Shantiniketan

From Rajkot I proceeded to Shantiniketan. The teachers and students overwhelmed me with affection. The reception was a beautiful combination of simplicity, art and love. It was here I met Kakasaheb Kalelkar for the first time.

From Rajkot, I went to Shantiniketan. The teachers and students overwhelmed me with affection. Their welcome was a beautiful blend of simplicity, art, and love. At Shantiniketan, I met Kakasaheb Kalelkar for the first time.

I did not know then why Kalelkar was called ‘Kakasaheb.’ But I learnt later on that Sjt. Keshavrao Deshpande, who was a contemporary and a close friend of mine in England, and who had conducted a school in the Baroda State called ‘Ganganath Vidyalaya,’ had given the teachers family names with a view to investing the Vidyalaya with a family atmosphere. Sjt. Kalelkar who was a teacher there came to be called ‘Kaka’ (lit. paternal uncle), Phadke was called ‘Mama’ (lit. maternal uncle) and Harihar Sharma received the name ‘Anna’ (lit. brother). Others also got similar names. Anandanand (Swami) as Kaka’s friend and Patvardhan (Appa) as Mama’s friend later joined the family, and all in course of time became my co-workers one after another. Sjt. Deshpande himself used to be called ‘Saheb.’ When the Vidyalaya had to be dissolved, the family also broke up, but they never gave up their spiritual relationship or their assumed names.

I did not know then why Kalelkar was called ‘Kakasaheb.’ But I learned the reason later. Sjt. Keshavrao Deshpande had been a contemporary and close friend of mine in England. He had run a school in Baroda State called ‘Ganganath Vidyalaya.’ To give the Vidyalaya a family atmosphere, he gave the teachers family names. Sjt. Kalelkar, who taught there, came to be called ‘Kaka’ (literally, paternal uncle). Phadke was called ‘Mama’ (literally, maternal uncle), and Harihar Sharma was given the name ‘Anna’ (literally, brother). Others received similar names. Anandanand (Swami) later joined the family as Kaka’s friend, and Patvardhan (Appa) joined as Mama’s friend. In time, all of them became my co-workers, one after another. Sjt. Deshpande himself was called ‘Saheb.’ When the Vidyalaya had to close, the family also broke up. But they never gave up their spiritual relationship or the names they had taken.

Kakasaheb went out to gain experience of different institutions, and at the time I went to Shantiniketan, he happened to be there. Chintaman Shastri, belonging to the same fraternity, was there also. Both helped in teaching Sanskrit.

Kakasaheb had gone out to gain experience at different institutions. He happened to be at Shantiniketan when I went there. Chintaman Shastri, who belonged to the same fraternity, was there too. Both helped teach Sanskrit.

The Phœnix family had been assigned separate quarters at Shantiniketan. Maganlal Gandhi was at their head, and he had made it his business to see that all the rules of the Phœnix Ashram should be scrupulously observed. I saw that by dint of his love, knowledge and perseverance he had made his fragrance felt in the whole of Shantiniketan.

The Phœnix family had been given separate quarters at Shantiniketan. Maganlal Gandhi was their leader. He made it his responsibility to ensure that all the rules of the Phœnix Ashram were carefully observed. I saw that his love, knowledge, and perseverance had spread his fragrance throughout Shantiniketan.

Andrews was there, and also Pearson. Amongst the Bengali teachers with whom we came in fairly close contact were Jagadanandbabu, Nepalbabu, Santoshbabu, Kshitimohanbabu, Nagenbabu, Sharadbabu and Kalibabu.

Andrews and Pearson were both there. We came into fairly close contact with several Bengali teachers. They were Jagadanandbabu, Nepalbabu, Santoshbabu, Kshitimohanbabu, Nagenbabu, Sharadbabu and Kalibabu.

As is my wont, I quickly mixed with the teachers and students, and engaged them in a discussion on self-help. I put it to the teachers, that if they and the boys dispensed with the services of paid cooks, and cooked their food themselves, it would enable the teachers to control the kitchen from the point of view of the boys’ physical and moral health, and it would afford to the students an object-lesson in self-help. One or two of them were inclined to shake their heads. Some of them strongly approved of the proposal. The boys welcomed it, if only because of their instinctive taste for novelty. So we launched the experiment. When I invited the Poet to express his opinion, he said that he did not mind it provided the teachers were favourable. To the boys he said, ‘The experiment contains the key to Swaraj.’

As was my habit, I quickly got to know the teachers and students and discussed self-help with them. I suggested that the teachers and boys do without paid cooks and prepare their own food. This would let the teachers manage the kitchen with the boys’ physical and moral health in mind. It would also give the students a practical lesson in self-help. One or two teachers were inclined to disagree. Some strongly approved of the proposal. The boys welcomed it, even if only because they naturally enjoyed anything new. So we began the experiment. When I asked the Poet for his opinion, he said he did not mind it, provided the teachers approved. He told the boys, ‘The experiment contains the key to Swaraj.’

