Where was Mahatma Gandhi on 15 August 1947? Surely the man who had led the movement for freedom would be in the forefront of the national celebrations in Delhi on that day. Instead, Gandhiji created one of the most extraordinary happenings in his eventful life. Here is the story:
BIHAR AND EAST
Bengal had suffered severely from violent communal strife in late 1946. In the Noakhali district of East Bengal, members of the Muslim majority had attacked their Hindu neighbors and burnt their houses. Gandhi immediately went there to bring the two communities together again. Soon the Muslim minority in Bihar was even more brutally attacked by their Hindu neighbors. Gandhi went there to give courage to the Muslims and a change of heart to the Hindus. I joined Gandhiji in Bihar, and together we traveled to Calcutta. On 11 August we would go to East Bengal, for Gandhi had given a solemn pledge to the frightened Noakhali Hindus that on Independence Day, when East Bengal would become part of Pakistan, he would be with them.
Hours after our arrival in Calcutta, leading Muslims from Calcutta had visited Gandhiji and had begged him not to go to East Bengal. He must stay in Calcutta, and try to bring peace to the great city. If there was peace in Calcutta, they said, there would be peace throughout all of Bengal. Gandhiji was not easily convinced. He wanted full assurance that the Muslim bosses in East Bengal would protect the Naokhali Hindus. Time was short; but the Muslim leaders agreed, so Gandhiji stayed in Calcutta.
GANDHIJI HAD A PLAN.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
From the King's Table to Street Food: A Food History of Delhi
Pushpesh Pant, one of India’s pre-eminent food writers, is back with a comprehensive food history of the capital.
Who Wants Coffee?
It’s bitter—but beloved around the world
Prevent The Pain Of Shingles
You don't have to suffer, as long as you take two important steps
The Best And Worst Diets For Your Heart
Dozens of diets are touted as ‘best’, but it’s easy to lose track of the fact that healthy eating needs to be about overall wellness, not just weight loss.
ME & MY SHELF
Journalist Sopan Joshi has worked in a science and environment framework for nearly three decades. His book Mangifera indica: A Biography of the Mango (Aleph Book Company) synthesizes the sensory appeal of India's favourite fruit with its elaborate cultural roots and natural history. He writes in English and Hindi.
SWITCHED
In 1962, nurses at a small Canadian hospital sent home two women with the wrong babies. Then, 50 years later, their children discovered the shocking mistake.
ECHOES OF THE PAST
A VISIT TO THE ANCIENT BARABAR CAVES IN BIHAR REVEALS A SURPRISING CONNECTION TO A LITERARY CLASSIC
Fathers of the Bride
A young woman finds a unique way to honour the many men who helped her survive her childhood
Fiction's Foresight
British-Bangladeshi author Manzu Islam's works reveal startling parallels to recent political upheavals in Bangladesh, begging the question: Besides helping us make sense of our world, can stories also offer a glimpse into the future?
It Happens ONLY IN INDIA
The Divine Defence Picture this: A tractor in Rajasthan‘s Banswara district,a group of loan agents closing in to seize it and the defaulting farmer and his family standing by.
