Getting to Know Gandhiji

"Dadi, what are you reading?" Minky skipped into her grandmother's room. Dadi smiled and showed a book to Minky. "The Story of My Experiments with Truth..." read Minky. 

- Elizabeth Philip

"Oh, this is Gandhiji's autobiography!"

"Do you know the difference between biography and autobiography?" asked Dadi.

 "Yes! An autobiography is a book about a person's life written by that person. And a biography is a book about a person's life written by somebody else."

"Smart girl!" Dadi nodded appreciatively.

"You know, Dadi, we have a quiz on Gandhiji next week."

"Neha is coming to spend some time with me to prepare. We have to collect information on Gandhiji."

"Minky! Neha is here," called Ma.

"Coming," shouted Minky and ran out. She was back with Neha in a jiffy.

"Namaste, Dadi," Neha wished Minky's grandmother with a smile.

"Come, beta! So, both of you are going to do some research on Gandhi? That's good because I am doing the same."

Minky explained, "Dadi goes to a school to tell stories. She is going to tell the children about Gandhiji next time."

"Wow!" exclaimed Neha. "I wish you would come to our school, Dadi."

"And Dadi has Gandhiji's autobiography too!" Minky pointed to the book in her grandmother's lap.

"Dadi, ask us questions about Gandhi," said Neha. "Both of you have seen photographs of Gandhi, right?" asked Dadi. "Can you describe him?"

Neha started hesitantly, "An old man with round glasses..."

"And a smiling face," added Minky.

"You're right. That is how Gandhiji looks in the photos we usually find in schools and government offices. But do you know what Gandhiji looked like when he was a child?"

Both Minky and Neha shook their heads. Dadi reached out for a book on the first shelf of her bookcase and flipped a few pages.

"I haven't seen this book before," said Neha, peering at the cover. "Stories from Gandhi's Life."

"Here, take a look. This is Gandhiji when he was seven years old."

Neha remarked, "Oh, he looks so cute."