A Birthday Letter
by Jawaharlal Nehru
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Written from Naini Prison on 26 October 1930, this is a letter of blessings from Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to his daughter Indira on her thirteenth birthday. Imprisoned by the British, Nehru cannot send a material gift, so he sends a present 'of the mind and spirit' that even prison walls cannot stop. He dislikes sermonising, and prefers that truth should emerge through talking and discussion; since a letter is only one-sided, he asks Indira to imagine they are having a talk. He reminds her that ordinary men and women become heroes when a whole people is stirred by a great cause, and that in India a great leader, Bapuji (Gandhiji), has inspired the poor and oppressed to noble sacrifice, so that men, women and even little children have become 'India's soldiers of freedom'. He urges Indira to respect India's honour and offers her one simple test whenever she is in doubt: never do anything in secret or anything she would wish to hide, for the wish to hide means fear, and fear is unworthy of her. In their great Freedom Movement there is no room for secrecy; they 'work in the sun and in the light'. He wishes her to grow up brave, a 'child of the light', serene and unafraid, a brave soldier in India's service.
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A gift of the mind and spirit
In 1930 India was not free and many leaders were imprisoned. From Naini Prison, Nehru writes that he cannot send Indira a material gift on her birthday, only good wishes and a present 'of the mind and spirit' that the high prison walls cannot stop. He dislikes sermonising and believes truth is best found through talking and discussion, so he asks her to imagine they are having a real talk.
How ordinary people become heroes
Nehru reminds Indira how she was once fascinated by the story of Jeanne d'Arc. Ordinary men and women usually think only of their bread and butter, but when a whole people becomes interested in a great cause, history helps even simple people become heroes. In India a great leader, full of love for all who suffer and eager to help them, has inspired the people to great actions and noble sacrifice, making the starving, poor and oppressed free and happy.
Bapuji and the soldiers of freedom
Bapuji (Gandhiji) is in prison, but 'the magic of his message' has stolen the hearts of India's millions. Men, women and even little children have come out of their shells to become India's soldiers of freedom. Nehru tells Indira that they are fortunate to see history being made and to take part in this great drama, and asks what part they shall play in it.
The test of truth and courage
If they are to be India's soldiers, they must respect India's honour, which is a sacred trust. Nehru gives Indira one simple test: never do anything in secret or anything she would wish to hide, because the desire to hide means fear, and fear is a bad thing, unworthy of her. In their Freedom Movement, under Bapuji's leadership, there is no room for secrecy, 'We work in the sun and in the light.' He wishes her to grow up a 'child of the light', brave, serene and unafraid, a brave soldier in India's service.