Pearson began to wear away his body in making the experiment a success. He threw himself into it with zest. A batch was formed to cut vegetables, another to clean the grain, and so on. Nagenbabu and others undertook to see to the sanitary cleaning of the kitchen and its surroundings. It was a delight to me to see them working spade in hand.

Pearson worked himself to exhaustion to make the experiment a success. He threw himself into the work with enthusiasm. One group was formed to cut vegetables, another to clean the grain, and so on. Nagenbabu and others took responsibility for cleaning the kitchen and its surroundings to keep them sanitary. It delighted me to see them working with spades in their hands.

But it was too much to expect the hundred and twenty five boys with their teachers to take to this work of physical labour like ducks to water. There used to be daily discussions. Some began early to show fatigue. But Pearson was not the man to be tired. One would always find him with his smiling face doing something or other in or about the kitchen. He had taken upon himself the cleaning of the bigger utensils. A party of students played on their sitar before this cleaning party in order to beguile the tedium of the operation. All alike took the thing up with zest and Shantiniketan became a busy hive.

But it was too much to expect the 125 boys and their teachers to take to physical labor like ducks to water. There were discussions every day. Some soon began to get tired. But Pearson was not one to tire. He could always be found smiling and doing something in or around the kitchen. He had taken on the task of cleaning the larger utensils. A group of students played their sitar for the cleaning party to make the tedious work more pleasant. Everyone took up the work with enthusiasm, and Shantiniketan became a busy hive.

Changes like these when once begun always develop. The Phœnix party’s kitchen was not only a self-conducted one, but the food cooked in it was of the simplest. Condiments were eschewed. Rice, dal, vegetables and even wheat flour were all cooked at one and the same time in a steam cooker. And Shantiniketan boys started a similar kitchen with a view to introducing reform in the Bengali kitchen. One or two teachers and some students ran this kitchen.

Once changes like these begin, they always develop further. The Phoenix group not only ran its own kitchen, but also cooked the simplest food. They used no seasonings. Rice, dal, vegetables, and even wheat flour were all cooked together in a steam cooker. The boys at Shantiniketan started a similar kitchen to reform the Bengali kitchen. One or two teachers and some students ran this kitchen.

The experiment was however dropped after some time. I am of opinion that the famous institution lost nothing by having conducted the experiment for a brief interval, and some of the experiences gained could not but be of help to the teachers.

However, the experiment was abandoned after some time. I believe the famous institution lost nothing by trying it briefly. Some of the experience gained could only have helped the teachers.

I had intended to stay at Shantiniketan for some time, but fate willed it otherwise. I had hardly been there a week when I received from Poona a telegram announcing Gokhale’s death. Shantiniketan was immersed in grief. All the members came over to me to express their condolences. A special meeting was called in the Ashram temple to mourn the national loss. It was a solemn function. The same day I left for Poona with my wife and Maganlal. All the rest stayed at Shantiniketan.

I had planned to stay at Shantiniketan for some time, but fate decided otherwise. I had hardly been there a week when a telegram arrived from Poona announcing Gokhale’s death. Shantiniketan was filled with grief. All the members came to express their condolences. A special meeting was held in the Ashram temple to mourn the national loss. It was a solemn gathering. That same day, I left for Poona with my wife and Maganlal. All the others stayed at Shantiniketan.

Andrews accompanied me up to Burdwan. ‘Do you think,’ he asked me, ‘that a time will come for Satyagraha in India? And if so, have you any idea when it will come?’

Andrews traveled with me as far as Burdwan. He asked me, ‘Do you think the time will come for Satyagraha in India? If so, do you have any idea when?’

‘It is difficult to say,’ said I. ‘For one year I am to do nothing. For Gokhale took from me a promise that I should travel in India for gaining experience, and express no opinion on public questions until I have finished the period of probation. Even after the year is over, I will be in no hurry to speak and pronounce opinions. And so I do not suppose there will be any occasion for Satyagraha for five years or so.’

‘It is hard to say,’ I said. ‘For one year, I must do nothing. Gokhale made me promise to travel in India to gain experience. He also made me promise not to express an opinion on public questions until that trial period is over. Even after the year is over, I will be in no hurry to speak and express opinions. So I do not think there will be any occasion for Satyagraha for about five years.’

I may note in this connection that Gokhale used to laugh at some of my ideas in Hind Swaraj (‘Indian Home Rule’) and say: ‘After you have stayed a year in India, your views will correct themselves.’

I may note here that Gokhale used to laugh at some of my ideas in Hind Swaraj (‘Indian Home Rule’). He would say: ‘After you have spent a year in India, your views will correct themselves.’