Gandhiji

When in college I wrote an article “Gandhiji – will he got promotion to the state of a divine being” for the college magazine, which shows how gods are created. The article is written here for your reference.

“Gandhiji – I love him, admire him, respect him – words just can’t express my feelings for that great man, who sacrificed his life for a great cause. But why I have often wondered. This enabled me to develop my “Theory of respect of Admiration” according to my theory, “A person respects or admires or adores another because the better has some qualities which the former wishes to have or are capable of deeds which the former never can”. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi had many qualities which I wish to have especially his simplicity, I also think it is very difficult for me to do even a fragment of what he did for this beloved country of ours.

Even though Gandhiji, addressed so by the people respectfully, has been dead only for five decades or so he seems to be a legend to the present young generation. “Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one walked on this earth in flesh and blood”.This was the tribute paid by Albert Einstein to Gandhi.

I agree that its difficult to grasp the fact that a man with such a gentle and soft voice,with such a frail and diminutive figure , clad in a loin cloth attained freedom for a vast nation like ours with his simple but very noble doctrines of non-violence and non co-operation. Nations all over the world are proud of one leader or other. But no nation has ever had or will have a great leader like Gandhi. His only weapon was his strong will power. He provoked awe and respect even in the British against whom he fought. They addressed him as the half naked hero. When he died the whole world was shocked as if another Christ had been nailed to the cross. Such was the impact of Gandhi on the times in which he lived.

My love for the great national hero forces me to take a few precautions. I have to take measure to prevent my children from being influenced by my admiration for Gandhi . The trouble is that when I respect him as a great leader they will start respecting him as a guru and their children will start respecting him as a guru and their children( my grandchildren) will in turn respect him as God. This is because as the generation gap increases the original qualities of the person are exaggerated, more and more enabling an ordinary man to evolve into a divine being.

This tendency was present more during the times when people didn’t have as much scientific knowledge as today or when people didn’t have scientific temper. This must be reason why not many religions are created today; there are only variations of present ones. After a century or two the attainment of our freedom from the British will be considered as a miracle performed by Gandhi.

This view in itself gives enough material for the brainy ones to argue against its probability by saying that if it were so then equally great national leaders like Lenin, Napoleon, Hitler, Julius Caesar, Alexander and the like would have experienced it. The above mentioned men were to a large extent admired for their physical strength or courage. Their love for service, patriotism etc didn’t extent to the people beyond a certain margin. In a way it is not wrong to say that they were selfish. But Gandhiji’s word’s served as a soothing balm to every aching heart, irrespective of nationality, caste, creed and sex. Even without me mentioning all of you my co-citizens must know his greatness.

I can prove my view by referring to Sree Narayana Guru of Kerala. He was completely against idol worship. He wanted his followers to believe that one’s God was inside oneself. He advised them not to use liquor as it was poisonous. But what are his so called followers doing now. They have fixed his idols in glass cases all over Kerala so that people can ask for his blessings also put money in the attached money box on the pretext of attaining some wish or the other. (giving bribe to gods is common practice now?). The walls of some toddy shops in Kerala are adorned with his framed photograph with an electric candle burning in front of it. The drinkers have their quota of smalls, large or double large sitting below it. What a paradox!!!

Gandhiji’s greatness can be appreciated only if he is considered one among us – a man of the century. He not only preached but translated into practice the ideas of non – possession and voluntary poverty. He came down to the level of the poorest of the poor whom he wanted to serve. I am even ready to give up my life, to prevent our blind people from converting him into a divine being. But the trouble is that then I will got promotion to a great disciple or daughter or whatever the people fancy me to be of Gandhi to whom he appeared in a vision and asked to give up my life for the well being of his followers”.