7

Oct

How I Rediscovered Mahatma  Gandhi

image

Suranya Aiyar

A person speaking into a microphone Description automatically generated

New Delhi | Monday | 7 October 2024

The ongoing attacks on India's foundational principles, those which underpinned our Freedom Struggle, make one reflect on our history for answers. In my exploration, I found a remarkable discovery: the profound power of Mahatma Gandhi’s own writings. All my life, I had been familiar with interpretations of Gandhi through historians, books, plays, and films. I had heard stories about him from my father and other elders. But encountering Gandhi’s thoughts in his own words was a completely new experience.

Previously, I understood Gandhi as a leader who used civil disobedience and non-violence—through protests, strikes, boycotts, and public demonstrations—to mobilize a national movement. He seemed to me a figure among many other non-violent leaders of the 20th century. However, reading Gandhi's own writings revealed a deeper understanding of his life and mission. His weekly editorials, letters, court statements, and interviews showcased that for him, Satyagraha was not merely civil resistance, and the Freedom Struggle was more than a quest for self-rule or freedom from the British Raj.

Article at a Glance

Mahatma Gandhi's writings reveal a profound understanding of his life and mission. His concept of Satyagraha, a combination of "satya" (truth) and "agraha" (insistence), aimed to persuade adversaries of the justice of one's cause through non-violent means.
Gandhi believed in appealing to the heart rather than inciting fear, with the goal of elevating both sides from conflict to a shared celebration of justice. He emphasized the importance of refusing to follow unjust laws and enduring the consequences peacefully. Gandhi's philosophy was not just about political resistance, but about demonstrating one's moral stance through self-suffering.
His writings offer a vivid account of the Freedom Struggle and demonstrate the transformative effect of truth in public life. Gandhi's legacy reminds us that change is possible when we hold on to the belief in love, truth, and humanity, and that with gentleness and conviction, we can indeed shake the world.

Gandhi coined the term “Satyagraha” after a contest in Indian Opinion, his newspaper in South Africa. The word is a combination of “satya” (truth) and “agraha” (insistence). For Gandhi, “satya” had multiple meanings beyond truth—justice, goodness, love, and humanity. “Agraha” implies a call or invitation. Thus, Satyagraha was an invitation to truth, justice, and love.

For Gandhi, Satyagraha aimed to persuade adversaries of the justice of one's cause. It wasn't about defeating opponents but bringing them to a shared understanding of justice. In his words, “The Satyagrahi's object is to convert, not to coerce, the wrong-doer.” He believed in appealing to the heart rather than inciting fear. The goal was to elevate both sides from a position of conflict to a shared celebration of justice. In a successful Satyagraha, no bitterness remained, and enemies became friends. Gandhi described this as “the acid test of non-violence.”

To achieve this transformation, Gandhi emphasized that individuals must refuse to follow unjust laws and willingly endure the consequences, such as arrest or violence. He believed this refusal was a natural right. However, one must endure the punishment peacefully, without retaliation. Gandhi's vision was that if all citizens defied unjust laws fearlessly, the ruling power could not sustain itself. But this was only part of his philosophy.

Gandhi described Satyagraha as “dynamic non-violence,” which involved demonstrating one’s moral stance through “self-suffering.” This meant accepting punishment, even to the point of death, to show the truth of one’s cause. He believed that this self-suffering would eventually change the heart of the oppressor. It wasn't merely a form of political resistance; it was, as he put it, “the putting of one's whole soul against the will of the tyrant.” According to him, a single person could challenge an unjust empire through moral resistance, laying the foundation for its collapse or regeneration. His idea was that a moral stance could blunt the edge of tyranny, not through sharper weapons, but through the resilience of the soul.

Gandhi’s writings, such as his editorials in Young India and Harijan, offer a vivid account of the Freedom Struggle. They span from the pre-1920s to Independence, providing insights into his evolving ideas and responses to critics. Unlike many leaders, Gandhi openly shared his thoughts, admitted mistakes, and even changed his mind when he found new truths. For me, this openness showed how truth, as simple as it is, can have a transformative effect in public life. It illustrated that political leaders don’t need to hide their flaws to lead effectively.

Throughout his life, Gandhi communicated with the public directly, without the help of modern spin doctors or media strategists. His authenticity and consistent engagement earned him the title of the Father of the Nation. He faced criticism and opposition, but he always managed to answer his detractors and win over the nation. This resilience reassures us that the challenges and divisions we face today can also be overcome.

Gandhi’s life in politics demonstrates that Indians can be persuaded by the power of truth. While today we see division, Gandhi showed that reconciliation is possible. His greatness is significant not just for his achievements, but because the Indian people recognized his vision. It shows that our society has the capacity to understand and embrace such greatness.

Reading Gandhi reveals that he was an ordinary person like any of us, yet he achieved extraordinary things through his unshakeable belief in India's potential and in the goodness of all human beings. For him, concepts like truth, love, and humanity were as real as natural phenomena. He taught us that the key to transforming society lies in believing in the inherent goodness of people. By communicating this belief with conviction and gentleness, one could create a force born from truth and love. As he famously said, “In a gentle way, you can shake the world.”

On September 27th, 2024, I staged my production of *Gandhi Leela* for the third consecutive year. This dance drama, which I wrote and directed, explores Gandhi’s life and principles. As an artist, I find the concept of Satyagraha akin to the purpose of art—to touch hearts and inspire change. Art seeks to connect with the audience, much like Gandhi’s efforts to reach the soul of his opponents.

I often ponder how Gandhi, rooted in law and politics, could expand his vision from mere civil resistance to a philosophy like Satyagraha. What gave him the foresight to envision a struggle that aimed not just for independence from colonial rule but for the moral upliftment of society? How did he understand that India's freedom needed to be about more than just exchanging one form of tyranny for another?

It seems to me that Gandhi’s spiritual outlook provided these insights. His spiritual practices gave him a perspective that went beyond the ordinary, enabling him to see the need for a just and compassionate society. Throughout history, Indian art and spiritual practices have been intertwined, aiming to elevate both the artist and the audience. While not everyone can follow the rigorous path of Gandhian discipline, we all have the capacity to be moved by art. Gandhi understood this, as reflected in his appreciation of the song Vaishnava Jana To

With Gandhi Leela, I aim to embody his spirit of transformation and universal upliftment through traditional music, dance, and drama. Even if not everyone can adopt his asceticism, we can all be inspired by the arts. Gandhi’s legacy reminds us that change is possible when we hold on to the belief in love, truth, and humanity. He showed us that with gentleness and conviction, we can indeed shake the world.

---------------

  • Share:

About Us

We must explain to you how all seds this mistakens idea off denouncing pleasures and praising pain was born and I will give you a completed accounts..

Contact Us

Contact Info

  • 70, Gyan Khand- 4, Indirapuram, Ghaziabad. Uttar Pradesh.
  • +91-9810533682
  • info@mediamap.co.in
  • Week Days: 09.00 to 18.00 Sunday: Closed