Letter from Gandhiji to Sarojini Naidu, September 20, 1918

September 20, 1918

Dear Sister,

From the enquiries you have made about me, I know that you know about my humiliation, I mean my illness. I am getting better, but am too weak yet to move about beyond a few minutes stroll on the verandah. Much as I should like to be with you at Poornea as the men there desire my presence, it is impossible for me to do so. I hope however that you are going to behave yourself and deliver your address in Hindi or Urdu, whatever the national language may be called. Let the young men learn through your example the value of cultivating their mother tongue, for to them Hindi or Urdu is not only the national language, but their mother tongue. Do let me have a line.

Yours,
M.K. Gandhi

From: Mahadev Desai's Diary; Collected Works, Volume 15, page 47