Francis letters to Ambedkar tell a poignant story of love
- By Our Correspondent

Roli Books has announced plans to publish a book based on the love letters that an English lady, Francis Fritzgerald, wrote to Dr B.R. Ambedkar. The author, Arun Kamble, professor of Marathi at Mumbai University, believes the "much in love" duo did not know that their relationship would end abruptly in 1943. According to the publishers, Francis was denied a visa to visit India and the two drifted apart. A barrister, K.K. Khade, an associate of Dr Ambedkar, met her in 1964 at a coffee shop near a Tube station in London and reportedly asked her if she knew that Dr Ambedkar had dedicated his last book, What Congress and Gandhi Have Done to the Untouchables (published in 1945), to her. Francis reply was, "I should think so."

According to the publisher, the two met in Geneva and the relationship blossomed when Dr Ambedkar stayed in Francis 10, King Henrys Road, Hampstead, flat on his various visits to England. Francis used to take in lodgers at her apartment.

The letters that Francis wrote to Ambedkar at the height of the Indian freedom struggle (between 1922-1943) indicated her obsession for him. Francis addresses Dr Ambedkar lovingly as "Bhim" and mostly ends the letters with "yours lovingly," or "with fondest love and lots of kisses, yours for always."

In one of the letters she says, "I want you to kiss me. I want to feel your strong arms holding me tight. I want you so much, your photograph is on the table beside me but it does not answer me, it does not kiss me back when I kiss it, the other one hangs over my bed, the little bed you had, I sleep in it now."

The letters often show a woman in love worrying about Dr Ambedkars failing health. In another letter she says, "I think that the fact of you losing 16 pounds is too much and I am very much afraid that if you stay there much longer you will be reduced to a skeleton and all the capacity for work will have left you. In fact, I hate to think what you will be like after all this drastic treatment."

Ambedkar soon became a part of the Francis family, and he would often send her money to buy things for her two children, Roy and Eileen. In one letter she says, "Thank you so much dear for your letter and cheque for five pounds, I have bought Eileen a gold wristlet watch and bracelet, I am sure she will be delighted with it."

Francis knew Ambedkar was married to his then first wife Ramabai, but she still wrote to him, "I would forgive much in a husband but for being unfaithful, I could not forgive. What I always say is that when people are single let them do what they like, they have only themselves to consider but when they are married it is different."

It is apparent from the letters that Francis, who used to work in the House of Commons, kept Dr Ambedkar informed about what was happening in the British Parliament and politics. In a letter she says, "I am glad to say the House is opening Tuesday then I can get busy... it looks like a general election this autumn, if so I think the Conservatives will come to power again, dont you? The Labour government seems to have done more harm than good."

These soon-to-be published letters have upset Dr B.R. Ambedkars son Prakash. Prof. Kamble says that this is not the first time that these letters are in focus. "Dr Ambedkars biographer C.B. Khairmode in the second volume of the 12 volumes he wrote has mentioned Francis in detail. And this book has been published by the literary and cultural organisation of the Maharashtra government," says Kamble.

***

10, King Henrys Road

Primrose Hill,

N.W. 3

Thank you so much dear for your letter & cheque five pounds, I have bought Eileen a gold wristlet watch & bracelet, I am sure she will be delighted with it, I am so sorry you will not be here for the party, I dont suppose you will mind as I know you do not care foe parties.

You have not yet told me why you did not come when you said you were coming, what were the difficulties that prevented you coming, do come as soon as you can dear. I am counting the days. I feel sure with my love & care you will soon be well again, if you could let one know the time of your arrival, I would meet you at the station.

God bless keep you safe

till we meet.

with fondest love

ever yours

......XX

Dont fall in love with her, youre mine

10, King Henrys Road,

N. M. S

My darling Bhim,

It is with a very heavy heart I write to you, you going away has indeed left me desolate, I do want you oh so much, I never thought we should be separated again, I was so happy when I knew you were coming, and I thought that we should be together and now you have left me again and I cant bear it, you will come back soon my darling, I want you to kiss me and I want to feel your strong arms holding me tight I want you so much, your photograph is on the table beside me but it does not answer me, it does not kiss me back when I kiss it, other one hangs over my bed, the little bed you had, I sleep in it now and last night (it was Wednesday) and I thought of the week before and I spent the night in weeping, dont be cross with me dear, but you know you are my whole world, every minute of the day I am thinking of you. Thank you dear for the letter from Marseilles what would I give to have been in place. I wonder if you have made her acquaintance and if you still think she is like me, she couldnt be quite me you must not fall in love with her, you are mine and mine only, I could not spare a tiny bit for anyone else. I see the Mooltan arrived yesterday at Port Said so I am looking for a letter from there, I am sorry dear I could not write to you, but I called the day after you left at the P & O offices to see if I could send , you a letter, and they told me I could not catch the boat anywhere and so I am sending this by air tomorrow and it will be there when you get to Bombay, you will cable me as soon as you arrive.

Last Friday, I went also to Kings Shipping Agency and then called at Messrs Withers to know when Kings people and also Roy could go to 2 Buildings, they told me the people were all down with the flue: and that it would not be possible for anyone to go for some days, so I cannot send you bye this mail either a list of the books or an estimate from Kings but I will do my best next week, I shall call you again tomorrow at Messrs Withers and hear what they say, I also went to.......................... and they are sending you on the books straight away, and I have posted off their catalogue.

Thank you dearie for the long letter you gave me in the Taxi, I shall go and see my father in a week or so, now that you have made it possible.

I shall finish this tomorrow in case I have to add something after I see .............................- I got a letter this morning from Messrs Withers saying that Rings man could go and inspect the books so I have just called at............................. and told them, now I am going to write and ask when Roy can go, and so next week my dear I shall be able to send you both the list and estimate, you see it was quite impossible to get it done this week. With fondest love and lots of kisses yours for always......

F xxxx

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[ZESTCaste] Francis� letters to Ambedkar tell a poignant story of love

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