The Story of My Experiments with Truth · Chapter
In Benares explained
Gandhi describes his journey from Calcutta to Rajkot, with a stop in Benares.
What happens
Gandhi describes his journey from Calcutta to Rajkot, with a stop in Benares. He reflects on the hardships of third-class railway travel in India, contrasting it with Europe and South Africa, and calls on educated men to travel third class to reform conditions. In Benares, he stays with a panda, performs ritual ablutions in the Ganges, and visits the Kashi Vishvanath temple, where he is deeply pained by the dirt, noise, and commercialism. He recounts a confrontation with a panda over dakshina, and later pays a brief visit to Mrs. Besant.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This is the story's dramatic climax because it marks the emotional and psychological peak of Gandhi’s physical…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Self-Discipline and Simplicity
Gandhi chooses third-class travel and minimal spending (Rs. 31 for the journey), reflecting his commitment to simplicity and self-discipline.
- Religion and Interfaith Dialogue
Gandhi's visit to Kashi Vishvanath temple leads to a critique of the hypocrisy and irreligion he observes, emphasizing the inner search for God over external rituals.
- Social Justice and Anti-Colonialism
Gandhi highlights the neglect of third-class passengers by the railway authorities, linking it to broader issues of inequality and colonial indifference.
Characters to notice
- Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
Narrator and protagonist; travels third class, visits Kashi Vishvanath temple, and calls for reform of railway conditions.
- Mrs. Besant
Gandhi visits her in Benares to pay respects after her illness.
Key passages
“The third class compartments are practically as dirty, and the closet arrangements as bad, today as they were then.”
Third-class train compartments remain just as dirty and poorly maintained as in the past.
Gandhi criticizes the persistent lack of improvement in third-class railway facilities.
“I searched here for God but failed to find Him.”
I looked for God at the Jnana-vapi but did not find Him.
Gandhi expresses his spiritual disappointment with the temple's atmosphere.
“The woes of mahatmas are known to mahatmas alone.”
Only those who are considered great souls truly understand their own sufferings.
Gandhi reflects on the irony of being a 'mahatma' while unable to have a peaceful darshan.
