https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Harilal_GandhiHarilal Gandhi - Revision history2026-07-31T22:18:42ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Harilal_Gandhi&diff=291471&oldid=prev->Kvwiki1234 at 07:04, 9 January 20222022-01-09T07:04:37Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{short description|Mahatma Gandhi & Kasturba Gandhi's son}}<br />
{{more citations needed|date=September 2015}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2021}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}<br />
{{Infobox person<br />
| name = Harilal Gandhi <br />
| image = Harilal Mohandas Gandhi in 1910.jpg<br />
| image_size = 250px<br />
| caption = Gandhi in 1910<br />
| birth_name = Hiralal Mohandas Gandhi<br />
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1888|08|23}}<br />
| birth_place = [[Delhi]], [[British Raj|British India]]<br>{{small|(present-day [[India]])}}<br />
| death_date = {{death date and age|1948|06|18|1888|08|23|df=yes}}<br />
| death_place = [[Mumbai|Bombay]], [[Bombay State]], [[Dominion of India]]<br>{{small|(present-day [[Mumbai]], [[Maharashtra]], India)}}<br />
| alma_mater =<br />
| nationality =<br />
| occupation = <br />
| other_names = Hiralal Gandhi<br />
| parents = {{ubl|[[Mahatma Gandhi]] (father)|[[Kasturba Gandhi]] (mother)}}<br />
| spouse = Gulab Gandhi<br />
| children = 5 ({{hlist|Rani|Manu|Kantilal|Rasiklal|Shantilal}})<br />
| signature =<br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''Harilal Mohandas Gandhi''' (born '''Hiralal Mohandas Gandhi'''; 23 August 1888&nbsp;– 18 June 1948) was the eldest son of [[Mahatma Gandhi]] and [[Kasturba Gandhi]].<ref name="gft">*[https://web.archive.org/web/20071012232237/http://www.kincafe.com/family-tree/mahatma-gandhi/ Gandhi Family Tree]</ref> He had three younger brothers: [[Manilal Gandhi]], [[Ramdas Gandhi]] and [[Devdas Gandhi]].<br />
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==Early life==<br />
Harilal was born on 23 August 1888, just before his father left for [[England]] for higher studies.<ref name="Gandhiserve">{{cite web |title=The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi |url=https://www.gandhiservefoundation.org/about-mahatma-gandhi/collected-works-of-mahatma-gandhi/ |website=www.gandhiservefoundation.org |publisher=Gandhiserve foundation (Berlin) |access-date=4 March 2019}}</ref> Harilal remained in India with his mother.<br />
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Harilal was involved in the Indian independence movement, and was imprisoned as a [[Satyagraha|satyagrahi]] six times between 1908 and 1911.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|title=Gandhi : the man, his people and the empire|last=Gandhi, Rajmohan|isbn=9781910376263|oclc=936199613}}</ref> His willingness to endure these sentences earned him the nickname of 'Chhote (Little) Gandhi'.<ref name=":1" /><br />
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He too wanted to go to England for higher studies, hoping to become a barrister as his father had once been. His father however firmly opposed this, believing that a Western-style education would not be helpful in the struggle against [[British Raj|British rule over India]], leading to tensions between father and son.<ref name="Opposition">{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-sundaymagazine/article2275430.ece|title=The Mahatma and his son|date=22 July 2007|newspaper=The Hindu|access-date=6 August 2016|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Eventually rebelling against his father's decision, in 1911 Harilal renounced all family ties.<br />
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In 1906<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Mahatma-Gandhi-opposed-son-marrying-young/articleshow/47126787.cms|title=Mahatma Gandhi opposed son marrying young|last=Desai|first=Sukrat|date=2 May 2015|website=Times of India|access-date=3 April 2019}}</ref> he married Gulab Gandhi, with whom he had had five children: two daughters, Rani and Manu; and three sons, Kantilal, Rasiklal and Shantilal. Rasiklal and Shantilal died at an early age. He had four grandchildren (Anushrya, Prabodh, Neelam Solanki, and Navmalika) via Rani, two (Shanti and Pradeep) via Kantilal, and one (Urmi) via Manu. After Gulab [[Spanish flu|died during the 1918 influenza pandemic]], Harilal became detached from his children. He contemplated marrying his wife's sister Kumi Adalaja, who was a child widow, however this did not materialize. This led to Harilal's further descent and he gradually began to slip and became an alcoholic. He stayed in touch with his father sporadically through the years, sometimes through commonly known people, right up to 1947.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gandhi |first1=Tushar |title=The truth behind news report suggesting Mahatma Gandhi accused his son Harilal of raping his own daughter: Tushar Gandhi's open letter to media |url=https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/standpoint-the-truth-behind-news-report-suggesting-mahatma-gandhi-accused-his-son-harilal-of-raping-his-own-daughter-tushar-gandhi-s-open-letter-to-media-1988627 |access-date=4 March 2019 |publisher=DNA}}</ref><br />
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Harilal appeared at [[Assassination of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi|his father's funeral]] in such a derelict condition that few recognized him.<br />
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Neelam Parikh, the daughter of Ranibehn, the eldest of Harilal's children, wrote a biography of him subsequently, entitled ''Gandhiji's Lost Jewel: Harilal Gandhi''.<br />
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==Religious conversions==<br />
