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Men Who Killed Gandhi
The men who killed Gandhi by Manohar Malgaonkar takes readers back into the pages of Indian history during the time of the Partition, featuring the murder plot and assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. The men who killed Gandhi is a spellbinding Non fictional recreation of the events which led to India’s Partition, the eventual assassination of Gandhi, and the prosecution of those who were involved in Gandhian murder. This historical reenactment is set against the tumultuous backdrop of the British Raj. Malgonkar’s book is a result of painstaking research and from also having privileged access to many important documents and photographs related to the assassination. There is no doubt that Mahatma Gandhi played a leading role in obtaining independence from the British. But the problems that ensued afterwards, such as the structural rebuilding of the country and the Partition, led to many riots, massive migrations, and deep racial and cultural divides. Not everyone agreed with Gandhi and his ideals. As a result, a plot to assassinate Gandhi was devised by six individuals named, Narayan apte, Gopal God se, Madanlal pahwa, Digambar badge, and Nathan God se. This was eventually carried out in New Delhi, on the 30th of January, 1948. Eventually, these six individuals were tried and convicted. Four of them received life sentences while two of them received the death penalty. The first publication of the men who killed Gandhi occurred in 1978, during the emergency years. As a result, malgonkar omitted many vital facts including Dr. Ambedkar role in minimizing Savarkar’s criminal conviction. This 11th edition of the text contains these omitted facts as well as rare documents, and photographs obtained from National archives. After the four individuals who were convicted for Gandhi’s murder completed their life sentences, they were interviewed by malgonkar. These individuals revealed many details to him which were never known before. The author also received access to the Kapur Commission from his friend Mr. Nayar, who was in the Indian police service. As a result, the men who killed Gandhi is considered the most historically accurate account of Gandhian assassination plot.
353 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1978
89 people are currently reading
1266 people want to read
About the author
Manohar Malgonkar
33 books54 followersManohar Malgonkar was an Indian author in the English language of both fiction and nonfiction.
Malgonkar was born in a royal family, and educated at Bombay University. He was an officer in the Maratha Light Infantry, a big game hunter, a civil servant, a mine owner and a farmer, and he also stood for parliament. Most of that activity was during the build up to Indian independence and its aftermath, often the settings for his works. The socio-historical milieu of those times form the backdrop of his novels, which are usually of action and adventure. He also wrote non-fiction, including biography and history.
Malgonkar lived in a remote bungalow, at some distance from the town of Belgaum, Karnataka. His only child Sunita (educated at the famous Lawrence School Sanawar) died at a young age.
Malgonkar was born in a royal family, and educated at Bombay University. He was an officer in the Maratha Light Infantry, a big game hunter, a civil servant, a mine owner and a farmer, and he also stood for parliament. Most of that activity was during the build up to Indian independence and its aftermath, often the settings for his works. The socio-historical milieu of those times form the backdrop of his novels, which are usually of action and adventure. He also wrote non-fiction, including biography and history.
Malgonkar lived in a remote bungalow, at some distance from the town of Belgaum, Karnataka. His only child Sunita (educated at the famous Lawrence School Sanawar) died at a young age.
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June 24, 2019
Last election season (yes, it is the most important season in India), a strange debate came fore, regarding a person who died 70 odd years ago - Nathuram Godse - the infamous assassin of Mahatma Gandhi. Why it is relevant today, is a different debate that I don't want to get into now, but suddenly I found India divided into two - the ones who thought that Nathuram was "a terrorist" and "a Hindu Terrorist" that too and the others who hailed him as "a true patriot". So who was he? Both? Neither?
20 years ago, when world had only two colours for me - black and white, I did read Nathuram Godse's final statement in court to understand the reasons for his infamous murder. At that time, despite not having too high regard for the Mahatma, but still had considered Godse's daring act as futile and vile.
As I grow older, and the black and the white fuse, and I am confronted with multitude shades of grey, taking a firm stand on anything is becoming increasingly difficult. My regard for Gandhian ideologies have only grown with time, and accepting that one can't be perfect in everything one does, and everyone has darker sides, I still tend to agree with Einstien when he said, Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.
This edition, with additional illustrations of unpublished documents and photographs, of Manohar Malgonkar's originally 1978 published book, describing the events that led to the final assassination of the Mahatma, is not only thorough with the minutest of details, but also brilliantly written and too thrilling to read. You would feel like you are reading a high profile political thriller, and yet, it is all true (Hopefully. I don't think I would vouch for or dismiss the veracity of any of the claims made in the book. Looking at the source materials the author had painstakingly researched and his interviews with the released accomplices after completion of their jail terms, I would presume, most of those are true.) The author's endeavour to provide an unbiased narration without tilting towards or being viciously against anyone, is quite commendable.
This is clearly one of the most riveting historical book on crime and politics I have ever read, and I can't recommend it highly enough.
Now coming back to the original question, of whether Godse was a terrorist or a patriot?
It is without doubt, that Godse and his troop, had strong convictions - about Nationalism, about religious superiority and victim-hood, against then political leadership, against the unjustified appeasement to the rival group. Those who have similar biases, would naturally side with Godse's patriotism.
At the same time, probably it can also be agreed most reasonably that, no matter how justified their reasons are, a group who wants to unleash terror on other religious group and obtain arms and ammunition for it, even if they couldn't bring their plans to reality, is a terror group. A group, in order to assassin a high profile political figure, is ready to bomb the hell out of a gathering, creating mayhem and killing innocent bystanders, even if they backed out at the last moment because of one man's superstition, is still a terror group.
