Deciphering Mahatma: Dexterous and skilful

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Dr. Yenisetti Sambasiva Rao, Telugu translator of the book under review, a retired professor, is a gifted penman and an ardent devotee of Mahatma Gandhi right from his student career. He takes pride in adding the epithet ‘Mahatmuni Mike’ before his name, signifying that he is instrumental in disseminating Gandhian ideology.

The author D.G. Tendulkar, studied in the Cambridge, Marburg and Gottengen Universities, was an eminent scholar, writer and a pioneer of documentary films in India. His biography of Gandhi is reckoned as the most authoritative one.

The Telugu book is a translation of the first volume of Tendulkar’s eight-volume monumental

Mahatma – life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi . The narration of events is holistic in approach, exhaustive in content, analytical in treatment and dispassionate in assessment. Every care is taken in furnishing minuscule details with authenticity by citing the words of Gandhi, wherever possible. In his ‘Foreword’ to the book Jawaharlal Nehru compliments thus: “Tendulkar told me about it (book) during Gandhiji’s life-time and I remember his consulting Gandhiji a few months before his death. Anyone can see that this work has involved great and devoted labour for many long years. It brings together more facts and data about Gandhi than any book that I know.”

This volume contains 47 chapters covering Gandhi’s life and activities from his birth to the year 1920. Serving as a backdrop, the text is preceded by an introduction under the caption ‘Plassey to Amritsar’ portraying all major incidents between the 18th to early 20th centuries, bearing on the social and political fabric of India. Tracing Gandhi’s ancestry, the author opines: “His (mother’s) influence, more than any other, formed the character of Mohandas. He inherited his intense religious outlook from his mother.” Gandhi visited London to become Barrister-at Law. The author interprets: “Gandhi’s three years’ stay in England was eventful. Those were years of great intellectual activity and unhindered freedom of thought and speech. The country as a whole had become a living University.” As many as 24 chapters are devoted to the yeoman services rendered by young Gandhi as a lawyer and a leader, from 1893 to 1914, to safeguard the interests of Indians, labourers in particular, working in South Africa. This stands testimony to the importance attached by the author to Gandhi’s work even in early period. On the Registration Act, Gandhi told the Magistrate in the court: “I do not wish to give any evidence in extenuation and I know that legally I cannot give any evidence at all.” While being removed in the police van to Johannesburg for imprisonment Gandhi considered “the role of a political prisoner far more honourable than that of a lawyer.” The remaining chapters deal with Champaran Satyagraha, Jallianwalabagh outrage, Khilafat agitation etc. The book concludes with Gandhi’s homage to Tilak: “Let us erect for the only Lakamanya of India an imperishable monument by weaving into our own lives his bravery, his simplicity, his wonderful industry and his love of his country.”

The Telugu translation is lucid, idiomatic and highly readable with appropriate equivalents and dexterous syntax. It is a must read for the new generation.

Mahatma

English original : D.G. Tendulkar

Telugu translation : Yenisetti Sambasiva Rao

Price : Rs.150

For Copies : Grandhi Kantha Rao, Sampathnagar, Guntur – 522 004.