Gandhi in London

   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.

Mohandas joined the London Vegetarian Society and soon found himself in its executive council. He wrote articles for the magazine Vegetarian.

The bar examination did not require much study and Gandhi had ample time to spare. Oxford or Cambridge was out of the question because it meant a long course and much expense.

 He, therefore, decided to appear for the London matriculation examination. It meant hard work, but he liked to work hard. He passed in French. English and chemistry but failed in Latin. He tried again and this time passed in Latin, too. Meanwhile, he progressed in his study of law; and in November 1888 was admitted to the Inner Temple.