The letters, two newspapers and journal, which were bought by India for a whopping USD 1.28 million from a UK auction house, is now part of the Private Paper Collections at the National Archives of India.
The exhibition titled 'Gandhi-Kallenbach Papers' was inaugurated by Culture Minister Chandresh Kumari Katoch and Gandhi's grandson Gopalkrishna Gandhi on his 65th death anniversary today. It will be on till February 15.
Only 75 of the 1500 letters of the collection are put on display and they reflect upon the starting of first Satyagrah movement in South Africa and give an insight into the relationship that was shared between the two families.
Some of the interesting features of the letters are that Gandhi's sons address Hermann as "Uncle Kallenbach" and also throws more light on Gandhi's relationship with Kallenbach's brother Simon Kallenbach and niece Hana Lazar.
Gandhi's family kept Kallenbach and his brother informed constantly about the Indian freedom struggle and the health condition of the father of the nation, the letters show.
The letters also gives information on how Gandhi became friends with Kallenbach in South Africa and how their relationship transformed over the years.
The correspondence classified in 13 groups also contains some letters of Isabella Fyvie Mayo, a close associate of Gandhi and Kallenbach apart from being a pioneering translator of Tolstoy's writings into English.
Besides, the collection has 287 photographs and memorabilia which shows the impact of Gandhi in the daily life of Kallenbach. The original copies of Young India and Harijan are also part of the collection. (More)
