On December 19, 1946, at Srirampur, Mohandas K. Gandhi told his grand-niece Manu that after Kasturba (“Ba”) died, he had allowed her to regard him in Ba’s place. Manu recorded the conversation in her diary; the line “I have been a father to many, but mother only to you” is Gandhi’s description of his role in that exchange—not a complete account of their relationship.
Where does “I’m a mother to you” come from?
The words are recorded in Manu Gandhi’s diary entry for December 19, 1946, at Srirampur. In the conversation, Gandhi addressed Manu’s return to live with him, the difficult circumstances and scrutiny she might encounter, and the responsibility he said he had taken on toward her.
The published passage is from The Diary of Manu Gandhi (1946–1948), edited and translated by Tridip Suhrud. Scroll.in published an excerpt from the book on November 6, 2024, including the date, setting, and surrounding exchange: read the diary excerpt at Scroll.in.
What did Gandhi mean by calling himself her mother?
Gandhi explained that after Ba’s death he had given Manu permission to regard him in her place. He contrasted his familiar role as a father to many with the maternal role he said he had claimed only with her:
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“I have hitherto not claimed to be anyone’s mother. I have been a father to many, but mother only to you.”
This is Gandhi speaking as Manu recorded him; the phrase should be read as his self-description in that conversation. The surrounding passage shows that he was also discussing the obligations and difficulties attached to Manu’s return, not simply offering a sentimental label.
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Who was Manu Gandhi?
Manu, also known as Mridula Gandhi, was the youngest daughter of Gandhi’s nephew Jaisukhlal Amritlal Gandhi. She came to live with Mohandas and Kasturba Gandhi at Sevagram as a young teenager in 1942. Gandhi encouraged her to keep a diary and read and checked her entries, according to the historical study “Sustaining a Nonviolent Self: Mahatma Gandhi, Madeleine Slade, and Manu Gandhi”, published in History Workshop Journal in 2022.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the line needs historical context
The diary offers Manu’s account of what Gandhi said; the 2022 article provides a broader historical interpretation of their relationship. It traces different periods in their lives together and discusses discipline, scrutiny, and unequal expectations as well as the maternal framing. Reading the single sentence as a full or uncomplicated description would therefore flatten the relationship the study examines.
The diary and the scholarly article serve different purposes: the diary is the source for the recorded exchange, while the article situates Manu and Gandhi’s relationship within a wider history. Neither distinction changes the attribution of the quoted words to Gandhi as recorded by Manu.
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