Shri G. Ramachandran is a distinguished graduate of the Visva Bharathi

(Shri G. Ramachandran is a distinguished graduate of the Visva Bharathi (International University founded by the great poet Rabindranath Tagore at Shantiniketan in Bengal). For 20 years he has worked in close association with Mahatma Gandhi. He went to prison seven times for taking part in the national revolution under Gandhiji. Also author of ‘A Sheaf of Gandhi Anecdotes’ – (Hind Kitabs). A valiant fighter of Indian freedom under Gandhiji, served several terms of imprisonment, wife of the poet Haundranath Chattopahyaya, brother of Mrs. Sarojini Naidu). There is one unforgettable picture that comes to me from those days. Every morning and evening Gandhiji went out for daily long walks. Some of the ashram inmates and many of the ashram children used to accompany him in these walks. Indeed it was one of their greatest delights to do so, specially for children. These children used to keep pace with Gandhiji by running with him most of the time as he walked with his usual long strides. While the elder people used to keep behind Gandhiji these walks, the little ones scampered about his legs like so many kittens or puppies. The children took the greatest liberties with him and he used to thoroughly enjoy it. He would shout and laugh with them and as they made faces at him he would do the same thing in return. He would crack endless jokes with them and so right through the walk it was all fun and frolic. One day as I was looking for the party returning from a walk, I heard a great shouting on the distance and a good bit of dust arose from the road as Gandhiji and the children came on at a quicker pace than usual. At first I could not make out what was happening. As the party came nearer I saw before me nothing less than a human idyll of laughter and happiness. All the children in the company were divided into two parties, one on each side of Gandhiji and they holding in their hands his long bamboo walking stick. Gandhiji himself was seated precariously on the middle of the stick with each of his arms thrown around the needs of the nearest children. They were carrying him and filling the air with their laughter and Gandhiji himself was laughing away for all he was worth and shouting, “quicker, quicker”, At the time Gandhiji was fifty-seven or fifty-eight years of age and he had already become the world-famous Mahatma.