INDIA: Platonic Divorce

Miraben had left Gandhi.

In 1925 a 6-ft., freckled, 33-year-old spinster, with a big nose and intense brown eyes, felt drawn to Mohandas Gandhi after reading a book about him. She was Madeline Slade, daughter of British Admiral Sir Edmond Slade. She left England to join Gandhi, became his personal attendant, took the name of Miraben (Sister Mira) from the Rajput Princess Mira who abandoned all to follow the Hindu god Krishna. Miraben was jailed twice for her part in the civil disobedience movement.

Last week Miraben still had her platonic love for Gandhi—but at a distance. Months ago she fell in love with another Gandhi disciple, handsome, well-built Prithvi Singh, 55. Gandhi, who swears his converts to celibacy, offered to make an exception. But Prithvi Singh refused to marry Miraben. Soon afterwards he split with Gandhi, became a Communist and married another girl. Then Miraben wearied of the jealousies and squabbles in Gandhi’s ashram (place of retreat) at Sevagram. She moved to the Himalaya foothills and founded anashram of her own.