Tuesday 27 November 2018

The Secret Diary of Kasturba - Book Review

"Nothing fixes a thought so irrevocably into the matrix of the human mind as the desire to forget it."
- Neelima Dalmia Adhar, the author.

I just finished reading 'The Secret Diary of Kasturba'. 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.

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