Gandhi's nonviolent struggles in South Africa and India had already brought him to such a level of notoriety, adulation,

and controversy that when asked to write an autobiography midway through his career, he took it as an opportunity to explain himself. Although accepting of his status as a great innovator in the struggle against racism, violence, and, just then, colonialism, Gandhi feared that enthusiasm for his ideas tended to exceed a deeper understanding. He says that he was after truth rooted in devotion to God and attributed the turning points, successes, and challenges in his life to the will of God. His attempts to get closer to this divine power led him to seek purity through simple living, dietary practices (he called himself a fruitarian), celibacy, and ahimsa, a life without violence. It is in this sense that he calls his book The Story of My Experiments with Truth, offering it also as a reference for those who would follow in his footsteps. A reader expecting a complete accounting of his actions, however, will be sorely disappointed. Although Gandhi presents his episodes chronologically, he happily leaves wide gaps, such as the entire satyagraha struggle in South Africa, for which he refers the reader to another of his books. And writing for his contemporaries, he takes it for granted that the reader is familiar with the major events of his life and of the political milieu of early 20th-century India. For the objective story, try Yogesh Chadha's Gandhi: A Life. For the inner world of a man held as a criminal by the British, a hero by Muslims, and a holy man by Hindus, look no further than these experiments. --Brian Bruya

Four or five years ago, at the instance of some of my nearest co-workers, I agreed to write my autobiography. I made the start, but scarcely had I turned over the first sheet when riots broke out in Bombay and the work remained at a standstill A God-fearing friend had his doubts, which he shared with me on my day of silence. What has set you on this adventure, he asked. Writing an autobiography is a practice peculiar to the West. I know of nobody in the East having written one, except amongst those who have come under Western influence. And what will you write? Supposing you reject tomorrow the things you hold as principles today, or supposing you revise in the future your plans of today, is it not likely that the men who shape their conduct on the authority of your word, spoken or written, may be misled? Dont you think it would be better not to write anything like an autobiography, at any rate just yet? This argument had some effect on me. But it is not my purpose to attempt a real autobiography. I simply want to tell the story of my numerous experiments with truth, and as my life consists of nothing but those experiments, it is true that the story will take the shape of an autobiography. But I shall not mind, if every page of it speaks only of my experiments I believe, or at any rate flatter myself with the belief, that a connected account of all these experiments will not be without benefit to the reader. My experiments in the political field are now known, not only in India, but to a certain extent to the civilized world. For me, they have not much value; and the title of Mahatma that they have won for me has, therefore, even less. Often the title has deeply pained me; and there is not a moment I can recall when it may be said to have tickled me. But I should certainly like to narrate my experiments in the spiritual field which are known only to myself; and

