The Danish Peace Academy

GANDHI AND NORDIC COUNTRIES

Letter, May 13, 1917

Bettiah,

May 13, 1917

My dear Esther,

Pray do not apologise for writing to me. Your letters are most welcome.

I am sure that your duty is to fulfil your undertaking with the Mission with all your heart. You can come to the ashram only when they relieve you and when you feel in the clearest possible terms that you will come to render the service of humanity in greater fullness. When that time comes, the ashram will receive you as one of its own. Meanwhile you are of course always free to go [to] the ashram and stay there as long as you like.

At the ashram, we are now trying an experiment in education to serve as a pattern. When you go there, I am sure you will like the teaching staff. They are all, I think, good men and sane.

My work here gives me greater and greater joy day by day. The poor raiyats²⁰ delight in simply sitting round me, feeling that they can trust me to do the right thing. I only hope I am worthy of all this love. I constantly see the planters and do not despair of appealing to their sense of justice on behalf of the raiyats who have groaned under the weight of oppression all these long years. I shall send you a copy of my representation to the Government. You may not understand some points in it. Do not hesitate to ask me please.

With love,

Yours,

Bapu

Source:My Dear Child, page 9; Collected Works, Volume 13, pages 384-85

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