In the hindsight, it is easier to judge history. But, I am sure, taking sensitive political decisions, which stakes millions of lives, in a given circumstance is always difficult. Godse and his ilk, considered Gandhi and Nehru responsible, for the partition of India, hated them for their Muslim appeasement, and decided that Gandhi had to be killed when the Mahatma using his previously successful method of fasting as a tactic to blackmail the political leadership of India, in giving 55 crores to Pakistan as their due, at the time when they are actually in military confrontation with India.
So, is Godse a terrorist or a patriot? Is the question, that black and white? Or is there a shade of grey? Tints can be decided based on personal bias. After all, one man's terrorist is another man's patriot.
20 years ago, when world had only two colours for me - black and white, I did read Nathuram Godse's final statement in court to understand the reasons for his infamous murder. At that time, despite not having too high regard for the Mahatma, but still had considered Godse's daring act as futile and vile.
As I grow older, and the black and the white fuse, and I am confronted with multitude shades of grey, taking a firm stand on anything is becoming increasingly difficult. My regard for Gandhian ideologies have only grown with time, and accepting that one can't be perfect in everything one does, and everyone has darker sides, I still tend to agree with Einstien when he said, Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.
This edition, with additional illustrations of unpublished documents and photographs, of Manohar Malgonkar's originally 1978 published book, describing the events that led to the final assassination of the Mahatma, is not only thorough with the minutest of details, but also brilliantly written and too thrilling to read. You would feel like you are reading a high profile political thriller, and yet, it is all true (Hopefully. I don't think I would vouch for or dismiss the veracity of any of the claims made in the book. Looking at the source materials the author had painstakingly researched and his interviews with the released accomplices after completion of their jail terms, I would presume, most of those are true.) The author's endeavour to provide an unbiased narration without tilting towards or being viciously against anyone, is quite commendable.
This is clearly one of the most riveting historical book on crime and politics I have ever read, and I can't recommend it highly enough.
Now coming back to the original question, of whether Godse was a terrorist or a patriot?
It is without doubt, that Godse and his troop, had strong convictions - about Nationalism, about religious superiority and victim-hood, against then political leadership, against the unjustified appeasement to the rival group. Those who have similar biases, would naturally side with Godse's patriotism.
At the same time, probably it can also be agreed most reasonably that, no matter how justified their reasons are, a group who wants to unleash terror on other religious group and obtain arms and ammunition for it, even if they couldn't bring their plans to reality, is a terror group. A group, in order to assassin a high profile political figure, is ready to bomb the hell out of a gathering, creating mayhem and killing innocent bystanders, even if they backed out at the last moment because of one man's superstition, is still a terror group.
In the hindsight, it is easier to judge history. But, I am sure, taking sensitive political decisions, which stakes millions of lives, in a given circumstance is always difficult. Godse and his ilk, considered Gandhi and Nehru responsible, for the partition of India, hated them for their Muslim appeasement, and decided that Gandhi had to be killed when the Mahatma using his previously successful method of fasting as a tactic to blackmail the political leadership of India, in giving 55 crores to Pakistan as their due, at the time when they are actually in military confrontation with India.
So, is Godse a terrorist or a patriot? Is the question, that black and white? Or is there a shade of grey? Tints can be decided based on personal bias. After all, one man's terrorist is another man's patriot.
February 10, 2025
We all know the man who murdered Gandhi - Nathuram Vinayak Godse, a Hindu fanatic, who saw Gandhi as a Muslim-appeaser and an obstacle in the way of creation of a Hindu Rashtra. Godse is seen as a despicable extremist by secular Indians and as some sort of divine incarnation by Hindu bigots, who sacrificed himself for the greater good of the nation.
This book, originally written in the 1970's when the incident was still relatively fresh in the public psyche, dispels many myths about Mahatma Gandhi's assassination. It was not a solo effort by a lone wolf extremist nutcase. It was a well-planned murder, involving many people across Delhi and Maharshtra - ultimately, of the nine accused, one turned approver (i.e. the King's witness) and was pardoned, three were acquitted, three got life imprisonment and two were executed. None of the conspirators were idealists: some were Hindu fanatics, some were disgruntled refugees from Pakistan, some were pure opportunists and one was an illiterate camp follower. This attempt was, in effect, the second one - there was a botched attempt ten days before, which if successful, would have resulted in the result of hundreds of innocent bystanders: which gives the lie to the fact that Gandhiji was the only target. So much for idealism!
Manohar Malgonkar has chronicled a real-life incident which reads like a thriller. Having interviewed many of the protagonists including the convicts who had come out after finishing their sentences (in India, a life term means a maximum of 20 years), he is able to provide an almost complete picture of Gandhi's murder. From the initial conception by Godse and his close friend Narayan Apte (who also went to the gallows) on the 12th of January 1948; through buildup of the conspiracy involving Godse, Apte, Godse's younger brother Gopal, the successful restaurateur Vishnu Karkare, Madanlal Kahwa (a refugee from Pakistan), the opportunist arms dealer Digambar Badge, and his clueless servant Shankar; to the fatal day of 30th January after a totally botched-up attempt on 20th January, we are treated to almost day-by-day unfolding of a tragedy which was to have far-reaching repercussions for secular India.
My main takeaways from the book:
1. Hindu refugees from Pakistan had a genuine reason to be angry with Gandhiji. While fanatic Muslim mobs were on a Hindu-killing spree in Pakistan (which the authorities did nothing to stop - indeed, it was Jinnah's call to direct action which started off the violence), the Mahatma managed to stop a similar carnage in India by the strongest weapon in his armoury: a fast unto death. Not only that, he succeeded in getting the Indian government to rupees 55 crores (550 million) as partition dues to Pakistan, a country they were officially at war with! A laudable achievement, but obviously not palatable to people who have seen their near and dear ones butchered and raped.
