In September 1888, at the age of just 18, a boy who had entered into an adulthood by virtue of child-marriage system prevalent in his society left India, without taking his wife and a new born son for higher studies { a time when people use to mock each other that for higher studies one needs not to go to London but to have a ladder and climb up at a tree and pretend that he is studying and it would call higher study} to become a barrister (lawyer) in an alien city where he would be recognised not by his brain but by his colour and race with a promise given to his mother that he would not consume meat/ alcohol nor indulge with women. To overpower his weakness and get to fit into English civilised society, he wasted his first three precious months altering himself to an English gentleman by getting costly new coat/ suits, improvising his English accent, trying speaking French besides taking notes about violin and not to forget about his poor dance abilities, to learn the dance. After living those three months with sheer expenses and useless experiences he had only one learning that he had only one goal and i.e. to study seriously and become for what he had come.
“A man is but the product of his thoughts
what he thinks, he becomes.” -Mahatma
He became a
serious student and invested rest of the time in London with a simple lifestyle
which helped him to know himself.
“Live as
if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” -Mahatma
He was a man who
had a dream- a dream of united India with rich heritage and pride to be
recognised as an Indian on global scale. He is “alive soulful Mahatma” appeared much before than his time and was
known that time as Mohan Chand Karam Chand Gandhi.
The promise to remain vegetarian given to his mother
helped him to gain what he wanted- a place in London society however at that
time the other Indian were having meat but his search to look for vegetarian food
and serving places he became member of famous London Vegetarian Society having
renowned members as Henry David Thoreau and Leo Tolstoy. It further helped him
to know explore Sri Mad Bhagvad Geeta and great book focusing about karma
became his master in setting the path which has no limit but sky was still far
and stars could only admired upon. The real test of life forced him to take an
official trip to Natal, South Africa He had to go to other city and being an
Indian gentle man, he got reserved his seat in first class bogey of train. He
boarded the train for his journey at the Pieter-martiz-burg station he was
ordered by railway officer to get himself transferred to ‘Coolie’ class’ IIIrd class
bogey w/o delay being the brown skin- coolie class passenger. On his refusal
and seeking reason he was out-thrown out of the train despite having a valid
ticket.
“You must
not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean
are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.” -Mahatma
The whole night sitting in cold, he was not able to understand that what he should do now? Whether to go back to India or initiate an impossible struggle about existence for equality.
“I like Christ
but I do not like you fellow Christians. You are unlike Christ.” -Mahatma
Here Sri Mad Bhagvad Geeta helped him to understand
his karma and he decided to raise a voice against the mighty kingdom with
listening his inner voice that someone has to start a fresh for the truth and
that would be chosen one and he is the one !!. ‘SATYAGRAHA’ { A request for
imbibing truth in life} a concept of brave with peace at heart and resistance
with morality. Let the cruel feels the pain of his cruelty.
“Even if
you are a minority of one, the truth is the truth.” -Mahatma
The life take many tests before actual begins and that came
as one surprise to him when his ship was detained at Durban harbour for 23 days
due angry mob [ a crowd has a reasonable capability to think but a mob is
always w/o logic or pre-planned action] believing that he had come with back-up
Indians for creating a ruckus. He was allowed to enter but welcome with bricks,
rotten eggs, and fists. He refuted the rumours and refused to lodge a police
report against those who assaulted him, the mob got stopped and went as a crowd
of followers.
“The weak
can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” -Mahatma
Sooner than earlier he was everywhere even in dreams of oppressed and also in the nightmares of oppressors. That was the time when he decided to pay back to his mother earth-India. He returned as Hero while public welcomed him, the other leaders felt unsecured. He went on foot and walked through the various corridors of colourful India bearing pain, grief, broken, poverty, hunger and illiteracy. The hopeful faces of poor peasants changed a gentleman suit wearing Indian barrister to a ‘DHOTI’ (loin cloth of 2/3 meter) and chappal (Sandals) man with if required a shawl man. The uniform of an one of the most memorable man in all time and a “MAHATMA” is born. He further promoted the idea of knitting cloth for self by hand made “CHARKHA” and the rise of ‘KHADI’ takes place. It is the beginning of new era where customer had become the king with all concepts. The simple living in his student days had given him urge to his all desires; He used his own body to keep the unity by fasting as and when required. It further assisted in bonding the different stakes group of ethnic and religion on common platform. Salt- the most common item of kitchen became the symbol of unity. He started a journey to challenge the mighty empire where the sun never got set. He Informed the Vice-Roy and he along with his company got amused by his challenge. It had never happened before nor it would be. A journey of 320 Kms for Dandi became a morning irritating alarm for all which has no pressed button. He was detained in jail and mass arrests were followed too. 2500 followers led by Ms. Sarojini Naidu when reached to a salt factory, they were welcomed by 406 British police officers. They all stood in the column of 25/25 and went one by one for protesting. All of them were greeted by cane-hit over their heads but none raised the voice or any weapon.
“Nobody can
hurt me without my permission.” -Mahatma
The biggest display of trust in none other than Gandhi.
Even the devil that was sleeping was awakening by the silence of those innocent
people and left for a place where sun never rise. He was heard and it designed
the day of independence going to be achieved by none other than any violent
revolution but by love and peace at heart but truth still waiting to prevail.
At last he came up with ‘Do or Die’ and ask for quit this land forever w/o
pretending to show us our so-called disastrous future in the absence but he has
a dilemma as well that how to deal with own people who had all egos,
self-interest, power-desire. He left everything behind and went into hermit
when everyone was rejoicing with freedom; he was knitting the khadi on his
charkha at his ashram. The finest is yet to come that is why he marched in
riot-ridden street of Naokholi and fast unto death in Calcutta ( now Kolkata).
The peace prevails from north to south and east to west. He did the ultimate
work of uniting India in the name of mother land. The religion, caste,
language, culture, ethnicity, creed, color was no more issue. The dream is
fulfilled now no one would come to invade it. After the slavery of more than
800 years no civilisation ever think of surviving their culture but Indian does
that and prove to world that if you are determined to your belief with keeping
rigidity at far, you can be what you are-always. He was asked to give a message
to people and he simply said that “My life is my message to everyone.” ‘An ounce
of practice is worth more than tons of preaching.’
“A coward
is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave.” -Mahatma
He was neither a Prophet nor a guru. He never feels
himself perfect. He was not even a teacher, not to think as philosopher. He had
not initiated any sect by name Gandhism/ Gandhian. He is “MAHATMA”. A great soul who we remember him
as ‘GANDHI’. In 100 years we will recognise what he has done for us. In next
100 years we will remember him as a great thinker/reformer. In next 100 years
we will know him as angel who descended for our welfare. In next 100 years we
will warship him as true messenger of God. In next 100 years we will doubt whether
he ever exists or part of fairy tales. In next 100 years we will feel that it
is beautiful positive way of seeing thing in rosy pink lights and then he would
always be remained in our memories as unhappenning Utopian thing on this mother-earth.
Horace
Alexander described him as "On your side you
have all the mighty forces of the modern State, arms, money, a controlled
press, and all the rest. On my side, I have nothing but my conviction of right
and truth, the unquenchable spirit of man, who is prepared to die for his
convictions than submit to your brute force. I have my comrades in armlessness.
Here we stand; and here if need be, we fall."
At United Nations he was predicted as "the greatest achievements of the Indian sage were yet to come".
Tagore describes him as west would accept Gandhi before the East.
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