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Gandhi and Sexuality: in What Ways and to What Extent Was Gandhi’S Life Dominated by His Views on Sex and Sexuality? Priyanka Bose

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Gandhi and Sexuality: in What Ways and to What Extent Was Gandhi’S Life Dominated by His Views on Sex and Sexuality? Priyanka Bose View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by The South Asianist Journal Gandhi and sexuality: in what ways and to what extent was Gandhi’s life dominated by his views on sex and sexuality? Priyanka Bose Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 137–177 | ISSN 2050-487X | www.southasianist.ed.ac.uk www.southasianist.ed.ac.uk | ISSN 2050-487X | pg. 137 Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 137–177 Gandhi and sexuality: in what ways and to what extent was Gandhi’s life dominated by his views on sex and sexuality? Priyanka Bose [email protected] Though research is coming to light about Gandhi’s views on sexuality, there is still a gap in how this can be related or focused to his broader political philosophy and personal conduct. Joseph Alter states: “It is well known that Gandhi felt that sexuality and desire were intimately connected to social life and politics and that self-control translated directly into power of various kinds both public and private.”* However, I would argue, that the ways in which Gandhi connected these aspects, why and how, have not been fully discussed and are, indeed, not well known. By studying his views and practices with relation to sexuality, I believe that much can be discerned as to how his political philosophy and personal conduct were both established and acted out. In this paper I will aim, therefore, to address: what his views were on sex and sexuality, contextualizing his views with those of the time, what his influences were in his ideology on sex, and how these ideologies framed and related to his political philosophy as well as conduct. Through establishing all this I hope to emphasise the significance of his views on sex in better understanding Gandhi’s political philosophy and conduct. *Joseph Alter, “Celibacy, Sexuality and Transformation of Gender into Nationalism” in the Journal of Asian Studies, Vol, 53, No.1 (Feb, 1994). P.45 www.southasianist.ed.ac.uk | ISSN 2050-487X | pg. 138 Introduction Control over his sexuality formed an integral 2 For men like me, you have to measure them not component of this plan. by the rare moments of greatness in their lives, Gandhi’s theory on sexuality evolved over but by the amount of dust they collect in the the course of time in which he was a political course of life’s journey figure, the developments of his views and M. K. Gandhi1 beliefs occurred alongside and in conjunction with that of his political philosophy. By tracing hough Mohandas “Mahatma” the development of his theory of sexuality over Karamchand Gandhi is probably one the course of his life, particularly by identifying Tof the most written about political the influences that shaped his philosophy and leaders and philosophers to date, there are still his diversion from these ideologies, as well as areas of his life that have been inadequately by analysing his relationship with his family examined and analysed. Gandhi believed that and the changes in his sexual philosophy over the public and private spheres of life were the course of his time spent in politics in both intimately connected, and as a result much of South Africa and India, the far reaching extent what he did in his private life, directly reflected to which Gandhi connected his sexual beliefs on his public image and ideology. This can be with his political views and personal conduct seen, in particular, in regards to his sexual can be identified. Indeed, what comes to light is views and practices. the fact that much of what has been studied Gandhi’s views on sex and sexuality about this aspect of Gandhi’s life has in fact formed an integral part of his theory of politics. been misinterpreted. Gandhi was not in fact Of his five main tenets for which he is most ‘obsessed with sex’ as many sources have well-known: swaraj, ahimsa, swadeshi, portrayed him to be. Such an interpretation is sarvodaya and satyagraha, each encompassed due to a fundamental cultural misunderstanding of both Hinduism and Indian culture. Rather, within it an element of Gandhi’s beliefs on sex. As a political leader and figure of nationalism, his views and practices regarding sexuality Gandhi believed that in order to regenerate were intimately connected with his desire to be India, he, himself, had to become as pure a a guru, a political sannyasi, and as his influence spirit or as perfect a man as he possibly could. as a public figure evolved, so did his sexual ideology. 