Seminar on Relevance of Gandhian Thought
Mahatma Gandhi’s
Relevance in Current times
Siby K. Joseph
At
the outset I appreciate Deva Matha College, Kuravilangad,
ADARRT Pala and Pala Gandhi Centre in collaborating
with Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan in the organization of Seminar on Relevance of
Gandhian Thought. Deva Matha College, Kuravilangad was founded in 1964. It was
the result of the work of great visionaries especially H.E.Mar Sebastian
Vayalil, the then Bishop of the Diocese of Palai and Rev. Fr. Paul Alappattu,
the then Vicar of St. Mary’s Forane Church, Kuravilangad, who spearheaded the
founding of the college. Alcohol and Drug Addicts Research Rehabilitation and
Treatment Centre, with the popular acronym ADARRT founded in 1984 has been
doing remarkable work specialized in Treatment, Research and Rehabilitation of
Alcoholics and Drug Addicts. Its IRCA (Integrated Rehabilitation Centre
for Addicts) is sponsored by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment,
Govt. of India, Pala Gandhi Centre is a new institution but its founders are in
Gandhian activism for a long time. We greatly appreciate ADARRT Club and Gandhi Darshan programme of the
college. I am glad to learn that this Seminar is a continuation of a
programme held on October 4, 2024 with participation of more than hundred
students. Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan especially Sri Jamnalal Bajaj
Memorial Library and Research for Gandhian Studies is happy to collaborate with
you in this initiative.
As I am addressing you
from Sevagram and a reference has already been made about Sevagram I think a
brief description about it in order. Sevagram was the fourth and last ashram
established by Mahatma Gandhi in 1936. His first ashram or experimental community
known as Phoenix Settlement was established near Durban in South Africa in 1904
and his second ashram, Tolstoy Farm was established in 1910 near Johannesburg.
His third ashram viz. ‘Satyagraha Ashram’was established at Kochrab near
Ahmedabad in 1915 on his return to India from South Africa. It was later
shifted to the banks of river Sabarmati in 1917. Mahatma left this ashram on12
th March 1930 in the wake of historical Salt March with a solemn vow that he
will return to the Ashram only when India gets independence from British rule. It
goes to the credit of Jamnalal Bajaj, who was regarded as the fifth
son of Mahatma, for persuading Gandhi to settle down in Wardha and support him
in the establishment of Ashram at Sevagram . On April 30, 1936, Mahatma made
this village Segaon as his home. He was 67 years old and he was not in favour
of creating an ashram as a community of people away from the village. In fact,
he wanted to convert the whole village into an ashram. There was another
place known as Shegaon and the letters addressed to Gandhi went there.
Therefore, in 1940 the village was renamed as Sevagram. The word Sevagram
literally means the village of service. Sevagram Ashram was the laboratory for
Gandhi’s ideas and action. From Sevagram, Gandhi spearheaded the upliftment of
Indian villages through propagation of Khadi and village industries. In the
inaugural address a reference has already been made about the importance of
character building in education. Gandhi considered character building as the
foundation of education. In 1937, from Sevagram Gandhi came up with his ideas
on Basic education which aimed at the all-round development of body, mind and
spirit. It was during his Sevagram phase, he became more convinced about the
efficacy of constructive work along with Satyagraha and in the 1940s he came up
with his constructive programme for the reconstruction of Indian
villages. Similarly, the preliminary deliberations of Individual
Satyagraha were also held here. The idea of Quit India movement of 1942 took
its shape in the first meeting held here. Gandhi left Sevagram Ashram for Delhi
on his way to Noakhali on 25 th August 1946. He was working for communal
harmony all these days. He was hoping to return to Sevagram on 2nd
February1948. But unfortunately, he was assassinated by a religious
fundamentalist and that put an abrupt end to his life on January 30 1948. But
his life and message continue to remain a source of inspiration for people all
over the globe. Sevagram ashram is a place of pilgrimage to understand his
philosophy and life. On the occasion of 150 th birth anniversary of
Kasturba Gandhi and Mahatma, taking note of the historic importance of Sevagram
Ashram and its mission it was decided to rejuvenate its activities and develop
in the vicinity of the Ashram, library, research centre and museum for
preserving and transmitting the heritage of Gandhian thought for the whole
humanity. The Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan began the work
of the library, research centre and allied activities from the academic year
2021-2022. The Library and Research Centre is established to create and
offer facilities to study and research on the life, thought and methods of
Gandhi, and to learn lessons that can be of value in addressing the problems
humanity is confronting at present. It offers a number of courses of study
especially for students and youth and also for people from different walks of
life.
