B Tech I SEM : In London by M K Gandhi -- ENGLISH ESSENTIALS

                      In London  --- M K Gandhi    

         “In London” is an extract taken from the autobiography of Gandhi ,titled “ My Experiments With Truth” being  translated into English by Mahdev Desai. Gandhi is known for his simplicity. In this lesson he tells us how he struggled hard when he stayed in London for his education.

              He decided that he should not trouble others. He was a vegetarian and he wanted to cultivate other accomplishments which make him a decent gentleman in society.Bond street was the centre of fashionable life in London so he bought a suit there . He felt  that the Bombay clothes were unsuitable to English society. So he bought new ones at “ The army and Navy” stores. He learnt the art of tying for himself. He wanted to dress like an  Englishman. Gandhi started taking lessons in dancing , French and elocution. He even attempted to take lessons in music but could not follow the Piano. He thought that he should learn to play the violin in order to cultivate an ear for the Western music.

          In his retrospection he thought that he was not going to spend a life time in England. This thought made him realize that he was wasting money . Having listened to Gandhi, the dance teacher was convinced and encouraged him to go ahead. He wrote letters to the other teachers also. They encouraged his idea. He struggled for austerity and frugality. He exercised strict economy in all aspects. His living with a family involved him a lot of unnecessary expenditure. So he decided to take two rooms on his own account. The rooms were close to the business place. So, he walked eight miles every day and this kept him physically healthy.

         Gandhi knew that the Bar examinations did not require great study. On a friend’s advice Gandhi decided to pass the London Matriculation ,though it was difficult he passed in  his next attempt. He was forced to learn Latin which was very useful in the paper of roman law. Gradually , he acquired a taste for Latin ,French  and Chemistry.

       Gandhi felt that his way of living did not fit in the modest means of his family . So, he adjusted himself with one room instead of two rooms and cooked food at home for breakfast.  Plain living saved his plenty of time and he passed his examination. Gandhi says at the end that he spent only frugal life which by no means of dreary one.