What do you think?
Rate this book
The Secret Diary of Kasturba
He is the Mahatma, a man the world venerates as a prophet of peace. But for Kastur, the child bride who married the boy next door, Mohandas was a sexually-driven, self-righteous, and overbearing husband.
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was sworn to poverty, celibacy and the cause for India’s freedom; Kastur spent sixty-two years of her life, juggling the roles of a devoted wife, a satyagrahi and sacrificing mother, who was eclipsed because of a man who almost became God for India’s multitude. Gandhi was an intolerant father to Harilal, his wayward son, driven to debauchery; Kasturba paid the price for her son’s unending misery.
Kastur is long dead, but she lives on in the pages of her diary…. Renowned author Neelima Dalmia Adhar lays it bare to tell the world what it meant to be Kasturba Gandhi, wife of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi - in a gripping tale of unconditional love, passion, sex, ecstasy and the ultimate liberation that every woman seeks.
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was sworn to poverty, celibacy and the cause for India’s freedom; Kastur spent sixty-two years of her life, juggling the roles of a devoted wife, a satyagrahi and sacrificing mother, who was eclipsed because of a man who almost became God for India’s multitude. Gandhi was an intolerant father to Harilal, his wayward son, driven to debauchery; Kasturba paid the price for her son’s unending misery.
Kastur is long dead, but she lives on in the pages of her diary…. Renowned author Neelima Dalmia Adhar lays it bare to tell the world what it meant to be Kasturba Gandhi, wife of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi - in a gripping tale of unconditional love, passion, sex, ecstasy and the ultimate liberation that every woman seeks.
406 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2016
141 people are currently reading
512 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
June 14, 2019
DNF at 40 pages
Gandhi was a mass of contradictions. Hailed all over the world as the prophet of peace and the undisputed leader of India's non-violent freedom struggle, there is also enough evidence to prove that the man was an unabashed racist, a casteist (though he abhorred untouchability), and a man with strange sexual predilections. (The funny thing is that he was quite open about most of these.)
There is also no doubt that he treated his wife Kasturba abominably. So when I picked up this novel, I had high hopes that the author had put in efforts to see Gandhi through her eyes. She is largely silent in history, and it would have been great to have her perspective - even if fictional.
Well, I was disappointed.
My main complaints:
1) This is just the history of the Gandhi family narrated by Kasturba - which means, of course, the author. There is precious little of the personality of Kasturba in it.
2) The writing is terribly juvenile - like a schoolchild's attempt at composition.
Dropping this one at 40 pages. Maybe it improves later on - but I lack the patience.
Gandhi was a mass of contradictions. Hailed all over the world as the prophet of peace and the undisputed leader of India's non-violent freedom struggle, there is also enough evidence to prove that the man was an unabashed racist, a casteist (though he abhorred untouchability), and a man with strange sexual predilections. (The funny thing is that he was quite open about most of these.)
There is also no doubt that he treated his wife Kasturba abominably. So when I picked up this novel, I had high hopes that the author had put in efforts to see Gandhi through her eyes. She is largely silent in history, and it would have been great to have her perspective - even if fictional.
Well, I was disappointed.
My main complaints:
1) This is just the history of the Gandhi family narrated by Kasturba - which means, of course, the author. There is precious little of the personality of Kasturba in it.
2) The writing is terribly juvenile - like a schoolchild's attempt at composition.
Dropping this one at 40 pages. Maybe it improves later on - but I lack the patience.
October 12, 2016
If Kasturba Gandhi ever had a voice, then she would have shared her story via Neelima Dalmia Adhar's The Secret Diary of Kasturba. Revolving around the life of a woman who was always eclipsed by her husband, the great Mahatma Gandhi, Neelima has now given a voice to the less known first lady of our nation via this brilliant historical fiction book.
22nd February 1944. In a near death stupor, Kasturba Gandhi can listen to her son Harilal and her husband, Mohandas Karam Chand Gandhi debating whether to give her penicillin to ease her pain or to wait for her to just simply wither away. He says, 'I'd rather she dies..let nature takes it course'. And this is one of the many revelations about Gandhi, his nature and his stringent belief system that charted the life of Kasturba Gandhi.
In 1869, Kasturba Kapadia was born in Kathiawar, and six months after her, Mohandas Gandhi. Both got married at the age of thirteen, keeping their vows until the end. But in between vows and transition of ideas for Gandhi, Kasturba's life is slowly turning into a mess. A mess so deep that at one point, she starts liking it and starts following it blindly. The carnal desires of Mohandas and his sexual experiments, the baseless allegations of Kasturba being involved with someone else. The insecurities and continuous hounding, and the stringent lessons for development of her personality left her exhausted at times. Kasturba tries to remind Mohandas about his duties towards his family who gave up everything for his fancy barrister degree, but he doesn't budge from his behavior.
A day comes when Mohandas's destiny calls him to South Africa. The air of South Africa is full of atrocities towards the Indian community, and Mohandas finds a cause to fight for. But in this fight, he starts neglecting Kasturba and his kids. The time to time changing rules of Gandhi belief system leaves her broken inside. One of the rules was the Oath of Celibacy that Gandhi took without even discussing with Kasturba. And that was the day she got to know that Mohandas is not for her, he is there for a bigger cause, bigger than his domestic life.
Mohandas even curbed the education of his children, one of the biggest reasons why his eldest son Harilal parted ways from his beloved Bapu. He believed in developing personality via household chores and getting involved in regular official work. Kasturba was disturbed by the plight of her kids. She debated, pleaded and even showed her anger towards Gandhi for ruining a regular childhood that their kids deserved. But in the end, she gave up. In a very startling letter to a friend, Gandhi shares
''I don't know what evil resides in me. I have a streak of cruelty in me that compels people to attempt the impossible in order to please me''.
The Secret Diary of Kasturba is a book that will leave you in shock. I have always considered Gandhi as a peaceful leader, who with the power of his conviction and dedication towards the cause of India, got us independence from the claws of Britishers. But then, this book shares a completely different side of him through his wife's perspective. And many shocking revelations come in sight! From his carnal desires after marriage to his vows that left Kasturba and her kids broken, Kasturba was the thread that kept the lineage and family alive. She multitasked between being a devoted wife, Satyagrahi and a mother. And this multitasking, in the end, proved too much for her, when she sees that her husband's devotion towards nation is driving their kids away.
The incredible amount of research Neelima might have done for this book reflects in the way she has written it. She has written the novel keeping in mind the women of 21st century. Imagine the life Kasturba lived and try and apply it to your current life. Wouldn't you react the same way? A repulsive, broken soul and torn between husband and kids? This brilliant concept has now made me aware the hardships of a lady that walked behind Gandhi all the time, never complaining, never stopping.
Kasturba was eclipsed because of a man who devoted his life to his country and never anyone gave a voice to this powerful woman. And that is one of the biggest reasons why The Secret Diary of Kasturba is a tremendous read for everyone. It is a book that you simply cannot miss!
22nd February 1944. In a near death stupor, Kasturba Gandhi can listen to her son Harilal and her husband, Mohandas Karam Chand Gandhi debating whether to give her penicillin to ease her pain or to wait for her to just simply wither away. He says, 'I'd rather she dies..let nature takes it course'. And this is one of the many revelations about Gandhi, his nature and his stringent belief system that charted the life of Kasturba Gandhi.