It is quite appropriate
that we are reflecting on the relevance of Gandhian Thought especially to
students and youth on the occasion of the 155 th birth anniversary of Mahatma.
I would like to add that Gandhian thought is incredibly relevant not only to students
and youth, but to the people from different walks of life even in today’s
world. It is not merely a thought which remains in the books and academics. It
is a way of life, philosophy and methods of action. For me, Gandhi is not a
person and but he is an epitome of certain principles and values which has
great significance for the whole of humanity. On October 5, 2024, I
had the privilege to join Dr.Sam Pitroda, who was adviser to our
former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in his 39 th episode
SenseWith Sam. The purpose of the virtual meet was to discuss how much
Gandhi is making a dent in everyday life, world, politics even now, as an
ever-green guide book of a philosophy. The invitation also has the well-known
quote of Gandhi “My life is my message”. I may include some points
which I shared in the virtual meet in the course of this address as it
took place a couple of days back.
Perhaps none of the
leaders could say " My life is my message “. It is a message to posterity.
There was no dichotomy between his life and action. He practised what he
professed. He walked the talk. There was no private and public life for
Gandhi. His life was so transparent and an open book that is why his life is a
source of inspiration for students and youth. By embracing Gandhian thought or
his philosophy of life, students and youth can become catalysts for positive
transformation in their own college communities and beyond the world in which
they live.
Gandhi had a holistic
approach to life and he has not compartmentalized life into social, economic,
political, religious and so on. He looked upon the whole gamut of life as
one. He firmly believed in the inner unity of all life both
sentient and non-sentient beings. Gandhi’s worldview was relational one and
believed in the interconnectedness of all beings. In this regard, Gandhi was an
advaitist . His philosophy of Sarvodaya was based on his world view. He wanted
to establish a new society based on the principles of Sarvodaya which aimed at
the welfare and enlightenment of all members of the society. It is an all
inclusive vision aimed at the welfare of all and not the utilitarian formula of
greatest good of greatest number. Unto this last or the most deprived and
underprivileged man was his concern. That is why Gandhi paraphrased John
Ruskin’s Unto this Last and gave the name Sarvodaya for his
rendering.
We pay respect to Gandhi
on his birthday and the day of his martyrdom. But I want to ask you a question
where Gandhi stands in our life. While responding Sam Pitroda’s observation of
Gandhi in you. I quoted Kujunni Master’s couplets of Gandhi.
English translation of it is as follows:
“For Gandhi,
disciple of Gandhi is Gandhi himself
Disciples of Gandhi
wanted the whole people in the world to become Gandhians
Except me all
should become Gandhi.”
This is true in the
case of many of us. We don’t want Gandhi to be born in our family. We don’t
want to follow his path. We are looking for someone else to follow
Gandhi. I think the Gandhi Darshan Programme will help all of us to bring
Gandhi into our life.
In the month of
August, I had the opportunity to attend an international Seminar in Bangalore
to commemorate 75 years of Gandhi Smarak Nidhi. Gandhi democracy and dissent
was one of the sessions of the Seminar. In that we discussed the relevance of
Gandhi’s political vision and his views on democracy and dissent.My co-speaker
was a retired judge from Karnataka. You should hear what he said about the
challenges to democracy, judiciary and the plight of democratic institutions.
It is available in the YouTube. Gandhi outrightly rejected the parliamentary
form of representative democracy and placed before us a decentralised
participatory form of democracy in which the voice of poor and marginalised are
heard. They get an opportunity to ventilate their grievances and
take part in the democratic process . The main theme of the National Seminar of
Mahila Mahavidyalaya of Banaras Hindu University in the last week of September
was remembering Mahatma Gandhi in the context of Indian Democracy. That shows
the growing interest in Gandhi's views on democracy. It discussed the
relevance of Gandhi in the context of contemporary challenges to Indian
democracy. It was Ramin Jahanbegloo, Iranian philosopher and academic based in
Toronto, Canada, who called Gandhi as a significant non-Western theorist of
democracy. However, it is to be noted that his ideas of democracy have not
captured attention like Gandhian non-violence.