2. The Hindu Mahasabha was actively promoting violence. Not only that, guns and explosives were freely available in a country which had still not cohered into a nation. So literally, anything was possible for a bunch of determined desperadoes.
3. Gandhi's killers were an unprofessional bunch, leaving a trail which a blind man could follow: however, the Indian police force, hampered by petty jealousies, bureaucratic inefficiency and plain laziness, were even more unprofessional. If they had been halfway competent, the murder could have been prevented.
4. The author is of the opinion that Savarkar was framed as a conspirator by the authorities. Going through the evidence he has presented, I must confess that his position is "somewhat equivocal", as Jeeves would say. I find it difficult to believe that the plan conceived by his disciples Godse and Apte was totally unknown to him.
I suggest that all people who have an interest in the history of India should read this book.
This book, originally written in the 1970's when the incident was still relatively fresh in the public psyche, dispels many myths about Mahatma Gandhi's assassination. It was not a solo effort by a lone wolf extremist nutcase. It was a well-planned murder, involving many people across Delhi and Maharshtra - ultimately, of the nine accused, one turned approver (i.e. the King's witness) and was pardoned, three were acquitted, three got life imprisonment and two were executed. None of the conspirators were idealists: some were Hindu fanatics, some were disgruntled refugees from Pakistan, some were pure opportunists and one was an illiterate camp follower. This attempt was, in effect, the second one - there was a botched attempt ten days before, which if successful, would have resulted in the result of hundreds of innocent bystanders: which gives the lie to the fact that Gandhiji was the only target. So much for idealism!
Manohar Malgonkar has chronicled a real-life incident which reads like a thriller. Having interviewed many of the protagonists including the convicts who had come out after finishing their sentences (in India, a life term means a maximum of 20 years), he is able to provide an almost complete picture of Gandhi's murder. From the initial conception by Godse and his close friend Narayan Apte (who also went to the gallows) on the 12th of January 1948; through buildup of the conspiracy involving Godse, Apte, Godse's younger brother Gopal, the successful restaurateur Vishnu Karkare, Madanlal Kahwa (a refugee from Pakistan), the opportunist arms dealer Digambar Badge, and his clueless servant Shankar; to the fatal day of 30th January after a totally botched-up attempt on 20th January, we are treated to almost day-by-day unfolding of a tragedy which was to have far-reaching repercussions for secular India.
My main takeaways from the book:
1. Hindu refugees from Pakistan had a genuine reason to be angry with Gandhiji. While fanatic Muslim mobs were on a Hindu-killing spree in Pakistan (which the authorities did nothing to stop - indeed, it was Jinnah's call to direct action which started off the violence), the Mahatma managed to stop a similar carnage in India by the strongest weapon in his armoury: a fast unto death. Not only that, he succeeded in getting the Indian government to rupees 55 crores (550 million) as partition dues to Pakistan, a country they were officially at war with! A laudable achievement, but obviously not palatable to people who have seen their near and dear ones butchered and raped.
2. The Hindu Mahasabha was actively promoting violence. Not only that, guns and explosives were freely available in a country which had still not cohered into a nation. So literally, anything was possible for a bunch of determined desperadoes.
3. Gandhi's killers were an unprofessional bunch, leaving a trail which a blind man could follow: however, the Indian police force, hampered by petty jealousies, bureaucratic inefficiency and plain laziness, were even more unprofessional. If they had been halfway competent, the murder could have been prevented.
4. The author is of the opinion that Savarkar was framed as a conspirator by the authorities. Going through the evidence he has presented, I must confess that his position is "somewhat equivocal", as Jeeves would say. I find it difficult to believe that the plan conceived by his disciples Godse and Apte was totally unknown to him.
I suggest that all people who have an interest in the history of India should read this book.
March 27, 2012
Wow! WoW! and a WOW!
This is not about Gandhi, Nor about Godse. It's about the unfortunate set of circumstances that a nation like India was forced into. No one is guilt free, here. An amazingly transparent and incredibly unbiased account of historical events that shook India and shocked world, this is a MUST READ! More than that, it's a MUST-HAVE book for its unpublished documents and manuscripts and soul-shattering photographs.
Highly recommended for anyone!
This is not about Gandhi, Nor about Godse. It's about the unfortunate set of circumstances that a nation like India was forced into. No one is guilt free, here. An amazingly transparent and incredibly unbiased account of historical events that shook India and shocked world, this is a MUST READ! More than that, it's a MUST-HAVE book for its unpublished documents and manuscripts and soul-shattering photographs.
Highly recommended for anyone!
May 25, 2013
A thrilling and insightful read especially for those like me who's knowledge of history is limited to prescribed school textbooks. Manohar Malgonkar has done a brilliant job of objectively presenting the other side of the story; chronologically listing facts, events, intentions behind Gandhiji's murder. His interviews with the conspirators are shockingly revealing of some of the sentiments prevalent in the country leading up to independence, partition and after it. His account of the tragedy reduces some of the saintliness that surrounds the Mahatma and shows him, in his later years, to be a man detached from the realities of what was taking place in the country then. Although, I do not condone his murder this book has me conflicted on whether Godse and his partners deserved all the vilification that has been heaped on them over the years without regard for the socio-political conditions that propelled them into drastic action. As mentioned, I am grateful to have had my mind opened up to the possibility that another side of the story exists.
June 20, 2015
A spine chilling and extremely detailed account of Gandhi's assassination and I am glad I read this book.
With rare documents and descriptions, this book is an insider's account of what all had happened in those turbulent years which caused a group of common men to successfully plot the murder of India's most revered man.
