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Lead me from Unreal
to the Real,
From Darkness to Light,
From Death to Immortality
- The vedic verse chanted at Gandhiji’s Funeral pyre
In the midst of death, life
persists, In the midst of untruth, truth persists, In the midst
of darkness, light persists,Hence I gather that God is Life,
Truth, Love. -Mahatma Gandhi
But when we talk of truth and love, the first thing that comes
in my mind is ‘What is life’. Isn’t Life just a strife! Life is
what we make it .It depends upon love, it depends on the
foundation we lay and it is based on the relationships that we
build around us which inspires and encourages us to give a real
meaning to our being. There is a strong determination to uphold
and to know what is right, remembering the love and and truth
which widens doors of opportunities to reach to goals of
success.
So, Keep the love, Know the truth, Let Love & truth open new
horizons of success!
-
ilaxi patel, Ed,
www.kidsfreesouls.com |
Click for my Gandhiji supplement Page
Print media (past issue) | Press page
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
'The Mahatma'
Mahatma, The Great Soul,
was born on 2nd October 1869 in Porbandar. He helped to free India from British
rule by a unique method of non violence resistance and is honoured by Indians as the
Father of the Nation. He possessed limitless physical and moral strength. He was
assasinated by an Indian who resented Gandhi’s programme of tolerance for all creeds
and religions.
Gandhiji was a person
who believed in the dignity of man and left us all a legacy of ahimsa, love and tolerance.
His life was guided by a search for truth. In the ‘My Experiments of the Truth’,
Gandhiji stressed that truth was god and his aim in life was to achieve truthfulness in
thought, word and deed. Ahimsa, to him was the highest virtue. By non violence, Gandhi
meant not merely the absence of violence but also loving concern for all life. He believed
that truth could be known only through tolerance and concern for others and that find a
truthful way to solutions required constant testing. He taught that to be non-violent
required great courage. He adopted Satyagraha based on principles of courage, non-violence
and truth. This method was used to fight for India’s independence and to bring about
social change.
Gandhiji was greatly
influenced by Leo Tolstoy’s essay ‘The Kingdom of God is within you’ and
John Ruskin’s book ‘Unto This Last’. But the greatest influence on him was
the ‘Bhagwad Gita’ which became an unfailing source of inspiration. Gandhi
believed that all life was a part of one ultimate spiritual reality. The supreme goal was
self-realization; the realization that one’s true self was identical with ultimate
reality. He believed that all religions contain some elements of truth and this accounted
for his own religious tolerance. For him, the best guide to self-realization was the Gita.
Gandhiji practiced action without desire, which led to non-possession and equability as
per Gita with great zeal throughout his life.
Gandhiji led hundreds of
followers towards the fight for Independence and the Britishers granted freedom in 1947.
He did not take part in the Independence Day celebrations as the partition of India into
two nations grieved him. The violent rioting between Hindus and Muslims during partition
saddened him. He had craved for a united country and had urged for peace. He performed his
last fast on Jan 13, 1948 at the age of 78 with a purpose to end the bloodshed among
Hindu, Muslim and other groups. After a commitment from the leaders, be broke the fast on
18th Jan only to be assassinated twelve days later while on his way to a prayer
meeting by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu fanatic who opposed Gandhi’s principles of
tolerance for all creeds and religions. Gandhiji is loved and admired by millions
throughout the world because of his ideals.
Long
Live the Mahatma…Long Live the Nation….Kids Free souls pays homage to the Great
Personality "The Father of our Nation’ May we imbibe the ideals of Mahatma
Gandhi and Heal the World, the way we Can!
Mahatma Gandhi’s Ideology
On value of
Prayer -
Do you read something or other regularly? Do
you pray as you get up from bed? If you don’t, allow me to remind you about it, for I
am certain that prayer does us a world of good. You will realize its value in times of
trouble, and even from day to day if you offer it thoughtfully. Prayer is food for the
soul. As the body languishes for want of nourishment, even so does the soul wither away
without its proper food.
On
Education-
A student
means one who has hunger for knowledge. True knowledge is first and foremost to know own
self. To attain this, one must know literature, history, geography, mathematics and so on.
A real student will pursue to learn more at every stage and dedicate himself to attain
knowledge which is an unending process. One has to develop habits of observation. One
would not, then, always need a multitude of teachers or rather, would look upon the world
as one’s teacher and accept everything in it which is good.
