Dear Miss Addams,
Herewith I venture to introduce you to a Parsi gentleman -- well-known in India as the Editor of the review known as East & West, and in other ways -- by name of Mr. B. M. Malabari. Mr. Malabari has at this moment a very ambitious and promising scheme on hand, for the starting of what he calls an Order of Indian Sisters of [Mercy], for work amongst women, mainly. He tells me that he had no doubts about the necessary funds, though of course it is not to be supposed that the amount in hand at starting is to impose any financial limitation upon the development of the work. He also tells me that he has a sufficient prospect in the way of membership, having ladies of the Parsee, Hindu, and Mahommedan communities who are willing to enter his home. The one element still necessary is a Head-Resident, or Lady Warden, or Mother.
It is Mr. Malabari's opinion that this position must be filled by someone from outside, who is at the same time sufficiently in sympathy with all the various communities represented, to win their confidence, instead of alienating them. He therefore tried to find a Bengali lady, and was also good enough to offer the work to me. But the only drawback to happiness in India is that one is not fifty people, to fill the fifty and five desirable inches that offer one opportunities!
Europeans who are here, are rendered unfit for his particular piece of work not only by the fact that they are apostles of an un-national idea, which is entirely incompatible with an Indian future, but also and still more obviously by their attitude to Christianity and their antagonism to other faiths. Under these circumstances, dear Miss Addams, I remembered how many of our University Settlements in England are governed by American women, and it occurred to me that you might be able to find some one who would understand exactly how to help this piece of work forward. The Home is much more a University Settlement than a religious house -- and this comparison deepens as one thinks out the necessities of the situation. I have no experience of residential work in Bombay, and so I cannot say [page 2] what are the special difficulties but the outstanding fact which one can see a' priori to be essential, is that the lady coming to occupy this position should be ready to forego English Society as completely as possible, and ready to make her home and associations and all her hopes, with the Indian communities entirely. For the rest, Mr. Malabari will explain his own views of the matter to you. But I need not say that if you do send anyone, dear Miss Addams, and if there be any help which I can possibly give, it will be entirely at her disposal always. Please give my love to Miss [Starr], and remember me to all whom I know at Hull House.
Yours very faithfully always
Nivedita of R.K-V
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