Gandhi admired beauty, says Tara Gandhi

Chandigarh, Jan 13 (UNI) Responding to noted Gandhian Rajmohan Gandhi's recent claim about Mahatma Gandhi's fondness for Sarla Devi, his granddaughter Tara Gandhi Bhattacharjee today said as a man of great aesthetic sensibility, if Gandhi felt attracted to a ''woman of intellect'' it could be natural.

''Gandhi was a man of great aesthetic sensibility and he admired beauty. If he ever felt attracted to a woman's intellect, it was only natural,'' Ms Bhattacharjee said even as she clarified that she herself had not heard anything about such relationship.

Ms Bhattacharjee's remarks came during a local function here when she was asked to comment on Mahatma's grandson Rajmohan Gandhi's book speaking of Gandhi's fondness for Sarla Devi.

She said Gandhi, despite being a great man, was also human.

His greatness was evident but his 'Rasikta' (romanticism) and 'saundryabodh' (aestheic sense) remained relatively unknown.

''How can a man of his refinement not admire beauty,'' she said.

Elaborating her point, Ms Bhattacharjee said Mahatma Gandhi also admired the way Rajkumari Amrit Kaur held her pen.

Reacting to the latest spoof on Gandhi by an American NRI comedian, Ms Bhattacharjee said: ''If their idea is to make the mockery of truth, they will make fools of themselves.'' She, however, clarified that she had not yet seen the movie put out on a website showing Mahatma Gandhi wielding a gun and performing pole dance in an underwear.

''All ugliness is violence,'' she added.

Meanwhile, she was all praise for Bollywood's take on Gandhism in 'Lage Raho Munna Bhai' and said through the 'Gandhigiri' of the movie, the Mahatma was established as a real person.

''Gandhi was getting evaporated in India like Buddha. Through 'Gandhigiri' he became a real person like us. If the youth of the country has started liking Gandhi after watching a film, that's a fantastic thing,'' she said.

Earlier, she distributed autobiographies of Mahatma Gandhi to principals and teachers of various schools and colleges at an annual function of Peace Clubs at KB DAV Senior Secondary Public School.

UNI