On Self
Development –
*
Don’t hide your ignorance out of false
shame.
*
Never mind if you are mistaken for a fool,
but don’t take the risk of going wrong as a result of your ignorance.
*
The mind itself is our enemy as well as our
friend. It is our duty to keep it under control. No medicine from a doctor is required for
this.
*
Contentment is best of riches.
*
Thought is father of action. Watch your
habits as they become permanent and so adopt good ones.
Tribute to ‘The Mahatma’
At the Samadhi of Gandhiji at Raj Ghat, words in Hindi and English are inscribed :
I would like to see India Free and
strong so that she may offer herself as a willing and pure sacrifice for the betterment of
the world. I want Khudai Raj, the Kingdom of God on earth.
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru addressed the nation
on Gandhiji’s Assasination
‘The Light has
gone out of our lives and there is darkness everywhere. Our beloved leader, Bapu, as we
called him, the Father of the Nation is no more.. And yet I am wrong for the light that
shone in this country was no ordinary light. A thousand years later, that light will still
be seen.
ALBERT EINSTEIN
Generations to come will scarcely
believe that such one as this (Gandhiji) ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.
DALAI LAMA
Gandhi was the great apostle of Peace.
From the
pages of Gandhiji’s letters......
Love and truth
are two faces of the same coin and both most difficult to practise and the only things
worth living for. A person cannot be true, if he does not love all God,s creatures; truth
and love are therefore, the complete sacrifice which all should realise this to the
fullest measure.
A disciplined
conscience is one to obey. It is the voice of God. And undisciplined conscience leads to
perdition as the devil speaks through it.
Self confidence
is that which remains unshaken even amidst disappointment. If I have faith in truth and
non violence, I will stick to them even in adversity.
Purity and
restraint are virtues to be treasured.
Arrogance and
firmness are generally found together. The best way to overcome arrogance is to try and
refrain from reacting to opposition.
The mind itself
is our enemy as well as our friend. It is our duty to keep it under control. No medicine
from a Doctor is required for this.
We acquire
certain habits and then we are unable to do anything different. Thought is the father of
the action. So guard your deeds and thoughts because when thought goes, action
automatically goes with it.
Gandhi - An Autobiography | Review by Ilaxi:
Gandhiji was a person who believed in the dignity of man and
left us all a legacy of ahimsa, love and tolerance. His life was
guided by a search for truth. In the `My Experiments of the
Truth', Gandhiji stressed that truth was god and his aim in life
was to achieve truthfulness in thought, word and deed. Ahimsa,
to him was the highest virtue. By non violence, Gandhi meant not
merely the absence of violence but also loving concern for all
life. He believed that truth could be known only through
tolerance and concern for others and that find a truthful way to
solutions required constant testing. He taught that to be
non-violent required great courage. He adopted Satyagraha based
on principles of courage, non-violence and truth. This method
was used to fight for India's independence and to bring about
social change. The book has exceptional revelations of
Gandhiji's own life, his experiences, his beliefs and the
stepping stone of his career. A widely read and an inspiring
collection, Gandhiji's Autobiography gives a glimpse into the
Indian culture and living on path towards Truth & Non violence.
A pick for every one who believes in peace n calm. |
Read More
Mahatma Gandhi’s "Constructive Programme" Ideology
Gandhiji wrote a Constructive
Programme Plan in 1941 on various topics relating to Communal
unity, Prohibition, Untouchability, Khadi, Education, Women,
Language, Economic Equality, Labour, Adivasis, Students, Lepers
& Civil Disobedience. His main ideology remained to the fact
that its wholesome fulfilment related to Independence. He
believed in independence of every unit, be it the humblest of
the nation, without discrimination of caste, color or creed with
the practice to truth and non violence. He had a voice on every
topic but for the basic and adult education, he raised his voice
meant for transformations but for the students, he reflected
them as the future leaders of the nation. They should take out
time devotedly and in one year, according to his theory the
students would be progressing mentally, morally and physically
with substantial contribution to freedom movement. He bid a
standby invitation to join his own university and his follow his
ideology with his own terms. These terms were:
Students would not take part in party politics. They would
remain students, searchers and not politicians.
They would not resort to political strikes. They should copy the
best of their leaders. The students should have confidence that
if they are united and dignified in their conduct, they would
win. They can unitedly resolve their problems with the
authority.