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In May 1936, at the age of 48, Harilal publicly converted to [[Islam]] and named himself Abdullah Gandhi.<ref>Gandhi, Rajmohan (2006), pp374</ref> However, later in 1936, on his mother Kasturba Gandhi's request, he converted back to [[Hinduism]] through the [[Arya Samaj]] and reverted to his original name, Harilal.<ref>Gandhi, Rajmohan (2006) p 376</ref><br />
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==Gandhi's letters==<br />
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In June 1935, Mahatma Gandhi wrote a letter<br />
<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140512/main8.htm|title=The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Main News|website=www.tribuneindia.com}}</ref> to Harilal, accusing him of "alcohol and debauchery". In the letters,<ref name="Gandhi letters">{{cite web|title=Gandhi three autograph letters signed to his son|url=http://www.mullocksauctions.co.uk/lot-668278-gandhi_three_autograph_letters_signed_his_son.html?p=32|website=Mullock's Auctions|access-date=19 September 2016}}</ref> Mahatma Gandhi stated that Harilal's problems were more difficult for him to deal with than the struggle for an independent India.<br />
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In 2014 three letters written by Mahatma Gandhi to Harilal in 1935 were offered for auction.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Gandhis-letters-accusing-son-of-raping-grand-daughter-find-no-buyer/articleshow/35487219.cms|title=Gandhi's letters accusing son of raping grand daughter find no buyer|last=Sinha|first=Kounteya|date=22 May 2014|website=Times of India|access-date=3 April 2019}}</ref> A translation of one of the letters (which was written in Gujarati) suggest that Gandhi was accusing Harilal of raping either his own daughter, Manu, or his sister-in-law.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/lost-in-translation-says-mahatma-kin/cid/182298|title=Lost in translation, says Mahatma kin|date=15 May 2014|website=Telegraph of India|access-date=3 April 2019}}</ref><br />
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==Death==<br />
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Harilal died of tuberculosis four months after Gandhi's death, on the night of 18 June 1948, aged 59. He died at a municipal hospital (now the [[Sewri]] TB Hospital) in [[Mumbai]]. His death certificate is preserved at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's archives in [[Vakola]]. Harilal's death certificate reveals that he was admitted to the hospital after being found unconscious in [[Kamathipura]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/mumbai/other/Old-hospital-records-reveal-lonely-death-of-Gandhis-son/articleshow/17863394.cms|title=OLD HOSPITAL RECORDS REVEAL LONELY DEATH OF GANDHI'S SON|last1=Mishra|first1=Lata|publisher=Mumbai Mirror|access-date=5 February 2017}}</ref> Harilal did not reveal to staff that he was Gandhi's son, and his family only found out about his hospitalisation after his death.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/mumbai/other/old-hospital-records-reveal-lonely-death-of-gandhis-son/articleshow/17863394.cms|title=Old hospital records reveal lonely death of Gandhi's son|last=Mishra|first=Lata|date=15 December 2012|website=Mumbai Mirror|access-date=3 April 2019}}</ref><br />
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==''Gandhi, My Father''==<br />
The troubled relationship between Harilal and his father is the subject of the film and play ''[[Gandhi, My Father]]''. The film adaptation was released on 3 August 2007 and directed by [[Feroz Abbas Khan]] and produced by [[Anil Kapoor]]. Harilal is portrayed by [[Akshaye Khanna]]. Khan's play, ''Mahatma vs. Gandhi'',<ref name="Mahatma vs. Gandhi">{{cite web |url=http://www.ferozkhan.com/fz_mahatmasynopsis.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=2012-08-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206002842/http://www.ferozkhan.com/fz_mahatmasynopsis.htm |archive-date=6 February 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> while different from this film, had a similar theme. There is also a [[Marathi language|Marathi]] play named ''Gandhi virudh Gandhi''.<br />
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== Family ==<br />
{{Ahnentafel|1. '''Hiralal Gandhi'''|2. [[Mahatma Gandhi|Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi]]|3. [[Kasturba Gandhi|Kasturba Mohandas Gandhi]]|4. [[Karamchand Uttamchand Gandhi|Karamchand Gandhi]]|5. Putlibai Gandhi|align=Left|collapsed=Yes}}<br />
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==Further reading==<br />
*''Harilal Gandhi: What Life''<ref name="Vedamsbooks">{{Cite web|url=https://www.vedamsbooks.com/no49306.htm|title=Vedams eBooks|website=www.vedamsbooks.com}}</ref> by Chandulal Bhagubhai Dalal<br />
*''Gandhiji's Lost Jewel: Harilal Gandhi''<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/the-prodigal-who-didnt-return/235415|title=The Prodigal Who Didn't Return|access-date=6 August 2016}}</ref> by Nilam Parikh, grand daughter of Harilal Gandhi<br />
* {{cite book|author=Dinkar Joshi|author-link=Dinkar Joshi|title=Mahatma Vs Gandhi|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_Py65JgGBLQC|date=1 January 2007|publisher=Jaico Publishing House|isbn=978-81-7992-700-7}}<br />
*{{cite journal|last1=Gandhi|first1=Gopalkrishna|title=Review: A Son's Story: Harilal Gandhi: A Life|journal=Economic and Political Weekly|date=28 April 2007|volume=42|issue=17|page=1501<!--|pages=3-->|jstor=4419514}}<br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
<references group="reference" /><br />
{{Gandhi}}<br />
{{Authority control}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gandhi, Harilal}}<br />
[[Category:1888 births]]<br />
[[Category:1948 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:Tuberculosis deaths in India]]<br />
[[Category:Mahatma Gandhi family|Harilal]]<br />
[[Category:Indian Hindus]]<br />
[[Category:Indian former Muslims]]<br />
[[Category:Converts to Hinduism from Islam]]<br />
[[Category:Converts to Islam from Hinduism]]</div>->Kvwiki1234