from which I have derived such power as I possess for working in the political field. If the experiments are really spiritual, then there can be no room for self-praise. They can only add to my humility. The more I reflect and look back on the past, the more vividly do I feel my limitations. What I want to achieve what I have been striving and pining to achieve these thirty years is self-realization, to see God face to face, to attain Moksha. I live and move and have my being in pursuit of this goal. All that I do by way of speaking and writing, and all my ventures in the political field, are directed to this same end. But as I have all along believed that what is possible for one is possible for all, my experiments have not been conducted in the closet, but in the open; and I do not think that this fact detracts from their spiritual value. There are some things which are known only to oneself and ones Maker. These are clearly incommunicable. The experiments I am about to relate are not such. But they are spiritual, or rather moral; for the essence of religion is morality. Only those matters of religion that can be comprehended as much by children, as by older people, will be included in this story. If I can narrate them in a dispassionate and humble spirit, many other experimenters will find in them provision for their onward march. Far be it for me to claim any degree of perfection for these experiments. I claim for them nothing more than does a scientist who, though he conducts his experiments with the utmost accuracy, forethought and minuteness, never claims any finality about his conclusions, but keeps an open mind regarding them. I have gone through deep self-introspection, searched myself through and through, and examined and analysed every psychological situation. Yet I am far from claiming any finality or infallibility about my conclusions. One claim I do indeed make and it is this. For me they appear to be absolutely correct, and seem for the time being to be final. For if they were not, I should base no action on them. But at every step I have carried out the process of acceptance or rejection and acted accordingly. And so long as my acts satisfy my reason and my heart, I must firmly adhere to my original conclusions. If I had only to discuss academic principles, I should clearly not attempt an autobiography. But my purpose being to give an account of various practical applications of these principles, I have given the chapters I propose to write the title of The Story of My Experiments with Truth. These will of course include experiments with non-violence, celibacy and other principles of conduct believed to be distinct from truth. But for me, truth is the sovereign principle, which includes numerous other principles. This truth is not only truthfulness in word but truthfulness in thought also, and not only the relative truth of our conception, but the Absolute Truth, the Eternal Principle, that is God. There are innumerable definitions of God, because His manifestations are innumerable. They overwhelm me with wonder and awe and for a moment stun me. But I worship God as Truth only. I have not yet found Him, but I am seeking after Him. I am prepared to sacrifice the things dearest to me in pursuit of this quest. Even if the sacrifice demanded be my very life, I hope I may be prepared to give it. But as long as I have not realized this Absolute Truth, so long must I hold by the relative truth as I have conceived it. That relative truth must, meanwhile, be my beacon, my shield and buckler. Though this path is strait and narrow and sharp as the razors edge, for me it has been the quickest and easiest. Even my Himalayan blunders have seemed trifling to me because I have kept strictly to this path. For the path has saved me from coming to grief; and I have gone forward according to my light. Often in my progress I have had faint glimpses of the Absolute Truth, God, and daily the conviction is growing upon me that He alone is real and all else is unreal. Let those, who wish, realize how the conviction has grown upon me; let them share my experiments and share also my conviction if they can. The further conviction has been growing upon me that whatever is possible for me is possible even for a child, and I have sound reasons for saying so. The instruments for the quest of truth are as simple as they are difficult. They may appear quite impossible to an arrogant person, and quite impossible to an innocent child. The seeker after truth should be humbler than the dust. The world crushes the dust under its feet, but the seeker after truth should

so humble himself that even the dust could crush him. Only then, and not till then, will he have a glimpse of truth If anything that I write in these pages should strike the reader as being touched with pride, then he must take it that there is something wrong with my quest, and that my glimpses are no more than a mirage. Let hundreds like me perish, but let truth prevail. Let us not reduce the standards of truth even by a hairs breadth for judging erring mortals like myself. I hope and pray that no one will regard the advice interspersed in the following chapters as authoritative. The experiments narrated should be regarded as illustrations, in the light of which everyone may carry on his own experiments according to his own inclination and capacity. I trust that to this limited extent the illustrations will be really helpful; because I am not going either to conceal or understate any ugly things that must be told. I hope to acquaint the reader fully with all my faults and errors. My purpose is to describe experiments in the science of Satyagraha, not to say how good I am. In judging myself, I shall try to be as harsh as truth, as I want others also to be. Measuring myself by that standard, I must exclaim with Surdas: Where is there a wretch So wicked and loathsome as I; I have forsaken my Maker; So faithless have I been. For it is an unbroken torture to me that I am still so far from Him, who, as I fully know, governs every breath of my life, and whose offspring I am. I know that it is the evil passions within that keep me so far from Him, and yet I cannot get away from them. But I must close. I can only take up the actual story in the next chapter. M. K. GANDHI The Ashram, Sabarmati 26th November, 1925

