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M A H A T M A G A N D H I
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was a British trained lawyer of Indian origin from South Africa. He had won his political spurs organizing the Indian community there against the vicious system of apartheid. During this struggle, he had developed the novel technique of non-violent agitation which he called 'satyagraha', loosely translated as moral domination. He was thus heir to the ancient traditions of Gautama Buddha, Mahavir Jain and emperor Ashoka, and was later given the title of Mahatma, or Great Soul. Gandhi, himself a devout Hindu, also espoused a total moral philosophy of tolerance, brotherhood of all religions, non-violence (ahimsa) and of simple living. He adopted an austere traditional Indian style of living, which won him wide popularity and transformed him into the undisputed leader of the Congress. As Jawaharlal Nehru said, "He was a powerful current of fresh air that made us stretch ourselves and take a deep breath" and revitalized the Freedom Movement.
Under his leadership, the Congress launched a series of mass movements - the Non Cooperation Movement of 1920 -1922 and the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930. The latter was triggered by the famous Salt March, when Gandhi captured the imagination of the nation by leading a band of followers from his ashram at Sabarmati, on a 200 mile trek to the remote village of Dandi on the west coast, there to prepare salt in symbolic violation of British law.
These were populist movements in which people from all classes and all parts of India participated with great fervor. Women too, played an active role in the struggle. Sarojini Naidu, Aruna Asaf Ali and Bhikaji Cama, to name but a few, inspired millions of others to take the first step on the road to emancipation and equality. In August 1942, the Quit India movement was launched. "I want freedom immediately, this very night before dawn if it can be had.'.. we shall free India or die in the attempt, we shall not live to see the perpetuation of our slavery", declared the Mahatma, as the British resorted to brutal repression against non-violent satyagrahis. It became evident that the British could maintain the empire only at enormous cost. At the end of the Second World War, they saw the writing on the wall, and initiated a number of constitutional moves to effect the transfer of power to the sovereign State of India. For the first and perhaps the only time in history, the power of a mighty global empire 'on which the sun never set', had been challenged and overcome by the moral might of a people armed only with ideals and courage.
Albert Einstein said
Generations to come, it may be, will scarce believe
that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood
walked upon this earth.
Tagore Sings
We who follow Gandhi Maharaja's lead
have one thing in common among us:
we never fill our purses with spoils from the poor
nor bend our knees to the rich.
When they come bullying us
with raised fist and menacing stick,
we smile to them, and say:
your reddening stare
may startle babies out of sleep
but how frighten those who refuse to fear?
Our speeches are straight and simple,
no diplomatic turns to twist their meaning;
confounding penal code
they guide with perfect ease the pilgrims
to the border of jail.
And when these crowd the path to the prison gate
their stains of insult are washed clean,
their age-long shackles drop to the dust,
and on their forehead are stamped
Gandhiji's blessings.
Some Quotations
Mine is not a religion of the prison house. It has room for the least among God's creations. But it is a proof against insolence, pride of race, religion and colour. - Gandhi
Bravery is not a quality of the body, it is of the soul. - Gandhi
I would like people to compete with me in contentment. It is the richest treasure I own. - Gandhi
Non Co-operation with evil is as much a duty as co-operation with good. - Gandhi
Human dignity demands the courage to defend oneself. - Gandhi
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