In 1869, Kasturba Kapadia was born in Kathiawar, and six months after her, Mohandas Gandhi. Both got married at the age of thirteen, keeping their vows until the end. But in between vows and transition of ideas for Gandhi, Kasturba's life is slowly turning into a mess. A mess so deep that at one point, she starts liking it and starts following it blindly. The carnal desires of Mohandas and his sexual experiments, the baseless allegations of Kasturba being involved with someone else. The insecurities and continuous hounding, and the stringent lessons for development of her personality left her exhausted at times. Kasturba tries to remind Mohandas about his duties towards his family who gave up everything for his fancy barrister degree, but he doesn't budge from his behavior.
A day comes when Mohandas's destiny calls him to South Africa. The air of South Africa is full of atrocities towards the Indian community, and Mohandas finds a cause to fight for. But in this fight, he starts neglecting Kasturba and his kids. The time to time changing rules of Gandhi belief system leaves her broken inside. One of the rules was the Oath of Celibacy that Gandhi took without even discussing with Kasturba. And that was the day she got to know that Mohandas is not for her, he is there for a bigger cause, bigger than his domestic life.
Mohandas even curbed the education of his children, one of the biggest reasons why his eldest son Harilal parted ways from his beloved Bapu. He believed in developing personality via household chores and getting involved in regular official work. Kasturba was disturbed by the plight of her kids. She debated, pleaded and even showed her anger towards Gandhi for ruining a regular childhood that their kids deserved. But in the end, she gave up. In a very startling letter to a friend, Gandhi shares
''I don't know what evil resides in me. I have a streak of cruelty in me that compels people to attempt the impossible in order to please me''.
The Secret Diary of Kasturba is a book that will leave you in shock. I have always considered Gandhi as a peaceful leader, who with the power of his conviction and dedication towards the cause of India, got us independence from the claws of Britishers. But then, this book shares a completely different side of him through his wife's perspective. And many shocking revelations come in sight! From his carnal desires after marriage to his vows that left Kasturba and her kids broken, Kasturba was the thread that kept the lineage and family alive. She multitasked between being a devoted wife, Satyagrahi and a mother. And this multitasking, in the end, proved too much for her, when she sees that her husband's devotion towards nation is driving their kids away.
The incredible amount of research Neelima might have done for this book reflects in the way she has written it. She has written the novel keeping in mind the women of 21st century. Imagine the life Kasturba lived and try and apply it to your current life. Wouldn't you react the same way? A repulsive, broken soul and torn between husband and kids? This brilliant concept has now made me aware the hardships of a lady that walked behind Gandhi all the time, never complaining, never stopping.
Kasturba was eclipsed because of a man who devoted his life to his country and never anyone gave a voice to this powerful woman. And that is one of the biggest reasons why The Secret Diary of Kasturba is a tremendous read for everyone. It is a book that you simply cannot miss!
February 7, 2017
The Secret Dairy of Kasturba is a brave attempt by the author. This book voices Kartuba's feeling. How she managed with a dominating husband who was loving but couldn't trust her. Supportive but unreasonable at times.
The book starts when Kasturba is on her death bed, and it beautifully moves towards her birth, carefree childhood, early marriage full of romance, and then her tough married life and motherhood. The language is crisp and beautiful (two words, Sweet and Beloved, were repetitive and a little irritating, but considering the setting and the time, I thought it was okay). I loved the way Kasturba expresses her anger and frustration wordlessly. Just screaming inwardly. We all do that, sometimes.
"Why was he embarking on a journey of penance and celibacy oblivious of the people he would inadvertently victimize, wound and mutilate on the way. Who has given you the authority to enforce a ruling on me that affects me with such a cruel, brutal force, without my consent? Who?
While the book is skillfully crafted, I can't say it's flawless. There are certain things that bothered me. First, the POV. The book is written in diary form thus in the first person, but it is omnipresent, seemed more or less Mahatma Gandhi's biography. I understand that people tell us about certain incidents (thus we know about those incidents even when we are not present there), but it was odd to read some intimate moments of her son's life from Kasturba's point of view which I doubt he would have told her.
Then, the author has mentioned 'a lone, naked bulb suspended from a frayed wire from the ceiling lights up the dingy room'
I don't think in the year 1885, in India, in a town like Rajkot, in a brothel, we can expect/imagine a wired bulb (electricity, precisely). So, this line acted as a brake. But, as I have said before, this book is boldly and beautifully crafted, so such thoughts didn't affect my reading but it did stir a thought.
The book is enlightening and shocking at times. Kasturba's anxiety and longing for her sons are nicely expressed. For me, reading this book was a learning experience. In my opinion, The Secret Diary of Kasturba is a must read for any book lover!
The book starts when Kasturba is on her death bed, and it beautifully moves towards her birth, carefree childhood, early marriage full of romance, and then her tough married life and motherhood. The language is crisp and beautiful (two words, Sweet and Beloved, were repetitive and a little irritating, but considering the setting and the time, I thought it was okay). I loved the way Kasturba expresses her anger and frustration wordlessly. Just screaming inwardly. We all do that, sometimes.
"Why was he embarking on a journey of penance and celibacy oblivious of the people he would inadvertently victimize, wound and mutilate on the way. Who has given you the authority to enforce a ruling on me that affects me with such a cruel, brutal force, without my consent? Who?
While the book is skillfully crafted, I can't say it's flawless. There are certain things that bothered me. First, the POV. The book is written in diary form thus in the first person, but it is omnipresent, seemed more or less Mahatma Gandhi's biography. I understand that people tell us about certain incidents (thus we know about those incidents even when we are not present there), but it was odd to read some intimate moments of her son's life from Kasturba's point of view which I doubt he would have told her.
Then, the author has mentioned 'a lone, naked bulb suspended from a frayed wire from the ceiling lights up the dingy room'
I don't think in the year 1885, in India, in a town like Rajkot, in a brothel, we can expect/imagine a wired bulb (electricity, precisely). So, this line acted as a brake. But, as I have said before, this book is boldly and beautifully crafted, so such thoughts didn't affect my reading but it did stir a thought.
The book is enlightening and shocking at times. Kasturba's anxiety and longing for her sons are nicely expressed. For me, reading this book was a learning experience. In my opinion, The Secret Diary of Kasturba is a must read for any book lover!
February 22, 2017
There are some outstanding books written on the "Mahatma". However, this one is perhaps the best of the best. "Mahatma versus Gandhi" brought out the turmoil that Gandhi's eldest son, Harilal went through and showed the "Mahatma"in the human light. This one is from the perspective of his wife, Kastur. Her travails and tribulations as a wife and mother are poignantly narrated in first person as Mohandas went on to become a Mahatma. It is about Harilal and much more. It is about the entire family, the entire nation as seen by the wife of this Great Soul. Despite her admiration of Mohandas and despite her commitment to his cause, she too was exasperated with some of his methods calling him "still the obstinate and unpredictable man". She could never fathom "how could a father be so cold, so savage, when his son was at his lowest". She was at a loss to understand "why this man who could alter the minds and conduct of thousands of people by his message of peace and non-violence, was deliberately inflicting a surfeit of violence on his own body". It is natural when Kasturba herself couldn't understand this man fully, how rest of the world could. However, like a typical Indian wife, her admiration and adulation of the Mahatma was undiluted. Here was a another "Sita" who suffered silently as Mohandas came to be deified.
