Rare collection of Mahatma Gandhi manuscripts sold for $1.69 million

A rare collection of handwritten notes by the leader of India's struggle for independence, Mahatma Gandhi, was sold for $1.69 million (£1.24 million) at an auction in the Indian city of Mumbai.

The notes, preserved by the family of Anand T. Hingorani, a close associate of Gandhi and a fighter for India's independence, include 688 messages in Gandhi's handwriting dealing with truth, non-violence, and self-restraint, written between 1944 and 1946. The auction house Saffronart stated that the sale set a record for the highest price ever paid at an auction for an Indian historical document.

Gandhi led India's non-violent struggle against British rule and is affectionately known as the Father of the Nation. However, the notes provide a more personal glimpse into the man behind the political leader. Gandhi wrote to Hingorani for about two years after the death of his wife, Vidya, offering him guidance, comfort, and encouragement. The messages were later collected in a book titled 'A Thought for the Day'.

Dinesh Vazirani, one of the founders of Saffronart, said that the collection allowed people to see Gandhi 'through the lens of a close and personal relationship'. The notes were the centerpiece of the Saffronart sale, which included 86 items and was titled 'Gandhi: From the Collection of Anand T. Hingorani'. The collection also included letters, manuscripts, photographs, and personal items kept by the Hingorani family for generations.

'These reflections provide a rare glimpse into how Gandhi lived the principles he preached publicly, making them a particularly valuable record of his thought and how he applied it,' Vazirani said in a statement.

Other items in the sale included Gandhi's notes on God and the sacred Hindu book, the Bhagavad Gita, his portable spinning wheel, and two letters concerning the spiritual discipline of spinning. Saffronart did not disclose the identity of the buyer but stated that the notes would remain in India.