In a record-breaking moment for an Indian historical document sold at an auction, a collection of 688 autographed reflections by Mahatma Gandhi has gone ₹16.20 crore at a Saffronart auction to a winning bidder who remains anonymous.
Penned over two years to console and guide his grieving close associate, freedom fighter Anand T. Hingorani, following the death of his wife Vidya, these daily messages were later compiled into a book: “A Thought for the Day.”
Hingorani met Mahatma Gandhi in 1930 and worked at Sabarmati Ashram. He also participated in the Dandi March and joined the Civil Disobedience and Quit India movements, according to a Saffronart press release.
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"Gandhi: From the Collection of Anand T Hingorani", featured 86 lots of letters, pictures, manuscripts, and personal objects.
The auction house has also confirmed that “the buyer is from within India and the manuscript will stay in the country, according to news agency PTI.
{{/usCountry}}The auction house has also confirmed that “the buyer is from within India and the manuscript will stay in the country, according to news agency PTI.
{{/usCountry}}It further reported that, as per the auction house, the collection addresses various points including truth, ahimsa, brahmacharya, non-possession, religious equality, the removal of untouchability, Ramanama, hunger, duty, Swaraj, non-attachment, the search for God, and several others.
Key auction highlights
1- "Message on God": A set of three related manuscript and correspondence items concerning Mahatma Gandhi's reflections on God and the Bhagavad Gita, sold for ₹1.68 crore (USD 176,842).
2- Personal objects: 'Peti charkha' (box spinning wheel) with two letters on the spiritual discipline of spinning, sold for ₹1.02 crore (USD 107,368).
3- A signed presentation photograph of Mahatma Gandhi writing sold for ₹78 lakh (USD 82,105).
4- A set of letters, telegrams, and postcards focused on economic independence sold for ₹57.60 lakh (USD 60, 632).
According to the report, the collection, preserved by the Hingorani family for decades, offered an intimate perspective on Gandhi.
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Saffronart on response to auction
In a statement, Dinesh Vazirani, co-founder, Saffronart, said the response to Lot 80 reinforced its historical significance.
“It has been a privilege to bring the Anand T Hingorani Collection to auction and share a remarkable record of Gandhi’s life and thought. What makes this collection particularly compelling is the opportunity to see one of the most significant figures in India’s history through the lens of a close, personal relationship," Vazirani said.
“The exceptional response to Lot 80—a series of reflections written by Gandhi for Hingorani—reinforces its rarity and historical significance. Together, these reflections offer a rare insight into how Gandhi lived the principles he advocated publicly, making this an especially valuable record of his thought and practice,” the Saffronart co-founder added.