November 1, 2016
Mahatma Gandhi, although widely quoted and followed globally, continues to remain one of the most misunderstood global icons. The majority of Bapu's presence today is perhaps contrary to what he stood for. Roads named after him serve as begging tracks for starving men, women and children, every banknote carries his image but a considerable chunk of the country's wealth is allegedly stored in "not-swadeshi" banks, foreign architects and corrupt contractors foil his statues while his fabric and quotes are mere means to woo votes.
Nevertheless, accounts of his freedom struggle, anecdotes of non-violence and volumes penned by the Mahatma himself continue to have a dominating presence in the literary world and, in fact, "literature that ignores Gandhi attracts critical attention". From Ruskin Bond to Sarojini Naidu, Dominique Lapierre to George Orwell and Khushwant Singh to V S Naipaul, almost all during-Gandhi, post-Gandhi and contemporary writers have somewhere referred to the life of Bapu in their writings, bringing different interpretations to his sayings, sketching fictional characters on his principles, composing verses on his ideologies, which are even more inspiring for generations with his (Gandhi's) message.
Herrymon Maurer famously wrote of Bapu, "During a second period of pause/ Gandhi went on with his teaching./ East and West looked at him. Followed him, and yet misunderstood him." Although Bapu's works have been widely read, translated and acclaimed, there still remains an element of doubt about what Bapu actually stood for and how his works have been perceived in popular culture.
Bringing one up to the closest encounters with the Mahatma is Neelima Dalmia Adhar's latest book, The Secret Diary of Kasturba. Published by Westland, this elegantly packaged hard-bound fiction tells the world what it meant to be Kasturba Gandhi, "wife of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi ~ in a gripping tale of unconditional love, passion, sex, ecstasy and the ultimate liberation that every woman seeks".
It is a work of fiction and despite carrying a brief bibliography, the offering fails miserably in establishing its sources and credentials ~ it can be read fine as a fictional title but in terms of its contents one is more likely than not to contest and disagree with what finds mention in the book. There are, however, other moments in the book that sort of transport the reader to the pre-Independence era, puts one right in the shoes of Kasturba Gandhi and allows one to skim through a life lived alongside the Mahatma.
"Much as I felt flattered that after all these years he still found me intensely desirable and the need to have me by his side all the time, warmed the cockles of my heart, but his behaviour had begun to border on cruelty. This constant hounding was getting to me. I was feeling suffocated. Surely a 'London-returned' barrister should have found something more meaningful to do, than to chase his wife all day and then make false allegations and hurl preposterous charges of infidelity at her. I was being emotionally abused. This was cruelty. I had had enough.
"That night, after my usual half-finished lessons that were followed by routine sex, I mustered up the courage to speak. 'You are so obsessed with English education and inculcating your western ways in the children that you have lost all regard for your brothers and family. Do you need to be reminded that you have duties towards your two uncles? Have you forgotten that they ran up huge debts to help you through your education in London? And now that they are without jobs, isn't it your duty to help them? You were sent away to England to study, not to turn into a beast, bullying your hapless wife, hounding her all day. Are you so blinded by lust? You have become very selfish, Mohandas! What will it take for you to understand? I don't want to be literate. Let me be.'
"Mohandas' piercing glare did not unnerve me. I had made my point. The night ended in another round of intense sex, but for the first time in all my married years, I slept peacefully while Mohandas tossed and turned beside me all night...," the author mentions.
But remember, it is a work of fiction and how one perceives it may be a bone of contention. Only a few pages through and one was aptly reminded of Sir Francis Bacon: "Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested: that is, some books are to be read only in parts, others to be read, but not curiously, and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention."
Bacon's gentle words, "to be read, but not curiously", are the nearest advice that one may offer to prospective readers of this book. This, the offering's projection of Mahatma Gandhi and Kasturba along with the events that shaped their life and that continues to shape our understanding of the Mahatma, is not, in the least, suggestive of this book's potential. It makes for an argumentative read and more importantly The Secret Diary of Kasturba is a brilliant fictional account, penned with surreal imageries that attempts to personify one of the most-ignored female characters of our history ~ the wife of Mahatma Gandhi.
First published in Beyond Books, The Statesman
http://www.inkstreet.in/2016/10/revie...
Nevertheless, accounts of his freedom struggle, anecdotes of non-violence and volumes penned by the Mahatma himself continue to have a dominating presence in the literary world and, in fact, "literature that ignores Gandhi attracts critical attention". From Ruskin Bond to Sarojini Naidu, Dominique Lapierre to George Orwell and Khushwant Singh to V S Naipaul, almost all during-Gandhi, post-Gandhi and contemporary writers have somewhere referred to the life of Bapu in their writings, bringing different interpretations to his sayings, sketching fictional characters on his principles, composing verses on his ideologies, which are even more inspiring for generations with his (Gandhi's) message.
Herrymon Maurer famously wrote of Bapu, "During a second period of pause/ Gandhi went on with his teaching./ East and West looked at him. Followed him, and yet misunderstood him." Although Bapu's works have been widely read, translated and acclaimed, there still remains an element of doubt about what Bapu actually stood for and how his works have been perceived in popular culture.
Bringing one up to the closest encounters with the Mahatma is Neelima Dalmia Adhar's latest book, The Secret Diary of Kasturba. Published by Westland, this elegantly packaged hard-bound fiction tells the world what it meant to be Kasturba Gandhi, "wife of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi ~ in a gripping tale of unconditional love, passion, sex, ecstasy and the ultimate liberation that every woman seeks".
It is a work of fiction and despite carrying a brief bibliography, the offering fails miserably in establishing its sources and credentials ~ it can be read fine as a fictional title but in terms of its contents one is more likely than not to contest and disagree with what finds mention in the book. There are, however, other moments in the book that sort of transport the reader to the pre-Independence era, puts one right in the shoes of Kasturba Gandhi and allows one to skim through a life lived alongside the Mahatma.
"Much as I felt flattered that after all these years he still found me intensely desirable and the need to have me by his side all the time, warmed the cockles of my heart, but his behaviour had begun to border on cruelty. This constant hounding was getting to me. I was feeling suffocated. Surely a 'London-returned' barrister should have found something more meaningful to do, than to chase his wife all day and then make false allegations and hurl preposterous charges of infidelity at her. I was being emotionally abused. This was cruelty. I had had enough.
"That night, after my usual half-finished lessons that were followed by routine sex, I mustered up the courage to speak. 'You are so obsessed with English education and inculcating your western ways in the children that you have lost all regard for your brothers and family. Do you need to be reminded that you have duties towards your two uncles? Have you forgotten that they ran up huge debts to help you through your education in London? And now that they are without jobs, isn't it your duty to help them? You were sent away to England to study, not to turn into a beast, bullying your hapless wife, hounding her all day. Are you so blinded by lust? You have become very selfish, Mohandas! What will it take for you to understand? I don't want to be literate. Let me be.'
"Mohandas' piercing glare did not unnerve me. I had made my point. The night ended in another round of intense sex, but for the first time in all my married years, I slept peacefully while Mohandas tossed and turned beside me all night...," the author mentions.
But remember, it is a work of fiction and how one perceives it may be a bone of contention. Only a few pages through and one was aptly reminded of Sir Francis Bacon: "Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested: that is, some books are to be read only in parts, others to be read, but not curiously, and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention."