P.S. Don't forget to read Godse's statement in the court which is published as it is at the end of the book, titled as 'CLIMAX OF ANTI NATIONAL APPEASEMENT'
With rare documents and descriptions, this book is an insider's account of what all had happened in those turbulent years which caused a group of common men to successfully plot the murder of India's most revered man.
P.S. Don't forget to read Godse's statement in the court which is published as it is at the end of the book, titled as 'CLIMAX OF ANTI NATIONAL APPEASEMENT'
October 1, 2012
Though the book don't goes in detail assessment of assassination was bad or evil but it give clear chronological view of events happened before assassination .The facts which most of our bubble gum generation don't know or long forgotten.
In my opinion a must read.....
In my opinion a must read.....
August 18, 2012
I'm a Malgonkar fan. 'gandhi' kept me engrossed. The research that he must have done to write this book esp such a sensitive topic in those days...is mind boggling. My curiosity was aroused enough to make me watch the marathi movie ' mee nathuram godse boltoy' dispassionately!
September 15, 2020
A very detailed, insightful and chronological explanation of the Gandhi murder. Also in it is the evidence as to why Savarkar wasn't the one who conspired for the murder. A must read book.
May 27, 2012
a neutral account of an event that shook the World.
May 24, 2020
ಭಾರತದ ಇತಿಹಾಸದಲ್ಲಿ ಮೂಡಿದ ಕೆಲವು ಮುಖ್ಯ ಕಪ್ಪುಚುಕ್ಕೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ 30 ಜನವರಿ 1948 ರಂದು ನಡೆದ "ಗಾಂಧೀಜಿರವರ ಹತ್ಯೆ" ಒಂದು.. ಗಾಂಧೀಜಿರವರ ಮತೀಯ ಸೌಹಾರ್ದತೆ ಕಾಪಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವಲ್ಲಿ ತಗೆದುಕೊಂಡ ಕೆಲವು ನಿರ್ಧಾರಗಳು ಕೆಲವರಿಗೆ ಅತಿರೇಕ ಅನಿಸುತ್ತದೆ...ಅವರಲ್ಲಿ ಮುಖ್ಯರು ಹಿಂದೂ ಮಹಾಸಭಾದ ಕಾರ್ಯದರ್ಶಿಗಳು, ಇದರ ವಿರುದ್ಧ ತಿರುಗಿ ಬೀಳಲು ಗಾಂಧಿರವರ ಹತ್ಯೆಯೊಂದೇ ಉತ್ತರ ಎಂದು ತೀರ್ಮಾನಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ, ಒಂದು ತಂಡ ಸಿದ್ಧವ��ಗುತ್ತದೆ ಅದುವೇ
1.ನಾತುರಾಮ್ ಗೋಡ್ಸೆ
2. ನಾರಾಯಣ್ ಆಪ್ಟೆ
3. ವಿಷ್ಣು ಕರ್ಕರೆ
4. ಮದನ್ ಲಾಲ್ ಪಾಹ್ವಾ
5. ದಿಗಂಬರ್ ಬಡ್ಗೆ
6. ಶಂಕರ್ ಕಿಷ್ಟಯ್ಯ
7. ಗೋಪಾಲ್ ಗೋಡ್ಸೆ
ಇವರೆಲ್ಲರ ಇತಿಹಾಸ, ಭೇಟಿಯಾದ ಸಂದರ್ಭ, ಇವರ ತಾತ್ವಿಕ ನಿಲುವುಗಳು ಇವರ ದಿನಚರಿಗಳು ಅದ್ಭುತವಾಗಿ ಕಟ್ಟಿಕೊಟ್ಟಿದ್ದಾರೆ ಲೇಖಕರು.
ಇದು ಕೇವಲ ಗಾಂಧೀಜಿರವರ ಹತ್ಯೆ ಅಥವಾ ಗೋಡ್ಸೆ ಗುಂಪಿನ ದಾರಿ ತಪ್ಪಿದ ದೇಶಭಕ್ತಿಯ ರೂಪುರೇಷಗಳಲ್ಲ, ಇದು ಭಾರತ ಸ್ವಾತಂತ್ರ್ಯದ ನಂತರ ಎದುರಿಸಿದ ಕೋಟಲೆಗಳ ಚಿತ್ರಣ ಸಹ...
ಇದರ ಆಂಗ್ಲ ಭಾಷೆ ಕಬ್ಬಿಣದ ಕಡಲೆ..ಇದೆ ಪುಸ್ತಕವನ್ನು ರವಿ ಬೆಳಗೆರೆ ಕನ್ನಡಕ್ಕೆ "ಅವನೊಬ್ಬನಿದ್ದ ಗೋಡ್ಸೆ" ಎಂಬ ಹೆಸರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಅನುವಾದಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ...ಭಾರತದ ಇತಿಹಾಸ ಆಸಕ್ತರು ಒಮ್ಮೆ ಖಂಡಿತವಾಗಿ ಓದಲೇ ಬೇಕಾದ ಕೃತಿ...
1.ನಾತುರಾಮ್ ಗೋಡ್ಸೆ
2. ನಾರಾಯಣ್ ಆಪ್ಟೆ
3. ವಿಷ್ಣು ಕರ್ಕರೆ
4. ಮದನ್ ಲಾಲ್ ಪಾಹ್ವಾ
5. ದಿಗಂಬರ್ ಬಡ್ಗೆ
6. ಶಂಕರ್ ಕಿಷ್ಟಯ್ಯ
7. ಗೋಪಾಲ್ ಗೋಡ್ಸೆ
ಇವರೆಲ್ಲರ ಇತಿಹಾಸ, ಭೇಟಿಯಾದ ಸಂದರ್ಭ, ಇವರ ತಾತ್ವಿಕ ನಿಲುವುಗಳು ಇವರ ದಿನಚರಿಗಳು ಅದ್ಭುತವಾಗಿ ಕಟ್ಟಿಕೊಟ್ಟಿದ್ದಾರೆ ಲೇಖಕರು.
