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Mew Delhi: u z
Juue 3, 1,964
Following ::re seine e x t r z c t s from t h e -:11I1 i-nd Taxtament of
S h r i J . w ~ h a r l ~ . Nehru
l c?rted the 21st June 1954:
I h ~ v er e c e i v e 6 s o m.ch love rind z f f e c t i o n from t h e - I n d i a n
r'

?eople t h p t nothing t h ; . t I can do can re:?? even P sm;ll f r a c t i o n

af i t , 2nd indeed t h e r e c2n be no repayment of s o p r e c i o u s a
thing a s affection, Nany have bee11 admired, some have been
r e v e r e d , but t h e a f f e c t i o n of 211 c l ? s s e s of t h e I n d i z n people
h a s come t o me i n such abundant m e ~ ~ s u rteh a t I h?ve been over-
whelmed by i t , I can only express t h e hope t h - t i n t h e
remaining y e a r s I may l i v e , I s h a l l n o t be uixdorthy of my
' I

and t h e i r affection.

To my innumerable c o m ~ ? d e sand c o l l e a g u e s , 1 otre an

- 8
-
w e n deeper debt of g r a t i t u d e , 'ire hzve .been j o i n t p n r t n e r s
- i n g r e ~ tundertakings ;ind have shared t h e triumphsand
sorrows which i n e v i t a b l y Ft.ccorn;?any them.
XXX XXX

I wish t o d e c l a r e w i t h a.11 e.arnestness t h , ? t I

do not want . m ~ ~ j c ' e J i g b ~ e r n w ?
_ ai eauS f o r me
rfo~med

. .
--after-.my-&abh. I do not b e l i e v e i n any such ceremonies
and t o subnit t o t i ~ e n , w e n 2s 2 m t t e r ol" f c , m , would. be
hypocrisy and an a t t e n p t t o delude o u r s e l v e s and o t h e r s ,
When I d i e , I shoulu l i k e my body t o be c r e n a t e d ,

I f I: d l e i n a f o r e i g n country, my bouy shouid be cremated

t h e r e and my zshes s e ~ t o Allahubad. i'. sr.lzlL h a n d f u l o f
these a s h e s should be chrawn i n t o tile clcr,,e 2nd t h e n a j o r

p o r t i o n of t h e n d i s p o s e d of i n $he manner iri;iieatd below,

No p a r t of these ashes should be r e t a i ~ e dG r preserved*
My d e s i r e t o have a hzndful of ;ly a s k s thrown i n t o
t h e Ganga a t Allahabaci has no r e l i g i o u s significance, s o
f a r as I an concerned. 1 have no r e l i g i o u s s e n t i n e n t i n
t h e natter. I have b e o ~a t t a c h e d t o t h e Gawiga and t h e Juma
r i v e r s in Allahaka6 e v e r since ny chjldhood - a d , as I have
grown o l d e r , t h i s a t t a c l m e n t has a l s o grovn, 1 have watched
their varying noods 2s t h e seasons c h a g e d , and have o f t e n
thought of t h e h i s t o r y j n d : ~ y t hand t r a d i t i o f i and song and
s t o r y t h a t have becone a t t a c h e 8 t o %her=through the long ages
and k c o r r e p a r t of t h e i r f l u w h g waters, The Gaga, especial&
is t h e river o f I n L i a , beloved of h e r peo~le,round which are
-.
i n t e r t w i n e d her racial n e n o r i e s , h e r hopes and f e a r s , h e r
songs of t r i m p h , h e r v i c t o r i e s anc h e r d e f e z t s . She h a s been
a s p b o l of I n d i a ' s zge-long c u l t u r e 2nd c i v i l i s a t i o n , ever-
c h m g h g , even-flowing, and ye t ever t h e S ~ Z ~ C-mga,
, E She
reairiris xe of t h e snow-covered peaks anc t h e deep v a l l e y s of
t h e H i m a l ~ y a s , which I have love6 so !r;uch, 2nd or' t h e rich
1
and srzst p l s i n s below, where ny l i f e end work have b e e cast,
S x i i l i ~ gand dancing i n t h e i-idrning s - i - l i g h t , k i d dark and
gloony ai:;d frill o f : - ~ y s t s r yaS zhe e v e n i n g s h a ~ o w sfall; a
narrow, slow and. g r a c e f u l s t r e a z i n w i n t e r , and a v a s t
r o a r i n g t h i n g d u r i n g t h 3 iiOYISOOns broad-bosoned a l r r o s t a s
t h e s e a , u I d with sonetning oi t h e s e a ' s power t o d e s t r o y
t h e Garrga has been t o ne a symbol zrci a Ge!:ory o f t h e past
o f I n d i a , running i n t o t h e p r e s e n t , z ~ dfLowiug on t o t h e
,.great ocean..
 g r e a t ocem- of t h e S ~ i t u r c , And though I have d i s c a r d e d much

of' p a s t t r a d i t i o n anci cv.ston, ant er.1 a l x i c ~ ~t hs z t Intiia shoul-d

r i d h e r s e l f of a 1 1 s h a c k l e s t h a t bind and c o n s t r a i n h e r and
d i v i d e h e r peopls, an6 suppzssc. v a s t mmbers of t h e n , an^ prevent
t h e f r e e developnent of the body and t h e s . . i r i t ; though I seek
a l l t h i s , y e t I do not w i s h t o cut i.:yself ~ f f r o n t h e p a s t
- coapletely: I an pprou.8 a:' t b : t great, inhe *it;~ce t h a t has b ~ e n ,
and i s , ours, and .. T
$-I conscioue t h a t 1 ~ c ; , lilts sll of us,:
arn a l i n k iu t h a t u:?troken chaiu which goe; back tc t h e &>!n o f
h i s t o r y i n t h e iizmrncrial p a s t of India. Tria~;chain I would. n o t
brealr, f o r I t r e a s u r e i't a d seek i n s p i r a t i o c . frorr it. And as
w.i'l;ness of t h i s d e s i r e of a i d a s ay 13st hoaage t o India's
/

cultural i n h e r i t m c c , I x
i vaklng t h i s r2q::est t i ~ a ta handful .

of ny ashes be tlirown i n t o t h e G a ~ g aa t Ali.ai?abad t o be

carried to 'the g r e a t ocean t h a t washes India's shore,
T h e na.jor portior! of ny ashes should, h o v e v e ~ , be

disposed of otherwise. I wsnt thsse t o be e a r ~ i e dh i g h up

i n t o t h e air I n an a e r o p l s n e and s c a t t e r e d from t h a t h e i g h t

over t h e f i e l d - s where t h e p e a s a n t s o f I n d i s t o i l , s o t h a t t h ~
n i g h t mingle w i t h t h e d u s t and s o i l of Pi~c;iaand become a_r;

indistinguishable p a r t cf l m a ,

THE B O V X I S FOR FUBLICATIOI? OR ERGADCAST -,AFTW 5..30 P3i4, (185

--
T)

OIu' JUNE 3 , 2964 (JYALSTA 13, 1886)