Bacon's gentle words, "to be read, but not curiously", are the nearest advice that one may offer to prospective readers of this book. This, the offering's projection of Mahatma Gandhi and Kasturba along with the events that shaped their life and that continues to shape our understanding of the Mahatma, is not, in the least, suggestive of this book's potential. It makes for an argumentative read and more importantly The Secret Diary of Kasturba is a brilliant fictional account, penned with surreal imageries that attempts to personify one of the most-ignored female characters of our history ~ the wife of Mahatma Gandhi.
First published in Beyond Books, The Statesman
http://www.inkstreet.in/2016/10/revie...
October 20, 2016
Riveting Tale
A very well written account based on true incidents. I have always wondered what it must have been to be the wife and child of a man revered as the father of the nation - Bapu. A legend immortalised by tales of kindness and compassion. There is a human side to this legend which remains hidden and unexplored.
The book gives us a glimpse into the man, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, a husband and a father. Told from the perspective of Kasturba Gandhi, a strong and opinionated woman struggling to establish her identity beyond the legend Bapu. A woman caught between the age old conditioning of serving her husband as her Lord and master and listening to her maternal heart to protect her children.
One cannot but wonder that she must have endured far more than can be captured in meagre words of a book.
A very well written account based on true incidents. I have always wondered what it must have been to be the wife and child of a man revered as the father of the nation - Bapu. A legend immortalised by tales of kindness and compassion. There is a human side to this legend which remains hidden and unexplored.
The book gives us a glimpse into the man, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, a husband and a father. Told from the perspective of Kasturba Gandhi, a strong and opinionated woman struggling to establish her identity beyond the legend Bapu. A woman caught between the age old conditioning of serving her husband as her Lord and master and listening to her maternal heart to protect her children.
One cannot but wonder that she must have endured far more than can be captured in meagre words of a book.
November 26, 2016
In the summer of 1882, the fourth and youngest child of the Dewan of Porbandar was married to a girl six months older than him. They had been playmates as children; they were now husband and wife, at the age of just thirteen. The bride’s name was Kastur Kapadia. The groom was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, and little did his new wife know then just what a fascinating, frustrating, and unique experience married life with Gandhi would be.
Neelima Dalmia Adhar’s The Secret Diary of Kasturba is an imagined ‘diary’ written by Kasturba. It begins with the death of Kasturba Gandhi, an old woman dying in jail, remembering her life with the husband who holds her as she breathes her last. From there, the book goes into flashback, to the year 1869, when both Kastur and Mohandas were born. Year by year, month by month, tracing one important development after another, Dalmia Adhar’s Kasturba narrates her life. As a young bride passionately in love with a husband who cannot get enough of her—he is so enamoured of her that he even makes hectic love to her while his father lies dying in the same house—to a woman who realizes, as time passes, that her husband’s priorities have changed.
As much as this is about Kasturba, it is about Gandhi. As he travels to England to study law and become a lawyer. As he returns to India to discover that there is no work for a lawyer with no understanding of Indian law. As he goes to South Africa to argue a case for an Indian businessman. His experience, at first hand, of racism; his establishment of an ashram-like community at Phoenix and his mobilization of Indians in South Africa in his very first attempt at satyagraha.
From the impressive bibliography at the back of the book, it’s obvious that the author has done her research into the lives of Gandhi, Kasturba, and their family, in particular their eldest son Harilal. This shows in the book, too: in the many anecdotes that form part of the narrative, the way Dalmia Adhar manages to work so much that is personal into what might have otherwise been a story dominated by politics. There is politics, of course, especially in the second half of the book, where the Gandhis’ involvement in the Indian freedom movement takes centre stage. Even there, though, the narrative never becomes completely political; there is always the element of the self, the family, society.
The best thing about The Secret Diary of Kasturba is the way the author explores the mind of Kasturba Gandhi. A woman torn between her love for her husband and her frustration at his arbitrary and often heartless decisions. A woman pulled two ways, between husband and son, between duty and love, between affection and her own pride. What emerges is a fascinating picture of a strong-willed woman, traditional yet willing to adapt, affectionate—and undyingly faithful to a man whose treatment of her has been erratic at best, cruelly selfish at worst.
What this book lacks is good editing. The language is often clunky; there are grammatical errors, anachronisms, and problems with punctuation. Besides that, the shifts in perspective from that of Kasturba to that of other characters (Gandhi and Harilal in particular), with a third person narrative for a large part of the book, are jarring.
(From my review for The New Indian Express, November 26, 2016):
http://www.newindianexpress.com/lifes...
Neelima Dalmia Adhar’s The Secret Diary of Kasturba is an imagined ‘diary’ written by Kasturba. It begins with the death of Kasturba Gandhi, an old woman dying in jail, remembering her life with the husband who holds her as she breathes her last. From there, the book goes into flashback, to the year 1869, when both Kastur and Mohandas were born. Year by year, month by month, tracing one important development after another, Dalmia Adhar’s Kasturba narrates her life. As a young bride passionately in love with a husband who cannot get enough of her—he is so enamoured of her that he even makes hectic love to her while his father lies dying in the same house—to a woman who realizes, as time passes, that her husband’s priorities have changed.
As much as this is about Kasturba, it is about Gandhi. As he travels to England to study law and become a lawyer. As he returns to India to discover that there is no work for a lawyer with no understanding of Indian law. As he goes to South Africa to argue a case for an Indian businessman. His experience, at first hand, of racism; his establishment of an ashram-like community at Phoenix and his mobilization of Indians in South Africa in his very first attempt at satyagraha.
From the impressive bibliography at the back of the book, it’s obvious that the author has done her research into the lives of Gandhi, Kasturba, and their family, in particular their eldest son Harilal. This shows in the book, too: in the many anecdotes that form part of the narrative, the way Dalmia Adhar manages to work so much that is personal into what might have otherwise been a story dominated by politics. There is politics, of course, especially in the second half of the book, where the Gandhis’ involvement in the Indian freedom movement takes centre stage. Even there, though, the narrative never becomes completely political; there is always the element of the self, the family, society.
The best thing about The Secret Diary of Kasturba is the way the author explores the mind of Kasturba Gandhi. A woman torn between her love for her husband and her frustration at his arbitrary and often heartless decisions. A woman pulled two ways, between husband and son, between duty and love, between affection and her own pride. What emerges is a fascinating picture of a strong-willed woman, traditional yet willing to adapt, affectionate—and undyingly faithful to a man whose treatment of her has been erratic at best, cruelly selfish at worst.
What this book lacks is good editing. The language is often clunky; there are grammatical errors, anachronisms, and problems with punctuation. Besides that, the shifts in perspective from that of Kasturba to that of other characters (Gandhi and Harilal in particular), with a third person narrative for a large part of the book, are jarring.
(From my review for The New Indian Express, November 26, 2016):
http://www.newindianexpress.com/lifes...
October 8, 2016
My rating is 4.5
The secret diary of Kasturba is a tribute to one of the strongest, supportive and sacrificing females in the history of India.Eclipsed under the shadow of her great husband, very few have thought of the turmoil she had to handle. Kasturba's inner feelings are depicted in detail. Nevertheless, major part of the book is like biography of Gandhiji narrated by his wife. Every coin has two sides, likewise every human being has two faces. The book shows another face of Mahatma Gandhi. He himself has admitted that he was not a good husband and a father for that matter. On the flipside, we can see an abusive, suspicious,apathetic human being. The plight of his sons, especially elder one Harilal is explained in detail. Every instances are connected flawlessly. A lot of research has been invested.
