake and apologized. Gandhiji himself wrote a letter to Narhari Bhave—‘Your son Vinayak is with me. Don’t worry. What your son has achieved in respect of spiritual wisdom and detachment at such early age is commendable. It took me long years to attain that.’
At Gandhiji’s instructions Vinayak also wrote a letter to his parents stating his welfare. The letter was dated 1.1.1917. It was written in Marathi in 10 line verse in which he prayed to his parents, thanked them for their affection and kindness to him and sought their forgiveness and blessings.
Sometime later, at Gandhiji’s insistence he went to Baroda to meet his parents in person to reassure them that he was still a part of them. Then, he returned to Gandhiji after a few days.
