On
landing at Southampton he looked around. He saw that all the people were in
dark clothes, wearing bowler hats and carrying overcoats flung over their arms.
Mohandas was embarrassed to find that he was the only one wearing white
flannels.
In London he
stayed at first at the Victoria Hotel. Dr. P. J.Mehta, a friend of the Gandhi
family, was the first to meet him. Mohandas was impressed with Dr. Mehta’s silk
top hat. Mohandas was impressed with Dr. Mehta’s silk top hat. Out of
curiosity, he passed his hand over it and disturbed the pile of the silk. Dr.
Mehta then gave him his first lesson in European manners.
“Do not
touch people’s things,” he said. “Do not ask questions as we do in India when
we meet someone for the first time. Do not talk loudly. Never address people as
‘sir’ whilst speaking to them, as we do in India. Only servants and
subordinates address their masters in that way’.
Young Gandhi
found everything around him strange. He was homesick. He almost starved until
he discovered a vegetarian restaurant. Struggling to learn western manners and
customs, he rented a suite of rooms. He bought well- tailored clothes and a top
hat. He spent a lot., of time before the mirror, parting his straight hair and
fixing his tie. He took lessons in dancing, but soon gave it up as he had no
sense of rhythm. He tried his hand at playing the violin, but failed. He took
lessons in French and elocution, but felt sleepy in the class.
His attempt
to be an Englishman lasted about three months. Then he gave up the idea. He
converted himself into a serious student.
“I have
changed my way of life,” he told a friend,” All this foolishness has now come
to an end. I am living in one room and cooking my own food. Hereafter I shall
devote all my time to study.”
His meals
were simple. He avoided expenditure on transport and went on foot everywhere in
London. He started to keep an account of every penny that he spent.