ಇದು ಕೇವಲ ಗಾಂಧೀಜಿರವರ ಹತ್ಯೆ ಅಥವಾ ಗೋಡ್ಸೆ ಗುಂಪಿನ ದಾರಿ ತಪ್ಪಿದ ದೇಶಭಕ್ತಿಯ ರೂಪುರೇಷಗಳಲ್ಲ, ಇದು ಭಾರತ ಸ್ವಾತಂತ್ರ್ಯದ ನಂತರ ಎದುರಿಸಿದ ಕೋಟಲೆಗಳ ಚಿತ್ರಣ ಸಹ...
ಇದರ ಆಂಗ್ಲ ಭಾಷೆ ಕಬ್ಬಿಣದ ಕಡಲೆ..ಇದೆ ಪುಸ್ತಕವನ್ನು ರವಿ ಬೆಳಗೆರೆ ಕನ್ನಡಕ್ಕೆ "ಅವನೊಬ್ಬನಿದ್ದ ಗೋಡ್ಸೆ" ಎಂಬ ಹೆಸರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಅನುವಾದಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ...ಭಾರತದ ಇತಿಹಾಸ ಆಸಕ್ತರು ಒಮ್ಮೆ ಖಂಡಿತವಾಗಿ ಓದಲೇ ಬೇಕಾದ ಕೃತಿ...
August 18, 2013
Superb book.
Explains te state of mind and thought process of those men very clearly. I do not want to make judgement on if they did right or the wrong thing, but the way the mind set of those men is pit down is thought provoking.
Good facts covered and the one thing I liked is that they never provided any judgement of thier own, they just provided their perspective of India at that moment and what they thought is correct.
Explains te state of mind and thought process of those men very clearly. I do not want to make judgement on if they did right or the wrong thing, but the way the mind set of those men is pit down is thought provoking.
Good facts covered and the one thing I liked is that they never provided any judgement of thier own, they just provided their perspective of India at that moment and what they thought is correct.
October 16, 2013
Excellent book which provides the insight on plot and execution of the MK.Gandhi.
Every time the author mentions the name of great 'veer sarvarkar', he follows it up with a justification on why he shouldn't be linked with the murder plot.
Every time the author mentions the name of great 'veer sarvarkar', he follows it up with a justification on why he shouldn't be linked with the murder plot.
March 11, 2013
A very good account of the emotions that flowed with partition and men who lost it all...
October 2, 2019
Eye opening facts in the book
January 13, 2016
There are zillions of books on Mahatma Gandhi, tomes that deal with his politics, his philosophy, his years as an anglicized lawyer in South Africa, his dawning political consciousness, his move to India, his genius, his austerity, his impact on Indian polity and anti-colonialism, his experiments with, well, truth and other things. There are volumes that record and analyze threadbare, no doubt with some reverence, every facet of his life and work. Yet the number of books on his assassin can be counted on two hands. Having being blitzed about the Mahatma aspect of Gandhi more than about his politics all through school, I was only now, after over two decades, ready to read up on the man who was Gandhi, the state of the country at that time, and the reason why he was killed. I began with Manohar Malgonkar’s The Men Who Killed Gandhi.
Gandhi’s death is not generally talked about in India except that he was martyred by a fundamentalist assassin. As Malgonkar’s book reveals, it’s a decision taken by Nehru when Nathuram Godse’s speech during his trial defending his crime allegedly left many teary eyed in the court room. Nehru, fearing Godse would be deified and Gandhi demonized, banned the speech from getting published. Perhaps in the same vein, research into Godse was discouraged. With the result, we are no closer to understanding Godse or his thinking than we were in 1948.
Manohar Malgonkar’s The Men Who Killed Gandhi, first published in 1975 and updated for a reprint in 2008, tries to correct that information gap and succeeds somewhat. Malgonkar was a journalist based in Delhi during the assassination and subsequent trial and sentencing of Godse and fellow conspirators and presumably had a ringside view of the events. His Marathi background also seems to have helped him in his interviews with the accused and gather some important source materials from their families, including the personal papers of Nathuram. Perhaps the primary problem, as he himself says, was the vagueness of their memories. That vagueness sometimes percolates into the narrative. For a book touted to read like a “thriller”, I often had to stop and re-read earlier pages to figure out who the author was talking about and when. The blurring between past and present was confusing. And the fact that the book was dealing with the lives of the “men” who killed him, rather than just the “man” who actually pulled the trigger meant that precision and depth were sacrificed for a broadbrush reportage.
The author himself was well aware of the imprecise nature of his work, which was “based on other people’s memories of events that had taken place more than twenty years earlier.” He also acknowledges the possibility that they might be lying on occasion and tries to sift truth from falsehood. But we as readers are not given much of an insight into how he made those judgement calls.
The book is also not that exhaustively indexed or sources made absolutely clear. Perhaps one should not attempt to read Malgonkar’s book as I did – as a piece of well-researched history. Rather, consider it a piece of opinion infused journalism, using other people’s narratives to construct a story of a murder. It’s hugely subjective, especially in its downplaying of Savarkar’s role in the assassination without offering adequate proof of his innocence. The circumstantial evidence was pretty damning, but police ineptitude and haphazard investigation process ensured that some lines of evidence were never properly followed through. Malgonkar acknowledges those damning circumstances, yet appears to bend over backwards in exonerating Savarkar. I was not completely convinced that Savarkar had no role in Gandhi’s assassination.