We are celebrating
155th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The United Nations
General Assembly in the year 2007 declared the birth anniversary of Gandhi as
International Day of Nonviolence. Gandhi has
now become synonymous with peace and nonviolence. Johan Galtung, the
father of peace studies, who passed away in February 2024 was very
influenced by Gandhi’s ideas and concepts. He acknowledges
his debt to Gandh’s ideas and principles in the formulation of
concepts like structural and cultural violence. It was Thomas
Webber who described Gandhi as a “profound conflict
theorist”. The Conflict transformation techniques advocated by peace
researchers all over the world have a deep Gandhian imprint. Gandhi continues
to remain as a source of inspiration for nonviolent activists all over the
world. Many Nobel prize laureates including Martin Luther King Jr. duly
acknowledged the influence of Gandhi on their life and actions.
Gandhi’s view on
interreligious relations has become more and more relevant in the so-called new
India where we are witnessing the promotion of a Hindu nationalist agenda by
divisive forces which has become a norm of the day. As a result, we witness a
sense of insecurity among minorities and perpetuation of violence
against them in different parts of the country. This scenario was the result on
account of several policy changes, administrative manoeuvres and political
moves from those at the helm of affairs. It seems that those who
are in power are under the influence of divisive forces operating in the
country. The promotion of a dominant culture, undermining diversity and
inclusivity is very much against the spirit and unique traditions of our
country. It was always a multicultural and multi religious country. The
uniqueness of Hinduism was it was very accommodative and welcomed
them in the true Santani spirit. Gandhi called himself as a Santani Hindu He
explains “ Inspite of being a staunch Hindu, I find room in my faith for
Christian, Islamic and Zoroastrian teaching...mine is a broad faith that does
not oppose Christians- not even a Plymouth brother- not even the most fanatical
Mussalman. It is a faith based on broadest possible toleration. I refuse to
abuse a man for his fanatical deeds because I try to see them from his point of
view. It is a somewhat embarrassing position, I know- but to others, not to me!”
Gandhi made it a practice to read a passage from scriptures from various
religions to promote inter-religious understanding in his prayer meetings.
Gandhi used to read the New Testament of the Bible with the students of
Gujarat Vidyapith, a university founded where her served as the lifetime
chancellor. In the face of public protest against this practice Gandhi
wrote an article in Young India viz. “Crime of reading Bible”, which
said, “I hold that it is the duty of every cultured man or woman to read
sympathetically the scriptures of the world. If we are to respect others'
religions as we would have them respect our own, a friendly study of the
world's religion is a sacred duty. I regard my study and reverence for the
Bible, the Koran and the other scriptures to be wholly consistent with my claim
to be a staunch sanatani Hindu. My respectful study of other
religions has not abated my reverence for and my faith in the Hindu scriptures.
They have broadened my view of life. They have enabled me to understand more
clearly many an obscure passage in the Hindu scriptures.” We want
that spirit very much in India now than any other time. Gandhian thought
encourages young people to understand and respect different cultural and
religious identities, fostering a more harmonious and all-inclusive society.
I was discussing
with the fellows of the International Fellowship Programme on Nonviolence and
Peace which began on October 2 about the concept of development for the last
couple of days. I was trying to explain how the concept of development
evolved in mainstream economics after the second world. But the time discussion
students from different continents participating in the programme talked about
the significance of Gandhi’s vision of sustainable development patterns.
By embracing simplicity and sustainable way of living individuals can
reduce their impact on the environment or in modern terminology carbon
footprint and thereby promoting a more equitable distribution of resources
Gandhi well-known dictum is a guiding light in this regard. “Earth provides
enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed” It talks
about the use of resources in a judicious and sustainable manner.
In the inaugural address
the importance of Gandhi’s views on alcohol and drugs were discussed to
students and youth. Gandhi was very much convinced about the need for
prohibition. That is why he said “If I was appointed dictator for one hour for
all India, the first thing I would do would be to close without compensation
all the liquor shops, and compel factory owners to produce humane conditions
rooms where these workmen would get innocent drinks and equally innocent
amusements.” Though important I don’t want to elaborate on the subject as the
ADARRT Club and Gandhi Darshan Programme is engaged in spreading Gandhi’s
vision and diverting youth energies in positive channels. I wish all
success for the programme and I am sure these programmes and initiatives
will enable the youth and students to stand up for what's right
without resorting to violence or aggression, and agents of social
transformation starting with their college communities.
Text of
the keynote address delivered by Dr. Siby K.
Joseph, Director,Sri Jamnalal Bajaj Memorial Library and Research Centre for
Gandhian Studies, Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan, Sevagram,Wardha-
442102, Maharashtra (INDIA)
Email: directorjbmlrc@gmail.com
https://sevagramashram.org.in/index.php/library-and-research-centre/
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