1 Gandhi as quoted in Joseph Lelyveld, Great Soul : 2 Bhikhu Parekh, Colonialism, Tradition, Reform: An Mahatma Gandhi and His Struggle with India (New Analysis of Gandhi's Political Discourse (New Delhi: York: Alfred Knopf, 2011). pp.x Sage Publications, 1999). pp.261 www.southasianist.ed.ac.uk | ISSN 2050-487X | pg. 139 Contextualizing Gandhi’s sexual ideology brahmacharya not only to religion and self- In tracing the development of Gandhi’s sexual control but also to health. practices and beliefs, an overview and It was only a mere few months from the contextualization of Gandhi’s specific views point at which he undertook his celibacy vow must be established. Gandhi undertook a vow that he recognised its national importance and of celibacy in 1906, referring to it as his potential and started to pressurise others to take brahmacharya vow. Brahmacharya, within it too, stating: “it is necessary for many Indians Hinduism is one of the four stages of life; to observe brahmacharya, even if they get 4 specifically it refers to the first stage of life, married.” He was displeased with his own son that of the student. The student, at this stage, for not having followed suit: That it has become necessary [for me] to while learning about spirituality must retain get married is due to the sensual celibacy. Gandhi adopted the Hindu term atmosphere [in India]. It is not any dislike for the country but the grief I feel for its ‘brahmacharya’ to refer to his own practice of present sorry plight that prompts me to say celibacy, despite the fact that he was neither a this.5 student nor in the first stage of his life- he had Gandhi connected sexuality to the plight of already been married at this point for eighteen India’s political state from a very early stage, years and had conceived four sons. It was and having undertaken his celibacy vow was during his time in South Africa and right before quick to cajole others to do the same. From this he undertook his first satyagraha vow that he initial theorizing of his views, Gandhi’s sexual vowed to be celibate. His undertaking of the ideology underwent an intense development up celibacy vow can be seen as the point of until his death. His initial view while he was conception of his theory on sexuality. fervently committed to it was not nearly as Gandhi defined his brahmacharya ideal as radical as it was to become. the “search for the Brahman…Brahmacharya If the undertaking of celibacy is the basis means control in thought, speech and action of of Gandhi’s sexual ideology, its development all sense, at all places and at all times. The man can be seen as culminating in a somewhat or woman who observes such perfect paradoxical sense with his sexual experiments brahmacharya is totally free from disease and, in the immediate years leading up to his therefore, he or she lives ever in the presence of assassination. Gandhi connected his personal God, is like God.” 3 He thus connected Narajivan: 25-5-1924,“pp 22-26 [Herein referred to as CWMG) 3 Mahatma Gandhi, The Collected Works of Mahatma 4 CWMG Vol 6:347, “Letter to Lakshmidas Gandhi,” 20- Gandhi, (New Delhi: Publications Division Government 04-1907, pp. 40 of India, 1999). Vol 28:14,“Brahmacharya” from 5 ibid www.southasianist.ed.ac.uk | ISSN 2050-487X | pg. 140 success of controlling his celibacy with the Gandhi’s sexual views and beliefs helped political success of India. During the more shape his political ideology and personal difficult periods of the nationalist struggle his conduct. His adherence to his celibacy views on sex can be seen as becoming increased his self-esteem which provided him increasingly radical. In the final phase of both with the necessary courage to lead the country his life and the nationalist struggle, he was in its struggle for independence. Therefore his particularly disturbed by the communal sexual practices can be seen as possessing a violence taking place in India between Hindu necessary psychological element. However, and Muslims and by the speculation of this was not the purpose of his sexual partition. Gandhi took the failure of the country undertaking. Gandhi’s main purpose for his to unite and the violence that ensued as a sign sexual experiments was in the hope of securing of his failure as a brahmachari. Gandhi spiritual power.7 Therefore, throughout this believed that the violence and untruth that essay the spiritual versus psychological pervaded the public domain at the time were dichotomy behind Gandhi’s sexual reflective of shortcomings in his own ahimsa undertakings will also be considered. and brahmacharya.6 He thus sought to challenge his sexuality by taking a number of Gandhi and Freud: the spiritual & his female associates, including his two psychological dichotomy grandnieces Manu and Abha Gandhi, to bed Gandhi, in explaining his own personal with him. They would each lie naked alongside experiments with brahmacharya, differentiates Gandhi who would also be naked so he could between his experiences while he is awake and test his sexual control and as such his political his experiences while in a sleeping state.
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