When did Leo Tolstoy write a letter to Tarak Nath Das?
Leo Tolstoy wrote the letter on the 14th of December 1908. This document emerged from two letters sent by Das seeking support for India's independence from colonial rule.
Questions about A Letter to a Hindu
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How many drafts did Leo Tolstoy create before finishing his letter to Tarak Nath Das?
Tolstoy created twenty-nine drafts before reaching a conclusion on the final form. He spent seven months preparing this single letter which grew to four hundred thirteen pages of handwritten text containing six thousand words.
Why did Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi translate Leo Tolstoy's letter into Gujarati?
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi translated the original English copy into Gujarati himself so that the ideas could reach a wider audience within the Indian community abroad. He wanted to publish it in his own newspaper called Indian Opinion in 1909 after reading the letter while living in South Africa.
What strategy did Leo Tolstoy argue was necessary to free India from colonial rule?
Leo Tolstoy argued that only love could free India from colonial rule through individual nonviolent application via protests and strikes. Peaceful resistance became the core strategy he advocated for the movement rather than violent revolution or armies.
Which ancient Tamil moral literature did Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi study because of Leo Tolstoy's correspondence?
Gandhi discovered ancient Tamil moral literature known as the Tirukkuval through this correspondence where Tolstoy referred to it as Hindu Kural. The young activist began studying the Kural while imprisoned by authorities to connect modern political thought with classical Indian ethics.