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Gandhiji stated that such a marriage would be irreligion, not religion, and changing faith for marriage is wrong, as faith cannot be treated like clothing to be swapped
Manilal, deeply disappointed, realized he would not receive his father’s permission. (News18 Hindi)
Mahatma Gandhi’s second son, Manilal Gandhi, was born in India but spent his entire life in South Africa, advocating for the rights of the Indian community. He served as the editor of the Phoenix Settlement and the “Indian Opinion” newspaper, both established by his father.
Despite Mahatma Gandhi returning to India, Manilal stayed in South Africa, where he fell in love with Fatima, the daughter of one of his father’s Muslim colleagues.
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Manilal Gandhi first visited South Africa in 1917 and remained there, following his father’s footsteps and enduring several prison terms during the Satyagraha movement. He wished to marry Fatima, but Mahatma Gandhi was firmly opposed to inter-religious marriages.
Mahatma Gandhi’s youngest son, Devdas, also faced similar challenges in his love life, though he eventually married the woman he loved, who was the daughter of prominent Gandhian leader Chakravarti Gopalachari.
Mahatma Gandhi’s Views On Marriage
Initially, Gandhi opposed both inter-religious and inter-caste marriages, believing they would disrupt social and religious harmony. However, he adjusted his stance in the 1930s.
Which Muslim Girl Did Manilal Fall In Love With?
Manilal fell in love with Fatima, daughter of Yusuf Gul, Gandhi’s trusted aide in South Africa. Childhood friends, they grew close over time. Guided by Gandhiji’s teachings that all religions are equal, the children never saw faith as a barrier.
Research scholar Nicole Christie Nolly of the University of Birmingham has written extensively on the topic. K.R. Prabhu and U.R. Rao, in The Mind of Mahatma Gandhi, note Gandhi’s view: “Marriage is a natural element of life that will deteriorate if you take the wrong step.”
In the conversation, he also voiced his disagreement with interfaith marriage. Uma Dhupelia Mistry, Gandhiji’s great-granddaughter and senior history faculty at the University of the Cape, South Africa, has written extensively on the incident.
Manilal was confident he would marry Timmy (Fatima), but he soon realized many obstacles stood in his way. Kasturba strongly opposed interfaith marriage, unable to accept a daughter-in-law from a different religion or caste.
Manilal and Fatima’s bond endured over the years. Mani went to India with Gandhi in 1915 but returned to South Africa in 1917 to manage the Phoenix Ashram, likely unable to bear the separation from Fatima. Their friendship, which began in 1914, lasted until 1926.
In 1926, Manilal conveyed to his father, via his younger brother Ramdas, that he wished to marry Timmy. Fatima and her family had shared a close bond with Gandhi’s family in South Africa. Mani hoped for his father’s approval, but Gandhi’s response was devastating. He clarified, however, that he was writing to Mani as a friend.
Gandhiji’s Letter Shattered Dreams
The letter crushed Mani’s hopes. It read, “If you are a Hindu and marry Fatima while she remains a Muslim, it will be like two swords in one sheath. You will lose your faith. Consider the religion your children will follow.”
Gandhiji added, “This would be irreligion, not religion. Even if Fatima changed her religion just for marriage, it would be wrong. Faith is not a garment to be changed at will. Anyone who does so risks ostracism from their religion and home. Such a relationship is unacceptable and not beneficial to society.”
“This will not positively impact Hindus or Muslims. After an interfaith marriage, you won’t be able to serve the country or run the Indian Opinion Weekly from Phoenix Ashram. Traveling to India will be difficult. I can’t even tell Ba; she would never give permission,” he added.
Gandhiji, deeply concerned about the reaction in India, added a sterner warning, “You are contemplating this marriage for temporary pleasure, not knowing the meaning of true happiness.”
Mani Had To End His Relationship With Fatima
Manilal, deeply disappointed, realized he would not receive his father’s permission and, as an obedient son, refused to marry Fatima. However, he could never forgive Gandhi for this decision. Two of Gandhi’s grandchildren, Rajmohan Gandhi (Mohandas: A True Story of a Man, His People, and an Empire) and Uma Dhupelia (Gandhi’s Prisoner?: The Life of Gandhi’s Son Manilal), criticized him for this act.
While Manilal remained unmarried to Fatima, a decade later his elder brother Harilal briefly converted to Islam before reconverting to Hinduism within a month.
Married To The Daughter Of A Gujarati Baniya
After receiving Manilal’s letter, Gandhiji consulted his trusted associate Jamnalal Bajaj. Manilal was promptly married to Sushila, the 19-year-old daughter of a wealthy Gujarati Bania merchant from Akola, Maharashtra.
Before marriage, Sushila belonged to the Mashruwala community of Gujarat, a Vaishya Gujarati group known for its educated, social, and literary background.
Gandhiji instructed Manilal to inform his wife that a previous affair had ended before their marriage.
After marrying, Manilal and Sushila had three children: Ela Gandhi, Arun Gandhi, and Sushma Gandhi. Ela became a prominent South African human rights activist and served in Parliament during Nelson Mandela’s tenure. Arun and Sushma Gandhi have also contributed to social work, with Arun spending a significant period in the United States.
Though the fifth generation of Mahatma Gandhi’s family has now arrived, some members have married into other religions, but none into Islam. Today, the Gandhi family resides across the United States, Britain, Europe, South Africa, and India.
October 03, 2025, 18:38 IST
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