They would do sacrificial spinning in a scientific manner.
Preferably learn by themselves, keep tools clean and neat and in
good condition. They would product highest quality yarn and read
the literature about spinning.
They would be khadi users and avoid all foreign or machine made.
They would not impose ‘vande mataram’ or the National flag on
others. They may wear National buttons but not force others to
do so.
They can enforce the message of tri color flag in their own
persons and harbour neither communalism nor untouchability in
their hearts. They should cultivate real friendship with
students of other faith.
They would care for others, give first aid to injured neighbours.
Learn the National language, Hindustani, in its present double
dress, two forms of speech and two scripts to feel at home.
They would translate into their mother tongue what they learn
and spread the word in surroundings.
They would not do anything in secret but keep open cards.
They would be scrupulously correct and chivalrous in their
behaviour towards opposite sex.
Free Souls, Think and Ponder! Times have changed. In today’s
Technology Age, Can one follow the simple basic Gandhian
Ideology and if so, to what extent? Frame your own ‘Student
Constructive Plan’ to follow the footprints of the great and
find the difference. Only ‘You can Make a Big Difference’
It’s your life, Anyway:-)
THE GANDHI QUIZ
1. What was the educational qualification of Kasturba,
Gandhiji’s wife?
2. When young Gandhi was in high school, he mis-spelt a word
during exams and his teacher prompted him to copy inspite of the
presence of the Education Inspector. What was the word?
3. Gandhi believed that Friends react on one another and was of
opinion that in friendship there is very little scope for reform
and all exclusive intimacies are to be avoided. Be friend with
god and make the whole world your friend, he said. Which place
was it where he met this friend who made Gandhiji think like
this and why?
4. Gandhi’s uncle had a habit of smoking . Gandhi and his
relative formed the habit of smoking stumps of cigarettes thrown
away by his uncle and stole servant’s coppers for smoking. What
made them leave the habit of smoking?
5. Gandhiji stayed at an Anglo Indian widow’s house in West
Kensignton, London where he formed the habit of reading
newspapers. Which were the newspapers he read there?
6. While searching for a vegetarian hotel , Gandhiji noticed a
book under a glass window which he read and inspired and
impressed him to make him decide his mission to spread
vegetarianism. Name the book?
7. At 35, Gandhiji took charge of Indian Opinion, weekly
Gujarati edition in South Africa. In India, after accepting
Editorship of Young India, Gandhiji was keen on conducting a
Gujarati paper. Which newspapers did he pull out, one in Hindi
and another in gujarati?
8. Which year was 26th January declared as Republic Day of
India?
9. Who was the secretary of Mahatma Gandhi?
10. Which year and on what date was Dandi March held by Mahatma
Gandhi?
11. Gandhi started Quit India Movement. Which year and what was
the call slogan?
12. On January 30, 1948, Nehruji made a tearful announcement on
All India Radio. What were the words he used?
ANSWERS
1. Illiterate
2. kettle
3. Rajkot –
M.K.Gandhi High School. When Gandhiji’s friend encouraged him to
eat meat saying "The English are able to rule over us because
they are meat eaters’
4. Desperately,
they had to find cigarettes to satisfy their need. They craved
for independence and could not do anything without elder’s
permission. So, they decided to commit suicide and swallowed two
or three seeds of Dhatura seeds but soon realised their folly
and bid farewell to the habit of smoking.
5. The newspapers
were - The Daily News, The Daily Telegraph & Pall Mall Gazette.
6. The book was
‘Salt’s Plea for Vegetarianism’
7. Navjivan
(Gujarati & Hindi) & Young India (gujarati version)
8. 26th January
1950
9. Mahadeo bhai
Desai
10. 12 March 1930
11. Quit India
Movement ‘1942’ & the slogan was ‘Do or die’
12. The words
Nehruji said were "The light has gone out of ourlives and there
is darkness everywhere"
Gandhi's movement-Salt
Satyagraha
12th March 1930, Gandhiji in his boldest act of civil disobedience
against British rule, began a long march to the sea in protest of the
British salt tax. Gandhi and his followers eventually reached the
Arabian Sea, where they made their own salt by evaporating sea water.
The march, which resulted in the arrest of Gandhi and 60,000 others,
earned new international respect and support for the leader and his
movement. Gandhi's nonviolent methods, including dramatic hunger
strikes, eventually did bring great results to his goal of Indian
independence in 1947.
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