This is an old incident. In Delhi, a woman
emaciated by the disease was about to die. Her respiration was the only sign
of life. She had lost all hopes for life. Thinking that she was about to
embark upon her last journey, she kept murmuring ‘Ramnam’, but she earnestly
wished to meet Gandhiji. She hoped that her last wish be granted by the
God. Gandhiji was nowhere near Delhi at the time, so it seemed rather
impossible. But to me it seemed unfortunate that a dying person’s wish could
not be met. I said to her, “Let’s see. If God provides, your wish might be
granted.”
After two days, I came to know that Gandhiji
was coming from Kanpur and going to Ahmedabad via Delhi. His train would
arrive at Delhi at 4 O’clock, early in the morning and the train to
Ahmedabad would depart at 5 O’clock. There was just an hour in-between. The
sick woman lived ten miles from Delhi. Going to see her and coming back in
an hour’s time was rather impossible.
It was a windy day of the winter season. To
ask Bapu to travel twenty miles back and forth seemed improper to me.
Secondly that distressed woman didn’t at all now about Gandhiji’s arrival
there. Gandhiji alighted the train. I whispered to him hesitantly, “Could
you stay here for a day?” Gandhiji said, “Its very difficult.” I was
depressed to hear that. I knew how disappointed the sick woman would be!
Gandhiji asked me, “Why do you ask me to
stay?” I told him the reason. Gandhiji said, “Come, we shall go there at
once.” I said, “How dare I take you out in an open car in this chilling
weather?”
He asked me not to worry about it and to get
him in the car immediately. I did so. It was extremely cold and windy. The
day was about to break. The early morning silence pervaded the atmosphere.
The sick woman was saying ‘Ramnam’ on her deathbed. Gandhiji went to her
bed. I told her, “See, Gandhiji has come.” She could hardly believe it.
Stunned, she tried to get up but had no strength left. Tears rolled down her
eyes. The sick woman’s eyes expressed the peace she felt. Gandhiji’s train
had already departed but we were able to catch it at the next station.