The book is like Sita's Ramayana. Author shows the world that Kasturba is not just Mrs Gandhi but a headstrong woman in flesh and blood,whose life and dreams were neglected by her better half who dedicated his life for a greater cause, who was forgotten in the pages of history.
Somewhere down the line, there seems to be a feministic tinge in the whole narration. Being a woman myself, it was difficult for me to digest the unilateral account of the events. There is a thin line between telling the truth and defaming someone. In some instances the word self righteous The books is a fiction but which is the fictional element is Some thing that is not mentioned anywhere. An author's note was needed give clarity on that front.
Overall the book should be read by every Indian to understand this great woman's contribution to our struggle for Independence.
Reviewed for the publisher
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book as a complimentary copy in exchange for a honest review. I waas not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
The secret diary of Kasturba is a tribute to one of the strongest, supportive and sacrificing females in the history of India.Eclipsed under the shadow of her great husband, very few have thought of the turmoil she had to handle. Kasturba's inner feelings are depicted in detail. Nevertheless, major part of the book is like biography of Gandhiji narrated by his wife. Every coin has two sides, likewise every human being has two faces. The book shows another face of Mahatma Gandhi. He himself has admitted that he was not a good husband and a father for that matter. On the flipside, we can see an abusive, suspicious,apathetic human being. The plight of his sons, especially elder one Harilal is explained in detail. Every instances are connected flawlessly. A lot of research has been invested.
The book is like Sita's Ramayana. Author shows the world that Kasturba is not just Mrs Gandhi but a headstrong woman in flesh and blood,whose life and dreams were neglected by her better half who dedicated his life for a greater cause, who was forgotten in the pages of history.
Somewhere down the line, there seems to be a feministic tinge in the whole narration. Being a woman myself, it was difficult for me to digest the unilateral account of the events. There is a thin line between telling the truth and defaming someone. In some instances the word self righteous The books is a fiction but which is the fictional element is Some thing that is not mentioned anywhere. An author's note was needed give clarity on that front.
Overall the book should be read by every Indian to understand this great woman's contribution to our struggle for Independence.
Reviewed for the publisher
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book as a complimentary copy in exchange for a honest review. I waas not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
April 11, 2017
A big bore.
Struggled to finish it.
Hoping to find ba's Perspective on national movement and her role in it as well as what happened in her daily life while Bapu was involved with leading people's toward their awakening.
Sadly the book fails on both accounts.
Poorly written and poor choices of words. Even dollops of intimate scenes/ sex scenes are put in with bad taste and poorly conceptualized. While the title suggests that we will find Kasturba' views on various national events, at each page what mahatma did overshadows it. Instead title should be "secret diary of Mahatma" or Bapu vs Harilal
Better one should read Pehla Girmitiya, written better and presents every character in much better style.
Struggled to finish it.
Hoping to find ba's Perspective on national movement and her role in it as well as what happened in her daily life while Bapu was involved with leading people's toward their awakening.
Sadly the book fails on both accounts.
Poorly written and poor choices of words. Even dollops of intimate scenes/ sex scenes are put in with bad taste and poorly conceptualized. While the title suggests that we will find Kasturba' views on various national events, at each page what mahatma did overshadows it. Instead title should be "secret diary of Mahatma" or Bapu vs Harilal
Better one should read Pehla Girmitiya, written better and presents every character in much better style.
May 6, 2017
I had read Gandhiji's biography My Experiments with Truth and it was a great read and this book was to reveal to me the other side of Gandhiji's life. A diary of his better half and so I got this book. Though the disclaimer claims that it's a work of imagination still I somewhere knew that it should be based on the facts available from various books written on our Father of the Nation.
The book should have been named as the Gandhi household since the book is more about the family than of Kasturba though from the eyes of her. The initial chapters of the book seemed like directly copied from Experiments with Truth. As a diary of Kasturba I was expecting to read what she saw and what she felt but the book also focussed on those facts and aspects where she was not present.
I also found some contradictions in the narration, for instance Kasturba was illiterate and Gandhiji tried to teach her to read and write but failed to do and still when Kasturba goes to South Africa for the first time she notices Bible and Quran on Gandhiji's book shelf. How did she identify them?
A large part of the book focuses on Gandhiji's eldest born, Harilal which was a delight but again the narrative as though she was present was a put off. Many narratives are very novelish writing and you cannot connect it with reality. There was no need of description in detail of the bedroom scenes of Harilal and Gulab which may have been incorporated for some interest to the readers but is a huge disappointment to the pace of the book.
One thing the book aroused is the curiosity to read a book on Gandhiji's eldest born son Harilal. The clashes between him Gandhiji did make a gluing read. The history of freedom fight is narrated in detail thereby destroying the very essence of the name of book.
You can easily skip this book and read My Experiments with Truth instead.
The book should have been named as the Gandhi household since the book is more about the family than of Kasturba though from the eyes of her. The initial chapters of the book seemed like directly copied from Experiments with Truth. As a diary of Kasturba I was expecting to read what she saw and what she felt but the book also focussed on those facts and aspects where she was not present.
I also found some contradictions in the narration, for instance Kasturba was illiterate and Gandhiji tried to teach her to read and write but failed to do and still when Kasturba goes to South Africa for the first time she notices Bible and Quran on Gandhiji's book shelf. How did she identify them?
A large part of the book focuses on Gandhiji's eldest born, Harilal which was a delight but again the narrative as though she was present was a put off. Many narratives are very novelish writing and you cannot connect it with reality. There was no need of description in detail of the bedroom scenes of Harilal and Gulab which may have been incorporated for some interest to the readers but is a huge disappointment to the pace of the book.
One thing the book aroused is the curiosity to read a book on Gandhiji's eldest born son Harilal. The clashes between him Gandhiji did make a gluing read. The history of freedom fight is narrated in detail thereby destroying the very essence of the name of book.
You can easily skip this book and read My Experiments with Truth instead.
February 9, 2017
It’s different. Imaginative and interesting. It is a fictional diary but it is not fiction and it is this paradox that makes it a fascinating book. In a way it is a historical account of our freedom struggle from the eyes of the wife of one of the most influential and charismatic mass leader who has even walked on this planet and it also throws a lot of light in the personal life of that man. It is in vogue to criticize and vilify Gandhi for almost everything (the partition, the riots, minority appeasement, failed philosophy of non-violence that led to low self-esteem of Indians etc…) but despite all the muck thrown at him by ill-informed pseudo-nationalists, Gandhi still remains the tallest leader of our country. Yes, Gandhi had his own frailties and he was definitely not a perfect human being. He was unreasonable at times and can be accused of holding stupid and outdated beliefs (naturopathy, Charkha for Swarajya, celibacy even for married people, village model for growth etc). Infact some of his habits were sick to the core and needed strong condemnation but that still does not take away his immense contribution to the freedom struggle in India and the philosophy of non-violence that he espoused and propagated all his life. The book is in the form of a diary supposedly written by his wife, Katrurba Gandhi and talk in detail about the stregth and weakness of the man. The book delves into how his vows of austerity and celibacy impacted the family and in particular his wife. His troublesome relationship with his son, Harilal Gandhi is given in detail and is heartbreakingly sad. And yes, this is also a story of how Kastur became Karturba.
