My dear Gandhi,
You will have heard of the double sorrow that has fallen upon me—the death of my father and the death of our beloved Gokhale. I cannot write of my father’s death—that wound is too fresh and sacred to be touched by any hand but that of Time the Healer.
But I can write to you of Gokhale because I know how deep and true was your love for him, and how his death must have moved you to the very depths of your being. He was an incomparable friend, stern and loyal in admonition and reproof, tender and gracious in sympathy and kinship—and possessed of such a purity of mind and such a nobility of purpose that one felt ennobled by mere association with him.
The country has lost not merely a great leader but a great and beautiful soul—and we who were privileged to know him intimately have lost one of the rarest of human spirits. I am holding a memorial meeting for him on the 18th, and I want to speak at it. I feel that I must pay my tribute to his memory and try to interpret something of what his life and work have meant to India.
I have been working very hard lately—partly to drown my grief in activity and partly because there is so much to be done. The political situation in the South is very critical, and we need all our strength and wisdom to meet the challenges ahead.
I hope you will find time to visit us in Hyderabad soon. We need your guidance and inspiration, and I personally need the comfort of talking with someone who understood and loved Gokhale as deeply as I did.
Your faithful co-worker in the service of our motherland,
Sarojini Naidu
About This Letter
Historical Context
This deeply personal letter was written by Sarojini Naidu to Mahatma Gandhi on March 6, 1915, shortly after the death of Gopal Krishna Gokhale, who had been a mentor to both Gandhi and the Indian independence movement. Naidu had also recently lost her father, making this a particularly difficult time for her.
Significance
This letter captures the profound grief felt by Indian independence leaders at the loss of Gokhale, while also showing the growing bonds between key figures like Naidu and Gandhi. It reveals the personal cost of political leadership and the deep friendships that sustained the independence movement.
About Sarojini Naidu
Sarojini Naidu (1879-1949) was a poet, political activist, and freedom fighter who became the first Indian woman to be president of the Indian National Congress. Known as the 'Nightingale of India' for her poetry, she was a close associate of Gandhi and played a crucial role in the independence movement.
About Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi had recently returned from South Africa and was establishing himself as a leader in the Indian independence movement. Gokhale had been instrumental in Gandhi's early political development and had urged him to return to India.
Additional Resources
- Sarojini Naidu Biography Comprehensive biography of the poet-politician
- Gandhi-Naidu Correspondence Complete collection of their correspondence
- Gopal Krishna Gokhale Legacy Biography of Gandhi's political mentor