Gandhi's influences

In the article "Fervent 19th-Century Reformer," Jan. 21, a review of the book "Ahead of Her Time: Abby Kelley and the Politics of Antislavery," the author says that William Lloyd Garrison's 1838 doctrine of "nonresistance" influenced Mahatma Gandhi.

Mahatma Gandhi was very much influenced by the women bhakta poets of "old" India; in particular, he drew upon the life of Meerabai (c. 1498-1565) as his strength. Even today, Meerabai is a symbol of nonresistance, nonviolence, and hope. She is one of the few saints of secular India, revered by people of all religious faiths. Umesh Thakkar, Columbus, Ohio

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