January 6, 2017
Kastur a teenage girl from a Gujrati family Kapadia gets married to the youngest son of the Dewan of Porbandar, Mohandas of the famed Gandhi family in 1882. Though they used to play together but soon their lives were separated for a short time as she was forced to learn the domestic ways which would help her after she gets married, while on the other hand Mohandas grew up as a carefree boy. As they got married she didn’t have any idea what twists & turns her life will take in future. The book starts with the death of Kasturba Gandhi in the arms of Mahatma Gandhi, she relives her whole life while she breathed her last. From that point of the story we travel to her past from the beginning. The author narrates all the life events of Kasturba Gandhi from her birth to marriage & henceforth what she went through with her husband.
Full review,
http://itsgoingtobeobvious.blogspot.i...
Full review,
http://itsgoingtobeobvious.blogspot.i...
April 9, 2019
A very good read. The title is a misnomer though, its more of a fiction i believe
January 2, 2019
"Nothing fixes a thought so irrevocably into the matrix of the human mind as the desire to forget it."
- Neelima Dalmia Adhar, the author.
It was a very well written book about the Gandhi household, about Mohandas' growth into the man he became, his unique way of life and consequences of his every decision that impacted his family and large sections of our population. The 'Indian struggle for Independence' is a glorious, historical topic that tugs at every Indian's heart. The book is written entirely from Kastur Ba's point of view starting from their youth until the end of their lives. I was thoroughly immersed in the story the entire time and slowly grew to adore Kastur Ba and the other less famous Gandhis. While the life of the Mahatma is no secret, this book highlights various portions of it that I might have considered insignificant earlier. It feels enriching to have such an insight, reading about a young Bose and a spirited Patel as characters of a book, it makes their images most human in front of your eyes. I admire the fact that the book is not biased or opinionated. It doesn't debate whether Gandhi was right or wrong. It does not try to justify to you his actions or the lifestyle he wanted for everyone, instead it gives you a chance to see all of it just the way it was and then decide for yourself.
- Neelima Dalmia Adhar, the author.
It was a very well written book about the Gandhi household, about Mohandas' growth into the man he became, his unique way of life and consequences of his every decision that impacted his family and large sections of our population. The 'Indian struggle for Independence' is a glorious, historical topic that tugs at every Indian's heart. The book is written entirely from Kastur Ba's point of view starting from their youth until the end of their lives. I was thoroughly immersed in the story the entire time and slowly grew to adore Kastur Ba and the other less famous Gandhis. While the life of the Mahatma is no secret, this book highlights various portions of it that I might have considered insignificant earlier. It feels enriching to have such an insight, reading about a young Bose and a spirited Patel as characters of a book, it makes their images most human in front of your eyes. I admire the fact that the book is not biased or opinionated. It doesn't debate whether Gandhi was right or wrong. It does not try to justify to you his actions or the lifestyle he wanted for everyone, instead it gives you a chance to see all of it just the way it was and then decide for yourself.
March 13, 2018
I really felt that it was Kasturba who wrote this book. The writing is so beautiful and poetic that it gives us the details of what Kasturba went through to let Gandhi become Mahatma. Behind every successful.. Well, in this book, we get to know the woman behind the man.
The book is a brutal look at the life of Gandhi and his family. From a third party perspective, we get to see the activities and proclivities of Gandhi on a different light. It's a bold attempt and one that the author pulled of quite brilliantly.
Kasturba is a stoic. She silently listens, adjusts and suffers for every action her husband undertakes. She takes part on all her husbands activities even though she is personally against many of his desires and wishes. The image of Kasturba is perfectly woven around how women are expected to be. Silent, suffering, being obedient, no voice of their own etc.
I was surprised as to how Kasturba managed to be with Gandhi considering his stubborn attitude towards what he wants to do with his life. Then I realized, that's how women were trained to be. Obey. It's unfortunate that women are bought up that way. It continues to this day where women are being told that they don't have a voice of their own and are completely subservient to their husband.
On one side I was so angry at Gandhi for being so stubborn. With his treatment of his kids, decision to not have sex without the consent of his wife, carry on fasting without consideration for his health and stuff like that. Only when I put my thought, I came to a realization that it was the stubbornness that made him who he is known for today (good or not so good).
I got to see the inside world of Gandhi. His treatment of his kids broke my heart, especially of his eldest son. That's no way to parent a kid. Gandhi was the father of the nation but to his kids, he wan't there for them. He expected people to live the way he did. To his credit, many did follow him but unfortunately, the movement died with his death. His ideals were unrealistic, funny for many, curious for the onlookers and a sort of 'unpure' for the society and image conscious. Even in 2018, sex is a taboo subject. Gandhi slept naked with naked women, back in those days.
There is no denying that there was a fighter spirit in him. His belief and steadfast support of non-violence stems from his years of experience of life in SA. People today think that the moment Gandhi was thrown out of the train in SA, he boarded the next available ship to India and started fighting for freedom. That's no where near the truth. Yes, those events did shake the fighter spirit in him but there was more to the story. It's that unfolding of the story that attracted me.
Gandhi spent 23 yrs of his life abroad. Everything happened to him shaped his belief. It set the foundation for the life he was going to spend in India till his last breath. It's that life we get to read about and it's wonderful.
The book is a brutal look at the life of Gandhi and his family. From a third party perspective, we get to see the activities and proclivities of Gandhi on a different light. It's a bold attempt and one that the author pulled of quite brilliantly.
Kasturba is a stoic. She silently listens, adjusts and suffers for every action her husband undertakes. She takes part on all her husbands activities even though she is personally against many of his desires and wishes. The image of Kasturba is perfectly woven around how women are expected to be. Silent, suffering, being obedient, no voice of their own etc.
I was surprised as to how Kasturba managed to be with Gandhi considering his stubborn attitude towards what he wants to do with his life. Then I realized, that's how women were trained to be. Obey. It's unfortunate that women are bought up that way. It continues to this day where women are being told that they don't have a voice of their own and are completely subservient to their husband.
On one side I was so angry at Gandhi for being so stubborn. With his treatment of his kids, decision to not have sex without the consent of his wife, carry on fasting without consideration for his health and stuff like that. Only when I put my thought, I came to a realization that it was the stubbornness that made him who he is known for today (good or not so good).
I got to see the inside world of Gandhi. His treatment of his kids broke my heart, especially of his eldest son. That's no way to parent a kid. Gandhi was the father of the nation but to his kids, he wan't there for them. He expected people to live the way he did. To his credit, many did follow him but unfortunately, the movement died with his death. His ideals were unrealistic, funny for many, curious for the onlookers and a sort of 'unpure' for the society and image conscious. Even in 2018, sex is a taboo subject. Gandhi slept naked with naked women, back in those days.
There is no denying that there was a fighter spirit in him. His belief and steadfast support of non-violence stems from his years of experience of life in SA. People today think that the moment Gandhi was thrown out of the train in SA, he boarded the next available ship to India and started fighting for freedom. That's no where near the truth. Yes, those events did shake the fighter spirit in him but there was more to the story. It's that unfolding of the story that attracted me.
