Letters belonging to Mahatma Gandhi, once the preeminent leader of Indian nationalism in British-ruled India for employing nonviolent civil disobedience, are now up for auction.

An auction house in India revealed this week that two letters, one written by Gandhi and another autographed by him, are expected to go on a heritage art auction on April 28 at 7 p.m. at the Taj President ballroom in Mumbai. Both letters are nearly 80 years old, which makes them historically significant, and perhaps priceless.

The letters were written in 1935, one in August and the other in October. Both letters were written in the Gujarati language in Wardha, a town in the central Indian state of Maharashtra.

One letter translates as reading, "Religion is what a man himself believes to be such."

The other letter reads: "People who after a superficial study of my life, take hasty decisions imitating me feel frustrated and many event repent," The Times of India reported.

The CEO of Rajgor's auctions, Dilip Rajgor, who is holding the event, says that such letters abroad would go for millions, but the starting price for both letters is low. Each letter starts at 100,000 Rupees (about 1,198 Euros, or $1,657.00 US).

One report suggests that despite the documents' historical value, Indian law does not restrict one from taking it out of the country.

"[There are many] autographs of historic figures on the market, but in this case the Indian law permits the export of these documents, so it is sure to interest many people from other countries, making the price rise," a spokesman for the Rajgor acution house said.

Rajgor added that in India, "sellers fear government confiscation of such memorabilia so they generally shy away from auctions." Rajgor claims that he met the collector of the two letters last year. The collector had purchased the letters in 1972 from their recipient, Bhujangilal K Chhaya, a relative of Gandhi.

In the first letter, dated Aug. 10, 1935, and written on both sides, is part of The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi addresses Chhaya as "Chiranjivi" ('Long Live') -- a salutation used by elders for their younger ones.

"Do what your conscience tells you and your strength permits you to do. What others may advise is not one's dharma. Dharma is what a man himself believes to be such..." it says in Gujarati.

The second letter, dated October 1935, is also written to one of Gandhi's relatives in Rajkot, which is in the eastern Indian state of Gujarat. It was written by one of Gandhi's assistants, and also bears Gandhi's signature.

Also on auction is a double-sided gramophone recording with a starting price of 2,000 rupees (about 24 euros, or $33 US). It was recorded by U.S. company Columbia Master Works during a stay by the Indian leader in Britain in October 1931. It is titled "Mahatma Gandhi, his spiritual message."

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