The book is divided into 5 parts. My Experiments with Truth (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5). The first part is his journey from Birth , Childhood, Child Marriage with Kasturba, Death of his father, and famous misgivings. This chapter contains several anecdotes which are taught at school for character building. Also, he speaks of the authoritative husband he was, and his insecurities. Nursing his father, he would often think of Kasturba and the associated lustful emotions. Gandhiji is one of us, but what transformed him? As

you move on to the second part which begins with his journey to South Africa for studying law where an equivocal Gandhiji transforms into a confident person. Battling his vices, he reforms into a public servant. In few occasions, he saves an indentured labourer, Subramaniam, who is beaten by his master. Gandhiji, through his various practices connects with life and with common people. The third part, is Gandhiji's return to India, to serve the public. On a certain occasion where he had to clean washrooms (toilets), he does it with no hesitation. On family front, he convinces Kasturba and his three children to learn gujrati before moving on to other languages of study. Though Harilal resists, the other kids follow suit. Gandhiji consumes only Satvik Ahaar, as he believes that the food we consume affects our mind. He stops drinking milk as 1. It is the right of the calf and 2. It stimulates the vice, lust. The fourth part speaks of continuing his food habits and also, experimenting with truth in the Bar (Court). Gandhiji took cases which supported truth. On one occasion when the client was a false one and he knew it in the court, he refused to fight the case. He fights for the passengers in the third class train and apart from his own sacrifice, Kasturba;s sacrifice are elaborated in separate chapters. In the fifth part, Gandhiji takes a tour to Kumbh Mela, Lakshman Jhula, where he is overwhelmed by the irony in the religious practice, where one side, the festivities are taking place, another side, animals are being sacrificed. The book ends with a farewell from Gandhiji and he surmises we know what happened after 1921 as now his life is public. Hope this book takes your life into a fresh chapter. The book from Page 1, is a journey which will take you on a journey lest you read the book sans prejudice. While walking with Gandhiji through the puffs of smoke, eating meat at the riverside, stealing money, it feels as if Gandhiji was not an angel dropped from heaven but a phoenix moulded with his self control chiseled the vices. Experiences, aplenty maketh a man. Gandhiji proves it right by going through many such experiences. The book is all about how a lascivious Gandhi ji becomes a Brahmacharya. How a meateater, though through force, became a vegetarian by choice. Following the truth, experimenting with it and discovering the power of the mind. Following tenets like 1. Satya 2. Dharma and most importantly 3. Humanity, Gandhiji takes you on a self-reflective slow moving journey. Also, he speaks of movements like civil Disobedience, Non-coorperation, Jallian wala Bagh Massacre and various landmarks of Indian Freedom history, yet the main subject remains Gandhijis resilience, persistence within to transform himself to serve better. Recommended for all those who wish to experiment with truth and triumph in their experiments. One can apply these rules, any day. Happy Journey through this book.

About the author

Mahatma Gandhi whose real name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, was born in 1869 at Porbandar in the state of Gujarat in India. His fathers name was Karamchand