Gandhi spent 23 yrs of his life abroad. Everything happened to him shaped his belief. It set the foundation for the life he was going to spend in India till his last breath. It's that life we get to read about and it's wonderful.
October 10, 2019
The secret diary of Kasturba by Neelima Dalmia Adhar is a riveting read. Mahatma Gandhi, the father of our nation, is revered across the globe. But very little is known about his family, his wife – the woman behind the Mahatma. This book gives an ‘Up, close and personal’ account of the life of the wife of the Mahatma. How was Gandhi as a person; as a son; husband, father and a friend? Though this book is a fictitious account of Kasturba but the fact that it took seven years to write the book and the extensive amount of research it entailed, brings you very close to the real life of the wife of the Mahatma.
The book completes a perfect circle from Kasturba’s birth to her death. In the days, when child marriage was the norm of the society, she was married off in her early teens to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the boy-next-door, with whom she played as a kid was now her husband. She was tutored and groomed to be a good wife, a lesson that she followed to her deathbed. She was the obsequious wife who silently steered the ship of her life in the direction, her captain-her husband commanded.
While Mahatma Gandhi was fighting a non-violence satyagraha with the British, his wife was silently facing the tsunamis of her life. She was the wife of a sexually-overdriven husband who later took a vow of celibacy without consenting his wife; decided to donate all his wealth to social welfare when they had four children to fend for; publicly reprimanded his wife because she had fed her son a cup of sugar (an expense to the ashram!). She was caught in a life-long tussle between her wayward son Harilal and her principled husband. The warring sides of her loved ones wounded her heart. The victims who bore the brunt of Gandhi’s sacrifices and greatness were his loved ones; the irony that the author has highlighted beautifully in the book.
Neelima Dalmia Adhar is noted as a fearless author and this book rightly describes the reason why? The events in Kasturba’s life has been so aptly described that you feel you are a live witness to the happenings. This book leaves you overwhelmed.
Pick this up if you want to read about a brave woman who silently fought a battle for her loved ones!
The book completes a perfect circle from Kasturba’s birth to her death. In the days, when child marriage was the norm of the society, she was married off in her early teens to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the boy-next-door, with whom she played as a kid was now her husband. She was tutored and groomed to be a good wife, a lesson that she followed to her deathbed. She was the obsequious wife who silently steered the ship of her life in the direction, her captain-her husband commanded.
While Mahatma Gandhi was fighting a non-violence satyagraha with the British, his wife was silently facing the tsunamis of her life. She was the wife of a sexually-overdriven husband who later took a vow of celibacy without consenting his wife; decided to donate all his wealth to social welfare when they had four children to fend for; publicly reprimanded his wife because she had fed her son a cup of sugar (an expense to the ashram!). She was caught in a life-long tussle between her wayward son Harilal and her principled husband. The warring sides of her loved ones wounded her heart. The victims who bore the brunt of Gandhi’s sacrifices and greatness were his loved ones; the irony that the author has highlighted beautifully in the book.
Neelima Dalmia Adhar is noted as a fearless author and this book rightly describes the reason why? The events in Kasturba’s life has been so aptly described that you feel you are a live witness to the happenings. This book leaves you overwhelmed.
Pick this up if you want to read about a brave woman who silently fought a battle for her loved ones!
May 25, 2018
For the world, he was the Mahatma, the messiah of peace; for his wife and kids, he was a meglomaniac, ego centric, adamant, domineering, indecipherable, ruthless yet sometimes loving man - a man with all positive and negative shades of a normal human being.
The book, The Secret Diary of Kasturba, is a dramatic take on the Ahimsa crusader's personal and political life from Kastur's point of view. The book exhibits the inner conflict of Kastur stuck between the loyalty towards her erratic husband and love towards her wayward son, Harilal Gandhi. Married at the naive age of 13 to a sexually driven boy of the same age, Kastur was the first and foremost victim to Gandhi's Experiments with Truth which could also be read as his 'Fight with Inner Demons'. With passing years, there were more casualties to his experiments, the last one being our very own nation, India. Kastur was in a constant dilemma to stand by his side as a devote wife and an urge to lash out at him for his unreasonable tantrums. She'd put up with all his tantrums, right from being a toy to his wild sexual desires to a sacrificial goat to his insane oath to celibacy. His hatred towards her for not being educated to depriving his sons from proper schooling and education, this book throws light on the erratic, vulnerable, indecipherable and unpredictable shades of the man called Gandhi. It also throws light on his hypocrisy towards his preachings about religion, celibacy and its actual practice. His imposing nature, rigid thinking, shoving of his experience down the throats of his kids, intolerance towards others opinions and suggestions had led to the downfall of his eldest son. Loved by the world, detested by his son, Gandhi's life is worth knowing from his wife's perspective. As I had mentioned earlier, every story has different perspectives. This one is indeed worth reading. It's bone chilling, heart warming and tear jerking, with all the spice and drama of a fiction.
The book, The Secret Diary of Kasturba, is a dramatic take on the Ahimsa crusader's personal and political life from Kastur's point of view. The book exhibits the inner conflict of Kastur stuck between the loyalty towards her erratic husband and love towards her wayward son, Harilal Gandhi. Married at the naive age of 13 to a sexually driven boy of the same age, Kastur was the first and foremost victim to Gandhi's Experiments with Truth which could also be read as his 'Fight with Inner Demons'. With passing years, there were more casualties to his experiments, the last one being our very own nation, India. Kastur was in a constant dilemma to stand by his side as a devote wife and an urge to lash out at him for his unreasonable tantrums. She'd put up with all his tantrums, right from being a toy to his wild sexual desires to a sacrificial goat to his insane oath to celibacy. His hatred towards her for not being educated to depriving his sons from proper schooling and education, this book throws light on the erratic, vulnerable, indecipherable and unpredictable shades of the man called Gandhi. It also throws light on his hypocrisy towards his preachings about religion, celibacy and its actual practice. His imposing nature, rigid thinking, shoving of his experience down the throats of his kids, intolerance towards others opinions and suggestions had led to the downfall of his eldest son. Loved by the world, detested by his son, Gandhi's life is worth knowing from his wife's perspective. As I had mentioned earlier, every story has different perspectives. This one is indeed worth reading. It's bone chilling, heart warming and tear jerking, with all the spice and drama of a fiction.
November 19, 2017
This book is an imaginary chronicle of the life of Kasturba Gandhi who got married at the age of thirteen,few months older than her husband,The third wife of Mohandas,two before her died in a close succession.The book mainly highlights her
Side of story in dealing with The Father of nation.Mohandas had been a very difficult husband For Kasturba in terms of his bizarre sexual experiments with her in their early married life, Forcefully Imposing celibacy on her ,Being very irresponsible towards his children's future specially his Elder son Harilal,who cursed his father throughout his life for not giving him proper education and ended up being an alcoholic and humiliating him multiple times publicaly.Book has illustrated her transition from a house wife to a political activist who was at one time rigorously involved in India independence movement like her husband.It is also said that mahatma gandhi let her wife die because he didn't want her to be treated with British Morden medicines whereas he used the same treatment on himself when he fell ill shortly thereafter.The book is recommended for those who wants to know more about gandhi from the prospective of her wife,A brilliant attempt by Neelima Dalmia in depicting the core feelings of Kasturba Gandhi.