The book is about the murder, focussing on the last year or so of the assassination. As a result, the childhood and youth of these men are touched upon only briefly.
In the end, it was a quick and easy read. While I got an overview of the events that led to the assassination, there were still huge gaps in my understanding of the kind of man Nathuram was, leave alone the other players.
In the end, Nathuram remains as much of a mystery as ever.
Gandhi’s death is not generally talked about in India except that he was martyred by a fundamentalist assassin. As Malgonkar’s book reveals, it’s a decision taken by Nehru when Nathuram Godse’s speech during his trial defending his crime allegedly left many teary eyed in the court room. Nehru, fearing Godse would be deified and Gandhi demonized, banned the speech from getting published. Perhaps in the same vein, research into Godse was discouraged. With the result, we are no closer to understanding Godse or his thinking than we were in 1948.
Manohar Malgonkar’s The Men Who Killed Gandhi, first published in 1975 and updated for a reprint in 2008, tries to correct that information gap and succeeds somewhat. Malgonkar was a journalist based in Delhi during the assassination and subsequent trial and sentencing of Godse and fellow conspirators and presumably had a ringside view of the events. His Marathi background also seems to have helped him in his interviews with the accused and gather some important source materials from their families, including the personal papers of Nathuram. Perhaps the primary problem, as he himself says, was the vagueness of their memories. That vagueness sometimes percolates into the narrative. For a book touted to read like a “thriller”, I often had to stop and re-read earlier pages to figure out who the author was talking about and when. The blurring between past and present was confusing. And the fact that the book was dealing with the lives of the “men” who killed him, rather than just the “man” who actually pulled the trigger meant that precision and depth were sacrificed for a broadbrush reportage.
The author himself was well aware of the imprecise nature of his work, which was “based on other people’s memories of events that had taken place more than twenty years earlier.” He also acknowledges the possibility that they might be lying on occasion and tries to sift truth from falsehood. But we as readers are not given much of an insight into how he made those judgement calls.
The book is also not that exhaustively indexed or sources made absolutely clear. Perhaps one should not attempt to read Malgonkar’s book as I did – as a piece of well-researched history. Rather, consider it a piece of opinion infused journalism, using other people’s narratives to construct a story of a murder. It’s hugely subjective, especially in its downplaying of Savarkar’s role in the assassination without offering adequate proof of his innocence. The circumstantial evidence was pretty damning, but police ineptitude and haphazard investigation process ensured that some lines of evidence were never properly followed through. Malgonkar acknowledges those damning circumstances, yet appears to bend over backwards in exonerating Savarkar. I was not completely convinced that Savarkar had no role in Gandhi’s assassination.
The book is about the murder, focussing on the last year or so of the assassination. As a result, the childhood and youth of these men are touched upon only briefly.
In the end, it was a quick and easy read. While I got an overview of the events that led to the assassination, there were still huge gaps in my understanding of the kind of man Nathuram was, leave alone the other players.
In the end, Nathuram remains as much of a mystery as ever.
Read
August 22, 2025I should’ve started with this before going through all those fictional and non-fictional works on the same subject. It puts things in order, if not entirely in place.
August 11, 2013
First of all, Hats off to the author!
Story is skillfully written without wasting a word, all events in proper chronological order, without casting much of shadow or light on the characters.I am impressed!
This is A story of "killers", who were revered though not as widely as their victim, but definitely deeply by their own brethren.A story of an aftermath of Independence, friendship, sacrifice, patriotism, communal riots after Partition;one sordid chapter in history of India!
A great conspiracy to murder the saint whose perverse actions resulted on martyring thousands of people in a grand gesture of idealism (?).A man who went on a fast to persuade Congress leaders to hand over Rs.55 crores to the country,which was at war with his own country. Nehru and Patel knew that the money was only to be used to aid further violence in Kashmir but alas, they were not the ones on a fast!! Was it really the rightful share of patrimony?? given the situation both the nations were facing??
Also by agreeing to Gandhiji's morally right but dangerously unwise demand at given time, Government had proved that his life was more important than millions of refugees of Partition.
The abstracts from Nathuram Godse's speech when he spoke about the motives that had led him to kill Mahatma made me wonder whether our great leaders were really that great or in simple words hypocrites,over-credited ones hidden under the mask of idealism and hidden desire to be loved and followed??
As Mark Twain has said "Too much of anything is bad", was it proved right in case of M.Gandhi?? Had too much of idealism,too much of favouritism and a need to adhere to his morales despite of the circumstances cost him his life??
Whether you want to read this book or not,you should read Nathuram Godse's last speech.It covers it all I guess!
https://www.facebook.com/notes/lovy-b...
Story is skillfully written without wasting a word, all events in proper chronological order, without casting much of shadow or light on the characters.I am impressed!
This is A story of "killers", who were revered though not as widely as their victim, but definitely deeply by their own brethren.A story of an aftermath of Independence, friendship, sacrifice, patriotism, communal riots after Partition;one sordid chapter in history of India!
A great conspiracy to murder the saint whose perverse actions resulted on martyring thousands of people in a grand gesture of idealism (?).A man who went on a fast to persuade Congress leaders to hand over Rs.55 crores to the country,which was at war with his own country. Nehru and Patel knew that the money was only to be used to aid further violence in Kashmir but alas, they were not the ones on a fast!! Was it really the rightful share of patrimony?? given the situation both the nations were facing??
