Sabarmati Ashram
is an island of serenity. It has an invisible aura and feel about it that can
only be experienced, not explained. Yes,
this place was home to the rarest of the rare human being who walked on this
planet, a person as close to divinity as there could be one.
My visit to the
ashram yesterday, had a soothing effect on my entire persona. Despite the hot
environment outside, the ashram and its galleries had a soothing feel about
them. It was as if the soul of the
father of the nation resided in the place.
The thoughts of
Gandhiji evocatively displayed in the gallery stirred my inner self once again.
While his thoughts covered a very wide variety of subjects and issues, what
really stands out is his stress on the need for equal dignity for all living
creatures, poor or rich, high or low, adult or child. It is indeed sad that the masses of this nation, despite
their professed reverence for the mahatma, have given a total go-by to this
beautiful thought.
“Truth is God”
is another famous saying of the mahatma. An extremely deep thought that imparts
a totally different meaning to life. If
only some of us could imbibe this thought at our workplace and home, the nation
and the society would be freed of almost all of its ills.
That the
relevance of the thoughts of this frail man who walked this earth till sixty
five years ago is increasing with passage of time is a thought that dawned on
me as I entered the modest house where the mahatma and Ba lived for a
considerable period. That this man who lived so simply, was so frail and wore
only a loincloth could shake the foundations of the mighty british empire
simply on the strength of his character and convictions conveys a much deeper sentiment,
even partial emulation of which shall change the lives of the people of this
nation.
Strength of
character and unassailable convictions on part of the powers that be are essential ingredients for the success of the nation. If only the people of this nation appreciated the essence of what the Mahatma said!
Sir,
ReplyDeleteNo doubt, Gandhiji was a popular leader who led the fight of independence from the british however, the thoughts of gandhiji on the issues of curing diseases by strange practices and also his thoughts and actual works including the politics practised for equality among all (refer, high or low) for creation of a egalitarian indian society needs a deep review.
Gandhiji was a brahmin by virtue of his birth and unfortunately, his efforts were more towards display of meaningless dignity to lower castes rather than eradication of the castiest barrier.