Gandhi and his mothers name was Putlibai. He was the youngest in the family of one sister and three brothers. Both his parents were deeply religious and frequently visited temples and took their meals only after daily prayers. In school Gandhi was a mediocre student who was quite an introvert. He was even afraid to talk to any student in the class as he thought that they would poke fun at him. However, he always upheld his honesty and truthfulness. He believed in respecting his elders and was always blind to the faults of the elders. Gandhi was married in 1882 at the age of thirteen to a girl named Kasturbai. He passed his matriculation exams in 1887 and then soon returned to Porbander as he found the studies of his college very tough. Then later on he went on to the University of London in England to pursue the study of law after a lot of opposition from his mother and some other people .He vowed not to touch woman, wine and meat. He passed the London matriculation exam in the second attempt. At last he sailed back to India in June, 1891.later on, he went to Bombay to study Indian Laws. In spite of getting a case, he went to South Africa in April 1983. Gandhi sailed for South Africa in April 1893 and reached Natal at the close of May. It was in South Africa that Gandhi had a lot of experience in laws, handling cases and many other fields. He observed the pitiful conditions of the Indians and other colored people and also experienced it when on his way to Pretoria from Natal, he was thrown out of a train because he was the only colored person in the first class compartment. During this time Gandhi became deeply interested in religion. In spite of his Christian friends tries of converting him to Christianity, he kept his faith. He helped the Indentured Indian laborers and fought for their rights. After three years in South Africa, Gandhi returned to India in 1896. Gandhi had a lot of shortcomings in his personal life. He was a very suspicious husband and kept an eye on all the movements of his wife, Kasturbai. This resulted in bitter quarrels becoming the order of the day. But in his autobiography, Gandhi says that he did all this because he wanted to make his wife an ideal wife and make her live a pure life. Some more of his shortcomings were that at a young age he had started smoking and eating meat in company of a cousin and a friend. He stole money from his servants pocket and bought cigarettes. At last he gave up all the malpractices and became a strict vegetarian and stuck to it all his life. He educated his children and the child of his widow sister. He also became a very religious person and was greatly influenced by the saintliness of his mother. He practiced Ahimsa (non-violence), Brahmacharya (celibacy) and Aparigraha (non-possession). In his public life, Gandhi was very successful. When he went to South Africa, he came in contact with many people and went through many experiences. He protested against the color bar and helped all those who were neglected During the Boer War he participated with the British. He and some other people joined to form the Ambulance Corps who took care of the wounded fighters. Gandhi awakened a sense of duty to the Indians settled in South Africa, so that they sent money for the famine relief during the famines in India in 1897 and 1899. In 1917, he got the Indentured Emigration from India, abolished. After returning to India, he set about reforming it. His campaign in India started from Champaran, a small place in the state of Bihar. There he fought for the rights of Indigo farmers. He upheld the principles of Swaraj (self rule), Swadeshi (self sufficiency) and Satyagraha (truth as a medium of protest). He instructed the people not to wear foreign clothes or use foreign goods. He told them to make their own clothes using handlooms and the cloth that they wore was known as Khadi. Even Gandhi made his own clothes by using a Charkha (spinning wheel), which became the symbol of prosperity and integrity of India. Gandhi created a number of Ashrams or communities where men, women and children from all backgrounds and nationalities came to learn from his daily example on how to make non-violence and love the basis of their lives. One of the ashrams was the Sabarmati Ashram in the state of Gujarat. He understood the problems of the untouchables who were thrown out of society. He called these people Harijans or people of the lord. Wherever he went, he collected money for the Harijans. He traveled in the third class of the trains,

which were dirty and meant for the low caste Indians. When someone asked him why, he simply said, Because there is no fourth. Gandhi faced many challenges towards the end of his life. In 1930, the British government levied tax on salt, which was the primary ingredient of every households meal. Gandhi collected some followers and marched to a small, coastal town of Dandi, situated near the Arabian Sea, 240 miles away, where he proposed to produce salt from the sea water. Thousands of people joined the march on the way. This was known as the DANDI MARCH. Gandhi was arrested after this incident. But this did not hinder his courage. He started the NON- CO-OPERATION MOVEMENT. Nobody was to co-operate with the British, which would lead to their leaving India. On the 8th of August 1942 the QUIT INDIA MOVEMENT started. This non-violent protest disrupted and destroyed the British Government and their system of governance and added nationalistic fire to every Indians heart. On the eve of independence, Hindus and Muslims in India were in the throes of civil war. All the government forces were powerless to stop the massacres. The bloodshed and destruction touched the very depths of Gandhi. He went straight to the heart of the violence and walked barefoot through the remote, ravaged villages as a one-man force for peace. He who trembles or takes to the heels, the moment he sees two people fighting, is not non-violent, but a coward. A non-violent person will lay down his life in preventing such quarrels said Gandhi and he truly justified it. It was on the evening of 30th of January 1948, that the final tragedy took place. Mahatma Gandhi was in Delhi, requesting for Hindu-Muslim unity. When the time for prayer meeting came, he walked briskly with his arms on the shoulder of two of the ashram girls. As he walked to the platform through the huge crowd, he held his palms together in front of him. Suddenly, a young man placed himself in Gandhis path and fired a gun point-blank into his heart. Such was the greatness of Gandhi that as his body fell, he called out Rama, Rama, Rama which meant I forgive you, I love you, I bless you. The killer was later identified as Nathuram Godse, a Hindu fanatic. This 30th day of January, is known in India as the Martyrs Day.