Also by agreeing to Gandhiji's morally right but dangerously unwise demand at given time, Government had proved that his life was more important than millions of refugees of Partition.
The abstracts from Nathuram Godse's speech when he spoke about the motives that had led him to kill Mahatma made me wonder whether our great leaders were really that great or in simple words hypocrites,over-credited ones hidden under the mask of idealism and hidden desire to be loved and followed??
As Mark Twain has said "Too much of anything is bad", was it proved right in case of M.Gandhi?? Had too much of idealism,too much of favouritism and a need to adhere to his morales despite of the circumstances cost him his life??
Whether you want to read this book or not,you should read Nathuram Godse's last speech.It covers it all I guess!
https://www.facebook.com/notes/lovy-b...
March 9, 2015
Masterpiece of a book, well researched, well crafted. Unputable down and engrossing. Easy reading and heavy reading at the same time, depending on your take..........A small opinion on the book:Each man to his own convictions. Gandhi paid for his inflexibility and short-sightedness (for which both countries are suffering even now after 60 years). Nathuram Godse paid for his adventure but an adventure in vain it was not.The times were confused, chaotic, hysterical, frenzied and frankly even fanatical. Points of view were sharp, definitive and immovable. There were no heroes nor villains; each was both a passionate hero and a fanatical villain at the same time, in their own obsessions. In this environment came the dreadful Partition, the Hindu-Muslim massacres and Gandhi and Godse. Both paid dearly for their manias. If Gandhi was not a political leader, Godse's deed would surely have been an act of great valour. If there was a declared war, Godse's feat would surely have been hailed him a hero. He was not an assassin who ran away like most cowards do. Instead after the killing he stood his ground and gave himself up. A man of conviction. A man of character. A man who deserved different........even if his belief was contrary to a commandment of God, equally as much as Gandhi's stubbornness resulted in the death of humanity.
January 20, 2018
Good piece of work by the author, detailed description of conspiracy, day of execution, pictures and other useful documents makes this book a treat to anyone wants to dig into history. Got to know Nathuram's side of story and able to connect with him. One thing is clear that both Gandhi and Nathuram were right in their ways. Gandhi on the one hand was a pious man who devoted his life to his countrymen whereas Nathuram was a Hindu that was unable to see the sufferings of his Hindu brothers post partition. Gandhi's all moves were somehow being favorable to Muslims and his influence on Government was too much than a democratic country should have. His point was to not do violence with Muslim brothers which was right, but he didn't also provide relief to Hindu refugees who lost their everything in Pakistan. They were hungry, homeless, full of vengeance. Violence is not the solution but what government was doing for refugees, they were like stray dogs in those days. So due to Gandhi's influence on Government and people, Nathuram had to do this crime in order to provide some relief to Hindus. Sometimes too much of anything becomes too bad for society. Non-violence attitude of Gandhi had become too much to bear anymore.
August 26, 2014
I don't frequently write book reviews but when I do, I make sure that the book is worth it. And this book! man , Oh! This book, is it not worth it?
First of all, Big big cheers to the author. If only history books had been like this, I would've aced my tests beyond distinction. This book is not the kind that might set you madly in love with Godse or Gandhi.It won't.
Nope.
I have read this book and I respect Gandhi even more. I have read this book and I don't label Godse as a martyr nor as an assassin.
I see them as two persons caught in their own web of extreme philosophies. One too good, another not too bad but both of them rigid as a concrete wall.
Rigid is not good. Not good at all.
It's a story that is true and interesting at the same time.
The best part of this book is it's neutrality. This book doesn't try to tell you wrongs and rights, it tries to ( and eventually succeeds to) provide you with an ultimate thrilling experience, something only fortunate non fictions are able to do.
Manohar Malgonkar, you were a genius.
That all being said, how did I find this book?
Pretty pretty good.
First of all, Big big cheers to the author. If only history books had been like this, I would've aced my tests beyond distinction. This book is not the kind that might set you madly in love with Godse or Gandhi.It won't.
Nope.
I have read this book and I respect Gandhi even more. I have read this book and I don't label Godse as a martyr nor as an assassin.
I see them as two persons caught in their own web of extreme philosophies. One too good, another not too bad but both of them rigid as a concrete wall.
Rigid is not good. Not good at all.
It's a story that is true and interesting at the same time.
The best part of this book is it's neutrality. This book doesn't try to tell you wrongs and rights, it tries to ( and eventually succeeds to) provide you with an ultimate thrilling experience, something only fortunate non fictions are able to do.
Manohar Malgonkar, you were a genius.
That all being said, how did I find this book?
Pretty pretty good.
August 5, 2016
Buried deep in Indian history is a story that is rarely told... well, rarely told properly. Manohar Malgonkar's meticulously researched "The Men Who Killed Gandhi" is a biography of the consortium of men that claimed Gandhi's life and is thus, one of the key missing bridges in India's history.
If you read school (or perhaps even college?) history textbooks alone, where Gandhi's assassination is passed off as a simple statement, you would believe Godse and his fellows to be a band of maniacs. Or alternately, to believe that Gandhi died simply because he was killed by Godse. Reading the book just makes you wonder just how many more such incredible stories are our history textbooks hiding.
The book reads like a taut thriller but what floored me about the book were the photographs of the men, the places in the story, the receipts of train and air tickets (costing all of hundred rupees from one end of the country to the other!), the police records, etc.
Highly recommended.
If you read school (or perhaps even college?) history textbooks alone, where Gandhi's assassination is passed off as a simple statement, you would believe Godse and his fellows to be a band of maniacs. Or alternately, to believe that Gandhi died simply because he was killed by Godse. Reading the book just makes you wonder just how many more such incredible stories are our history textbooks hiding.
