A sense of calm, peace and serenity pervades the atmosphere. The walls in the room are adorned with pictures of one person —  Mahatma Gandhi — albeit of his different facets. Amidst the pictures, each narrating an event from the history,  sits Sumitra Gandhi Kulkarni - a real Gandhi in flesh and blood. Eldest granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi and perhaps one of his few grandchildren who lived with him for over 18 years, Sumitra cherishes every moment she spent with the great soul that her grandpa was. She is the daughter of Nirmala Ramdas Gandhi and Ramdas Gandhi, the third son of the Mahatma.  Sumitra has made Bangalore, her home for the last 12 years.

“I have very fond memories of my grandfather. I remember that he’d have a say in whatever we did. Despite his serious preoccupation with all other activities he had a keen eye on correcting us. He would look into our hygiene, our clothes, what we were reading and even corrected our spelling and handwriting. We were never allowed to mix up languages. It was considered impolite to speak or write in English to our family members,” recollects Sumitra and adds, “because of that even today I write to my sisters and cousins in Gujarati.”
Sumitra was part and parcel of the freedom struggle. Her grandparent’s home in Shivagram used to be open at any hour during the day and night. People, even total strangers could walk in and meet the Mahatma. They used to eat, rest and leave at their convenience.

“I remember my grandmother would cook for 100 or even 150 people at one time. There was no gas, no electricity - only kerosene lamp and sawdust. Salt-free steamed spinach and pumpkin was the staple food in those days and was available in plenty. My grandmother asked no questions about those who trooped into our house,” she recalls. Equality and justice were values that were not practised consciously, Sumithra says and adds: It was inculcated in us.

“We didn’t know that Khandumama, the man who helped my grandmother in the kitchen, was a Harijan. I used to share everything from my toys to food with Khandumama’s son. There was no discrimination,” observes Sumitra.

She feels that the spirit of equality, human values, fair play and justice are missing today. Those days, the whole country breathed it.

“Today, we somehow have relegated these things to the background. We consider them to be fuddy-duddy, not to be necessarily adhered to.”

None of Gandhiji’s ideals are being practised today. Has the ‘Father of the Nation’ been consigned to remain merely as a stone statue?

“It calls for great ethical honesty and integrity to be able to practice what Gandhiji preached. Today, we have become more insecure, our sense of dignity and self-confidence is at its lowest. We were in a much
better position before Independence when the spirit was free and the feeling of mine and thine was missing,” says Sumitra.

Is Gandhi relevant today? With all the books being written about the Mahatma and tributes being paid to him, there are a whole lot of people working to keep the Gandhian ideals alive.
“Every month a book comes out on Gandhi that’s because the author wants to sell himself. It’s fashionable to interpret psychology, sex and social relevance. It makes no difference. He is still relevant today, though we had tried giving him up soon after Independence,” Sumitra says and adds, “yes the country has developed a lot but this development has brought us no dignity.”

Commenting on religion in the country, Sumitra says she detests religious conversion. “Luring people with food, shelter and money to convert to another religion is not done. We are making a fetish of it. Religion is a very private affair,” she says and adds, “my piety is between me and my God.”

Amidst all the cacophony, Sumitra has managed to keep her calm and she says her life never slips into a dull moment. On the decision to immerse Gandhiji’s ashes in the Arabian Sea on January 30 this year, she says, “I want it to be a very private affair, it should not be turned in to a public function’.’