The papers I studied in the Asian and African Collections of the British Library were written by Mulk Raj Anand. Anand was an Indian writer. One of his pieces that I read in preparation for this archive was Little Plays of Mahatma Gandhi which explored Anand's complex relationship with Mahatma Gandhi.

These archives were such a unique experience and one that has changed my perspective about academic research. Furthermore, I was not expecting to think about the meaning of long distance friendship and communication. Anand's quote stating, “The news of your projected visit to India in the winter has already lifted me somewhat from the morbid-gloom into which I had such through recent events,” spurred me to think about the meaning of friendship. This extends to the Bloomsbury Group and the extensive network of friends that composed the group. Without these friendships, there is no doubt (as Virginia Woolf notes) that their influential works would have been produced and would revolutionize the 20th century onward. 

Not only are friendships extremely beneficial for the self, but they can also prove to be extremely beneficial for the world. 

Reflecting on friendship, I was reminded of Anand’s Little Plays of Mahatma Gandhi. In it, Anand writes himself as the main character named, K.C. Azad, who (in scene 1) is having a discussion with Gandhi over theological beliefs. Azad attempts to catch Gandhi in a hypocritical practice throughout their conversation. The two characters share an interesting dynamic, because while the two characters share an element of companionship, Azad also expresses a contempt for Gandhi. I believe Anand manifests his ambivalence toward Gandhi in the character of Azad. This same ambivalence reminded me of the friendship dynamics in the Bloomsbury Group. 

In the scene, Gandhi advises Azad to, “Write in any language that comes to hand… Don’t use ‘These’ and ‘Thous’.” (The Three Vows, 23). This piece of advice is not only incredibly powerful for anyone, but it also reminds me of another shared correlation with the Bloomsbury Group. While Bloomsbury Group wrote “in their own language” when it came to producing artwork, developing new economic ideologies, and unraveling the conventional narrative writing style. This “language” would become known as the modernist movement.