My week with Gandhi by Louis Fischer Study Guide and Questions Answers:-
Question:-
Write a description of Gandhi and his habits following the
account given by Fischer in “My week with Gandhi’.
Answer:-
Gandhi was 73 when Fischer met him at Sevagram. Still he was
stout bodied. He had soft brown complexion. His skin was soft and had a healthy
glow. He had round shaped chest, thin waist and long muscular legs. His body
did not reveal his age. Only his face betrayed his age. He had a pair of quite
gentle eyes. He had no teeth and used dentures only for eating. He had an
ever-smiling face.
Gandhi lived a simple life. He put on loin cloth and sandals
and lived in a thatched hut. He was very punctual. He was an early riser. He
went out on a morning stroll for half an hour. The time of his evening was also
fixed. He had extraordinary power of self-control, determination. His love of
simplicity, hatred of pretence, his love of man, non-violence. Though he did
not have mighty stature like George, Churchill and Roosevelt, he had a
wonderful personality that had great impact on everybody.
Question:-
Describe the author’s first meeting with Gandhi.
Answer:-
The author, Louis Fischer, reached Gandhi’s ashram at
Sevagram from Wardha. Gandhi received him with outstretched hands at the
junction of the village road. At seventy three Gandhi’s health was very good.
His waist was thin; his chest was round; and his legs were muscular. By his
intimate conduct he made the author felt at home immediately. He told him that
the author could have an hour’s talk with him after lunch and walk with him in
the evening.
Question:-
What was the author’s impression of the ashram?
Answer:-
During his stay in the ashram, the author was to be looked
after by Khursheed
Naoroji, the granddaughter of the great Indian leader, Dadabhai
Naoroji. She took him to the guest-hut. The hut consisted of two rooms-one bed
room and an attached bathroom. The hut was of mud walls and bamboo roof. The
floor of the bedroom was earthen, while that of bathroom cemented. In the
bathroom where were tubs, pails and pitches of water. It was summer and the
temperature was high. At least five or six baths per day were necessary to make
oneself comfortable. Running water, electricity, fans, radio or telephone-all
these were absent there.