The book reads like a taut thriller but what floored me about the book were the photographs of the men, the places in the story, the receipts of train and air tickets (costing all of hundred rupees from one end of the country to the other!), the police records, etc.
Highly recommended.
September 24, 2014
A different perspective to Mahatma's Principles.
How the new Indian Government accepted Mahatma's terms whenever he opted for Dharna.
How the illusion of Peace was created to make him happy.
5 to 10 different people. Their views. Nathuram, Apte, Sarvakar, Madanlal, Karkare, etc.,
The one that really made an impact is Karkare. He started as a nothing from childhood, without any parents or support. He grew to build a small hotel. He fed the refugees (..to be precise, Hindus..) from Pakistan around 25000 meals even before the Government even planned to feed them.
I don't want to further spoil the plot. Read it to get your view on Indian Independence reviewed.
It will give you a better perspective of today's politics.. like how it all began!
How the new Indian Government accepted Mahatma's terms whenever he opted for Dharna.
How the illusion of Peace was created to make him happy.
5 to 10 different people. Their views. Nathuram, Apte, Sarvakar, Madanlal, Karkare, etc.,
The one that really made an impact is Karkare. He started as a nothing from childhood, without any parents or support. He grew to build a small hotel. He fed the refugees (..to be precise, Hindus..) from Pakistan around 25000 meals even before the Government even planned to feed them.
I don't want to further spoil the plot. Read it to get your view on Indian Independence reviewed.
It will give you a better perspective of today's politics.. like how it all began!
April 3, 2016
An amazing account of how the assassination conspired, and how the assassins had no doubt that 'the Father of the Nation' had well gone past the days when his 'fasting and non-violence ways' could do any good to the nation; and how it was breeding hatred and dissatisfaction instead.
The account on how Godse was sure of a service he was doing to the nation by ensuring that 'Gandhi did not meet natural death', and the fact that this epic has had no place for itself in the history books in the Indian school curriculum is a startling revelation of how little and lopsided history we have actually read in school.
Manohar Malgonkar, one of the best books that I have ever read, comes from you...
The account on how Godse was sure of a service he was doing to the nation by ensuring that 'Gandhi did not meet natural death', and the fact that this epic has had no place for itself in the history books in the Indian school curriculum is a startling revelation of how little and lopsided history we have actually read in school.
Manohar Malgonkar, one of the best books that I have ever read, comes from you...
September 3, 2014
An up-close account of the men who killed Gandhi, reads like a fast paced thriller with minute details of what these men were up to and what was running in their minds just days before killing Gandhi. Its chilling and also one is amazed at how such an amateurish planning finally ended up successfully for them! The idealism, the values, the strong opinions, the torn lives due to Partition - it all comes alive in the book. A must read for someone who wants to understand about what lead to Gandhi's violent death.
January 3, 2015
Reads like a faced paced thriller ...a blow by blow account of events leading upto Gandhi's assassination with detailed profiles of the men involved , their personalities , motivations and quirks ...contains detailed notes from the police files rare pictures , case notes ,entries in Nathuram's diaries. Also gives a good historical view of the events of the time. A page turner ...Highly recommended
February 25, 2015
A very good book which gives an account of the events that transpired leading
to the killing of Mahatma Gandhi. It also throws light on the personal lives of the
people involved in the conspiracy Nathuram Godse, N.D.Apte, Vishnu Karkare, Madanlal Pahwa,
the poor and helpless Shankar Kistayya and the approver Digambar Badge. You cannot help but wonder
how a common cause can unite very very different people and make them into good friends.
to the killing of Mahatma Gandhi. It also throws light on the personal lives of the
people involved in the conspiracy Nathuram Godse, N.D.Apte, Vishnu Karkare, Madanlal Pahwa,
the poor and helpless Shankar Kistayya and the approver Digambar Badge. You cannot help but wonder
how a common cause can unite very very different people and make them into good friends.
March 6, 2015
Gandhi fan or not gandhi fan. Read this book, which is as good as any thriller movie with so many facts that you might not know until.
Lot of perception breaker as this book would give you insight of the killer, his intention, his naive planning to kill & so much of other shocking details about who and what all things could have averted this killing.
Must read for those who seek to know about Indian History.
Lot of perception breaker as this book would give you insight of the killer, his intention, his naive planning to kill & so much of other shocking details about who and what all things could have averted this killing.
Must read for those who seek to know about Indian History.
March 2, 2017
The book not only refreshes your perspective on the events of 30th January, but throws light on the other side of the story. A very well researched presentation of a very controversial topic, the author does not opine on the events but presents them in a fast paced manner. Though not a thriller but certainly compels you to think on the other side of the coin and make your own judgement. A good read!!!
February 26, 2018
A wonderful, neat and detailed book - all the meticulous care taken while writing this book shows it! The personal lives of the people involved in the killing, the cause and motive, how they planned to execute, etc., was so perfectly explained. No diversions, a nail on the head kind of book! Original pictures of people, place and court copies are added plus. Throws more light on the guy who this Nation hates more than anything even after all these years!
May 14, 2015
A book which can enlighten your knowledge behind Gandhiji's murder. Narrated all the facts like a story..
Cant believe that the act was planned on 13th Jan & executed on 30th Jan... !!!
Only thing is that some of the docs & most of the pictures in the book are misplaced not following the line of narration.
i would recommend as a must read !!!
Cant believe that the act was planned on 13th Jan & executed on 30th Jan... !!!
Only thing is that some of the docs & most of the pictures in the book are misplaced not following the line of narration.
i would recommend as a must read !!!
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