Sir Pherozeshah had made my way easy. So from Bombay I went to Poona.
Here there were two parties. I wanted the help of people of every
shade of opinion. First I met Lokamanya Tilak. He said:
'You are quite right in seeking the help of all parties. There can
be no difference of opinion on the South African question. But you
must have a non-party man for your president. Meet Professor
Bhandarkar. He has been taking no part of late in any public
movement. But this question might possibly draw him out. See him and
let me know what he says. I want to help you to the fullest extent.
Of course you will meet me whenever you like. I am at your
disposal.'
This was my first meeting with the Lokamanya. It revealed to me the
secret of his unique popularity.
Next I met Gokhale. I found him on the Fergusson College grounds. He
gave me an affectionate welcome, and his manner immediately won my
heart. With him too this was my first meeting, and yet it seemed as
though we were renewing an old friendship. Sir Pherozeshah had
seemed to me like the Himalaya, the Lokamanya like the ocean. But
Gokhale was as the Ganges. One could have a refreshing bath in the
holy river. The Himalaya was unscaleable, and one could not easily
launch forth on the sea, but the Ganges invited one to its bosom. It
was a joy to be on it with a boat and an oar. Gokhale closely
examined me, as a schoolmaster would examine a candidate seeking
admission to a school. He told me whom to approach and how to
approach them. He asked to have a look at my speech. He showed me
over the college, assured me that he was always at my disposal,
asked me to let him know the result of the interview with Dr. Bhandarkar, and sent me away exultantly happy. In the sphere of
politics the place that Gokhale occupied in my heart during his
lifetime and occupies even now was and is absolutely unique.
Dr. Bhandarkar received me with the warmth of a father. It was noon
when I called on him. The very fact that I was busy seeing people at
that hour appealed greatly to this indefatigable savant, and my
insistence on a non-party man for the president of the meeting had
his ready approval, which was expressed in the spontaneous
exclamation, 'That's it,' 'that's it.'
After he had heard me out he said: 'Anyone will tell you that I do
not take part in politics. But I cannot refuse you. Your case is so
strong and your industry is so admirable that I cannot decline to
take part in your meeting. You did well in consulting Tilak and
Gokhale. Please tell them that I shall be glad to preside over the
meeting to be held under the joint auspices of the two Sabhas. You
need not have the time of the meeting from me. Any time that suits
them will suit me.' With this he bade me good-bye with
congratulations and blessings.
Without any ado this erudite and selfless band of workers in Poona
held a meeting in an unostentatious little place, and sent me away
rejoicing and more confident of my mission.
I next proceeded to Madras. It was wild with enthusiasm. The
Balasundaram incident made a profound impression on the meeting. My
speech was printed and was, for me, fairly long. But the audience
listened to every word with attention. At the close of the meeting
there was a regular run on the 'Green Pamphlet.' I brought out a
second and revised edition of 10,000 copies. They sold like hot
cakes, but I saw that it was not necessary to print such a large
number. In my enthusiasm I had overcalculated the demand. It was the
English-speaking public to which my speech had been addressed, and
in Madras that class alone could not take the whole ten thousand.
The greatest help here came to me from the late Sjt. G.
Parameshvaran Pillay, the editor of The Madras Standard.
He had made a careful study of the question, and he often invited me
to his office and gave me guidance. Sjt. G. Subrahmaniam of The Hindu
and Dr. Subrahmaniam also were very sympathetic. But Sjt. G.
Parameshvaran Pillay placed the columns of The Madras Standard
entirely at my disposal, and I freely availed myself of the offer.
The meeting in Pachaiappa's Hall, so far as I can recollect, was
with Dr. Subrahmaniam in the chair.
The affection showered on me by most of the friends I met and their
enthusiasm for the cause were so great that, in spite of my having
to communicate with them in English, I felt myself entirely at home.
What barrier is there that love cannot break?