Thanks to The Arts Council, England for their generous support for the project, throughout.
Also to Deirdre Figueirdo, then Cultural Development Officer for the Museum

Saleem Arif Quadri, who rediscovered and initiated “KANU GANDHI’S MAHATMA” photographs 1938-1946; in December 1992, Rajkot, India.

INTRODUCTION

As ‘Fate’ would have it, I was introduced to the widow of Kanu Gandhi, Abha Gandhi in Rajkot, Gujrat, India in December 1992. Thus began an extraordinary journey towards rediscovering “Kanu Gandhi’s Mahatma”.

I was on a travel bursary from the Arts Council of England to research possible exhibitions in India to be held in England.
Destiny took me to Rajkot on an invitation from Dr’s Kalan’s from Dehra Dun. When I was introduced to Abha Gandhi by Dr Manora Mehta (sister of Dr Indu Kalan), I was aware of Abha Gandhi, the freedom fighter and one of the “living walking sticks” of Mahatma Gandhi (as he used to put his arm on her shoulders whilst walking). At that time I did not know of her late husband Kanu Gandhi (1917-1986), one of the ‘Apostles of Mahatma Gandhi’. (See: Ved Mehta’s, “Mahatma Gandhi and his Apostles”, Yale University Press 1993. New Haven, London).

When I further discovered Kanu Gandhi was an ardent photographer too, I inquired from Abha Gandhi what did he photograph? My expectations were confirmed when she replied ‘Mahatma Gandhi, of course’. This delighted me.

Enthusiastically I requested, “Were any of his works available to see”? Suddenly Abha Gandhi got up with gracious springs in her legs, beaming with beautiful energy on her face, went into her home Rashtriyashala and came out a few minutes later with a white bundle neatly tied up which she placed in front of me.

This was the moment of rediscovery.

As I opened the bundle with excitement of the mystery within I saw several white ant eaten tattered photographic albums- as I turned the fragile pages of these albums containing vintage contact prints and some photographs, I recognised the aesthetic and indeed historical significance of these extraordinary images.

One man’s vision, indeed. It was obvious to me that Abha Gandhi held a private archive of treasures, which deserved and demanded a wider audience. When she expressed delight at my suggestion of possibly curating an exhibition of Kanu Gandhi’s images – although at that stage I had no idea or experience – where and how such an exhibition could be mounted.

On returning to England in January 1995, I was pleased to receive her written permission to my exhibition proposal.

Through a passionate commitment to a promise and a prayer I met Deirdre Figueiredo, the then Cultural Development Officer for Leicestershire Museum with whom I shared my thoughts of these wonderful images of Kanu Gandhi’s work; from that moment we became inspired by a common cause, she also informed me of Rajkot being a twin town with Leicester.

BIOGRAPHY of KANU GANDHI

Kanu Gandhi was born on the 3^rd September 1917 in Rajkot, Gujrat, India. He was the grandnephew of Mahatma Gandhi. He moved to live at Sabarmati Ashram with his parents Sri Nanda Gandhi and Smt Jamuna Gandhi when he was only two years old. Sabarmati Ashram was the first centre, which represented a place of village regeneration and propagated the philosophy of non- violence, truthfulness and self-sufficiency.

This was the educational environment in which Kanu Gandhi’s early childhood was nutured. His ambition was to become a Doctor of medicine but it never materialised. His father encouraged him   to join the campaign for Indian Independence. This he did in 1932. He became part of Mahatma Gandhi’s small number of trusted companions- as a typist and personal assistant attending to the Mahatmaji daily needs until 1948.

“From what Abha Gandhi has talked with me about Kanu Gandhi, he was an unassuming, warm hearted and simple person. He never got his clothes ironed even on the occasion of visiting the Indian Prime Minister Mrs Indra Gandhi; he refused to the suggestion of getting his clothes pressed. He used to love his adopted daughter like a mother in spite of being a man. He wanted to do a lot of service to the community”.

(From a letter to the curator Saleem Arif Quadri, dated 18/3/1995, Rajkot from Dr Manorama Mehta).

At the age of 15 in 1932 he was jailed for participating in the Non-Co-operative Movement.

He was encouraged to take photographs of Mahatma Gandhi by various associates of Mahatma Gandhi, due to his intimate access to the subject. Hence in or around 1938 he started documenting life around Mahatma Gandhi using a Rolleiflex camera. Mahatma Gandhi granted him permission and access to be photographed on condition that he did not have to pose, the photographs would be taken under natural light (no flash) and further it would not be financed by him or the Indian Independence Movement. However the finances were covered by Kanu Gandhi providing some images to the newspapers – which gradually became a frequent occurrence as the Independence Movement gathered pace and momentum.

Mahatma Gandhi and his wife Kasturba Gandhi were instrumental in Kanu Gandhi’s and Abha Chatterjee’s marriage and gave them their whole hearted support and blessing at the Sevagram Ashram in 1944.Abha Gandhi who was from Bengal had a sweet voice – used to sing Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite hymns. Kanu and Abha Gandhi were the closest members of his household, especially after his wife Kasturba Gandhi passed away in 1944. In an interview in December 1994, when I asked Abha Gandhi about their relationship, she said “We were three bodies but one soul”.

Kanu and Abha Gandhi both attended to Mahatma Gandhi’s personal care and working schedule from dawn till dusk.

When Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Godre on January 30^th 1948 -he died on Abha Gandhi’s lap as she was with him. Kanu Gandhi was on an assignment at that time in the present Bangladesh. 

Kanu and Abha Gandhi’s lives were profoundly affected and changed by the life and death of Mahatma Gandhi. Both were passionately committed to the Gandhinian ideals and were supreme followers of these ideals- which I was able to see in Abha Gandhi when I first met her in December 1992 and again in December 1994.

They were the living and breathing embodiments of the Mahatmaji’s message. Both of them applied themselves to teaching and promoting Gandhian ideals and living very simply.

After 1948 Kanu Gandhi occasionally did rare photographic projects, such as documenting the famine in Bihar and photographing important politicians until his death in 1986.

Kanu Gandhi had a small dark room with the most basic facilities, next to his dwelling. He supervised the printing of his images, which were made by hired assistants.

From 1956 Kanu and Abha Gandhi worked at Kasturba Dham near Rajkot in Gujrat. This was where Kasturba Gandhi had been kept under house arrest before Independence. This place was developed into small-scale industries of crops, cattle rearing, carpentry, papermaking and handmade soap. Today there is a thriving secondary school on the site.

During a pilgrimage in Madhya Pradesh. Kanu Gandhi suffered a heart attack and died on February 20^th 1986.He is buried in Kasturba Dham. 

 ©Saleem A Quadri MBE August 2002