The light has gone out (New Delhi, January 1948) JAWAHARLAL NEHRU (1889–1964)

The light has gone out (New Delhi, January 1948) JAWAHARLAL NEHRU (1889–1964)

On hearing the news of Gandhi’s murder in the evening of January 30,

Nehru rushed to Birla House—the scene of the assassination—where,

according to Gandhi’s biographer, D.G. Tendulkar, ‘he bent his head down

and began to sob like a child’. But within a few hours he had been pushed

by Mountbatten in front of the microphone and Nehru spoke unprepared

from his heart for the entire nation’s sense of irredeemable loss. It remains

one of the great impromptu speeches he ever made.

main speech

Friends and comrades, the light has gone out of our lives and there is

darkness everywhere. I do not know what to tell you and how to say it. Our

beloved leader, Bapu as we called him, the Father of the Nation, is no more.

Perhaps I am wrong to say that. Nevertheless, we will not see him again as

we have seen him for these many years. We will not run to him for advice

and seek solace from him, and that is a terrible blow, not to me only but to

millions and millions in this country. And it is a little difficult to soften the

blow by any other advice that I or anyone else can give you.

e light has gone out, I said, and yet I was wrong. For the light that shone

in this country was no ordinary light. e light that has illumined this

country for these many many years will illumine this country for many more

years, and a thousand years later, that light will still be seen in this country

and the world will see it and it will give solace to innumerable hearts. For

that light represented something more than the immediate present; it

represented the living, the eternal truths, reminding us of the right path,

drawing us from error, taking this ancient country to freedom.

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All this has happened when there was so much more for him to do. We

could never think that he was unnecessary or that he had done his task. But

now, particularly, when we are faced with so many difficulties, his not being

with us is a blow most terrible to bear.

A madman has put an end to his life, for I can only call him mad who did it

and yet there has been enough of poison spread in this country during the

past years and months, and this poison has had an effect on people’s minds.

We must face this poison, we must root out this poison, and we must face

all the perils that encompass us, and face them not madly or badly, but

rather in the way that our beloved teacher taught us to face them.

e first thing to remember now is that none of us dare misbehave because

he is angry. We have to behave like strong and determined people,

determined to face all the perils that surround us, determined to carry out

the mandate that our great teacher and our great leader has given us,

remembering always that if, as I believe, his spirit looks upon us and sees us,

nothing would displease his soul so much as to see that we have indulged in

any small behaviour or any violence.

So we must not do that. But that does not mean that we should be weak,

but rather that we should, in strength and in unity, face all the troubles that

are in front of us. We must hold together, and all our petty troubles and

difficulties and conflicts must be ended in the face of this great disaster. A

great disaster is a symbol to us to remember all the big things of life and

forget the small things of which we have thought too much. In his death he

has reminded us of the big things of life, the living truth, and if we

remember that, then it will be well with India…

It was proposed by some friends that Mahatmaji’s body should be

embalmed for a few days to enable millions of people to pay their last

homage to him. But it was his wish, repeatedly expressed, that no such

thing should happen, that this should not be done, that he was entirely

opposed to any embalming of his body, and so we decided that we must

follow his wishes in this matter, however much others might have wished

otherwise.

And so the cremation will take place on Saturday in Delhi city by the side

of the Jumna river. On Saturday forenoon, about 11–30, the pier will be

taken out at Birla House and it will follow a prescribed route and go to the

J  ll k l h b  l

Jumna river. e cremation will take place there at about 4 p.m. e place

and route will be announced by radio and the Press.

People in Delhi who wish to pay their last homage should gather along this

route. I will not advise too many of them to come to Birla House, but rather

to gather on both sides of this long route from Birla House to the Jumna

river. And I trust that they will remain there in silence without any

demonstrations. at is the best way and the most fitting way to pay

homage to this great soul. Also, Saturday should be a day of fasting and

prayer for all of us.

ose who live elsewhere, out of Delhi and in other parts of India, will no

doubt also take such part as they can in this last homage. For them also, let

this be a day of fasting and prayer. And at the appointed time for cremation,

that is 4 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, people should go to the river or to the

sea and offer prayers there. And while we pray, the greatest prayer that we

can offer is to take a pledge to dedicate ourselves to the truth, and to the

cause for which this great countryman of ours lived and for which he has

died. at is the best prayer that we can offer him and his memory. at is

the best prayer that we can offer to India and ourselves. Jai Hind.