Side of story in dealing with The Father of nation.Mohandas had been a very difficult husband For Kasturba in terms of his bizarre sexual experiments with her in their early married life, Forcefully Imposing celibacy on her ,Being very irresponsible towards his children's future specially his Elder son Harilal,who cursed his father throughout his life for not giving him proper education and ended up being an alcoholic and humiliating him multiple times publicaly.Book has illustrated her transition from a house wife to a political activist who was at one time rigorously involved in India independence movement like her husband.It is also said that mahatma gandhi let her wife die because he didn't want her to be treated with British Morden medicines whereas he used the same treatment on himself when he fell ill shortly thereafter.The book is recommended for those who wants to know more about gandhi from the prospective of her wife,A brilliant attempt by Neelima Dalmia in depicting the core feelings of Kasturba Gandhi.
May 28, 2017
"The Secret Diary of Kasturba Gandhi" is Kasturba's life through eyes of the author. As she mentions at the very beginning that there is no such secret diary of Kasturba Gandhi. She also doesn't mention anywhere on the source of the facts. There are lot of parts of the books which comes across as author's imagination. Having said all these, a large part of the book is indeed based on facts collected from different books & articles on Mahatma Gandhi and Harilal Gandhi. This books holds up a side of Mohandas Gandhi which the world needs to know. It talks of about his injustice towards his sons, his dominating nature, not letting his wife have her own way. It comes across that Mahatma Gandhi's way attitude was his way or high way.
Overall, it is a decent read & gives an unconventional view on Mahatma Gandhi. The book would also trigger reader's interest acquire knowledge on Mahatma Gandhi, Harilal Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi's behaviour towards his own family and Indian Freedom Fight struggle.
Overall, it is a decent read & gives an unconventional view on Mahatma Gandhi. The book would also trigger reader's interest acquire knowledge on Mahatma Gandhi, Harilal Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi's behaviour towards his own family and Indian Freedom Fight struggle.
October 28, 2021
The true difficulties of being his wife
The story of the wife of the great man , revered by the world but only known in one dimension. In this touching account, Kastur Gandhi gives her view of the life she shared with the Mahatma as his work to non-violently free the people of all castes and social levels in India . Her views often ignored and her love for her children and grandchildren her only solace, she emerges as significant to the movement as her famous husband. Stretched to include all followers as direct family members, spending extended periods of her life in prison for the belief she learned from her husband, no finer example exists for independence on a personal level. Illiterate, she managed to take the Mahatma place when he was imprisoned or engaged with his extensive network of freedom fighters. It was entirely true that he couldn't have done what he did without her support. A wonderful story.
The story of the wife of the great man , revered by the world but only known in one dimension. In this touching account, Kastur Gandhi gives her view of the life she shared with the Mahatma as his work to non-violently free the people of all castes and social levels in India . Her views often ignored and her love for her children and grandchildren her only solace, she emerges as significant to the movement as her famous husband. Stretched to include all followers as direct family members, spending extended periods of her life in prison for the belief she learned from her husband, no finer example exists for independence on a personal level. Illiterate, she managed to take the Mahatma place when he was imprisoned or engaged with his extensive network of freedom fighters. It was entirely true that he couldn't have done what he did without her support. A wonderful story.
January 1, 2017
Great account from the point of view of the better half of M.K. Gandhi. It was a nice read. Clearly most of the account pointed revolved about how Gandhi treated his family as compared to the general public. It also goes on to show how Kastur turned into Kastur Ba and slowly became a strong political force on her own accord.
It was a great read. Very informative. Worth buying and keeping as a part of your collection. Kastur Ba Gandhi's views for the first time show and talk about the Man that Mahatma Gandhi was.
It was a great read. Very informative. Worth buying and keeping as a part of your collection. Kastur Ba Gandhi's views for the first time show and talk about the Man that Mahatma Gandhi was.
September 26, 2019
Of Course, the main character is Mr. Gandhi only, as the things are basically done by him only. But the book sheds light on the other prospective his wife, who remains a meek follower of him till her death.
Another interesting is the relationship of Mr. Gandhi with his first son Harilal. No one will like his character, but he certainly was a byproduct of inhuman tendencies of Mr. Gandhi. Also, this makes one believe that Mr. Gandhi was really an exceptional human being, who just missed to note that the same method may not be applicable for different times.
Another interesting is the relationship of Mr. Gandhi with his first son Harilal. No one will like his character, but he certainly was a byproduct of inhuman tendencies of Mr. Gandhi. Also, this makes one believe that Mr. Gandhi was really an exceptional human being, who just missed to note that the same method may not be applicable for different times.
December 12, 2016
History books talk about Gandhi as the man leading the nation from the front. However, this book outlines the struggle he faced as a family man - mostly after taking vow of austerity, celibacy and poverty. It's the freedom struggle of the Mahatma from Ba's eyes. This books give you different angles, some where you sympathise with him, some where you look at him with contempt but again at the end you realize he's a different person. Liked the book.
March 7, 2017
Good book to read. Description and flow of the book is more like fiction and it helps the reader move faster. Good record to read and understand the family's perspective of Gandhi's. Gandhi's resolve to hold on to discipline sounds very harsh on the family members, but to become a mahatma and to achieve the objective of getting the country the freedom this was absolutely required. Gandhi's will live for generations to come and will be remembered by all Indians and world for very long time.
February 22, 2017
Charity Begins at Home. He may be Mahatma to the world, but he should have loved his sons and family equally or as atleast as much required. Alas!!! He failed. He could have controlled Harilal from self destruction. All my heart goes to Kastur for battling her emotions and suffering between motherhood and obedient wife.
September 5, 2018
Its always dark beneath the lamp.
This book brings alive the age old irony of life. The Father of India who's hated by his own son. The hero to many but sadly not to his own family. Gandhi was the lamp that shined bright, and burnt in the darkness that came with it. Highly recommend.
This book brings alive the age old irony of life. The Father of India who's hated by his own son. The hero to many but sadly not to his own family. Gandhi was the lamp that shined bright, and burnt in the darkness that came with it. Highly recommend.
February 28, 2017
Beautiful
When I bought this book I didn't think that this book would be so beautifully written. Its amazing and I never ever read such a beautifully written book. In the end I would like to thank Neelima Dalmiya Adhar for writing such a beautiful book. Thanks a lot
When I bought this book I didn't think that this book would be so beautifully written. Its amazing and I never ever read such a beautifully written book. In the end I would like to thank Neelima Dalmiya Adhar for writing such a beautiful book. Thanks a lot
Read
April 24, 2018This fictitious diary reflects the hidden emotions of Kasturba! She is a dutiful wife torn between an overbearing husband and a wayward son. The turmoil in her mind has been portrayed vividly by the author. Mohandas may be Mahatma to the world, but for Kastur and her son Harilal may be he was not!
November 19, 2018
Contents of "..... Secret dairy..." is neither
Though the Dairy is aimed at giving the 'other' perspective of Gandhi's personality, it doesn't succeed in its objective. Could have been better.
Though the Dairy is aimed at giving the 'other' perspective of Gandhi's personality, it doesn't succeed in its objective. Could have been better.
October 28, 2016
The conclusion could have been better.
Good reading experience, but the last 10% of the account mars the crispness of the conclusion. One gets kind of impatient in the end.
Good reading experience, but the last 10% of the account mars the crispness of the conclusion. One gets kind of impatient in the end.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews