Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings outlived him. His followers couldn’t save him from death, but they can still save him in essence. Bapu could still live through his countrymen if only they truly follow him, writes Madan Lall Manchanda

Mahatma Gandhi belongs to the whole world, not just India. Albert Einstein, the celebrated German-born theoretical physicist, once said about Gandhi, “Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.” Last month, people across the world celebrated the 150th birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, better known as Bapu or Father of the Indian Nation. His journey was as incredible as it was inspiring.

It was in the year 1915 that Gandhi had returned from Africa to India. Campaigns of Champaran and Kheda had acquainted him with the conditions of India’s peasantry. And by the middle of 1920s, Gandhi was pre-occupied with the Constructive Program. It entailed “doing what one can to imaginatively and positively create justice within one’s own community”.

In 1927, he wrote in Young India “In spite of my being a staunch Hindu, I find room in my faith for Christian and Islamic, and Zoroastrian teachings… many Buddhists in Ceylon, as if by instinct, claimed me as their own. Undoubtedly, if the Buddhists of Ceylon, and Burma, China and Japan, claimed me as their own, I should appreciate that honour readily because I know Buddhism is to Hinduism what Protestantism is to Roman Catholicism, only in a much stronger light, much greater degree”

Gandhi’s efforts towards abolishing untouchability made for another glorious chapter in history. A Tamil Dalit once wrote to Mahatma Gandhi about the sad situation that faced the Indian society: “Even today a pariah dare not walk into a street inhibited by Brahmins nor will he even draw his drinking water from a well used by the Brahmins”. Gandhi was interested in showing people how religion and society should essentially be all embracing and non violent. He had once arranged for the stay of a Dalit family at Sevagram. Ramchandra Guha, a noted historian, has talked about how Gandhi was opposed to child marriage and condemned the prohibition of widow re-marriage. Gandhi’s Ram was in his heart. He did not need a big temple. He never entered a temple except once when the Madurai Meenakshi Temple was opened to Dalits. In regard to his concept of communal unity, he appreciated Prophet Muhammad’s idea of austere living.

In 1930, he launched a new phase of the Non-violent Resistance Movement with the Salt Satyagraha. Gandhi made his way to London for the Round Table Conference to negotiate the terms of India’s future. He put forward three conditions:

• I will not speak
• I will not take anything
•  I will come clad in dhoti (loin cloth)

In British society, showing up in front of the emperor with uncovered knees was considered to be disrespectful. But Gandhi had his own principles and got the informal title of the naked fakir.

In mid-1930, Gandhi started living in Sevagram Ashram in Central India. Here, the visitors found him spinning the charkha or the hand-cranked wheel. In 1942, Bapu launched the final phase of the freedom struggle with the call for the British to ‘Quit India’. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, the rebel President of Congress, did not believe in non-violence. It’s believed that he escaped from India during World War II, formed the INA (Indian National Army) and fought for the emancipation of India. In his Radio broadcast from far East, he lamented “Bapuji, had I known that you would one day give a call of “Quit India”, then why would have I left India?”

I recall a sunny day in December, 1944. The writer, then a spirited boy in his teens, opted to follow a dusty track on a bicycle, It was from Wardha to Sevagram and helped one avoid a ride in a bullock cart, the only public transport available then.

I moved in hurry to be back in time to catch the night train. I was filled  with rare enthusiasm to see the revolutionary saint who occupied the centre stage in India’s struggle for Independence. His heartbeat epitomised the rise and fall of nation’s pulse.

Indeed, it was Mahatma’s magic spell that Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Frontier Gandhi) became a follower of non-violence. Also, amazingly under the Pathan leadership, the fierce tribals, whose credo was ‘Blood for Blood’, abjured violence and red shirts. Gandhi was a tower of strength for the unarmed teeming millions of his country . He stood against the barbarism let loose in Jallianwala Bagh.

With all these thoughts in my my head, at midday I reached Sevagram. Crossing a series of huts, I reached a mud-covered platform with two raised walls. Here, Pyarelalji with his team of assistant secretaries were at work. My request for an audience was regretfully turned down by him because Mahatma Gandhi was observing ‘maun vrat’ on that day. Soon, an understanding Mr Sinha, who was the Assistant Private Secretary, made me sit beside him on the mat at the mud platform and whispered in my ear “Approach Rajaji (C Rajagopalachari)”.  Rajaji emerged from Mahatma Gandhi’s hut. As I advanced towards him, I found he had already stretched out his hand. The moment our hands met, he asked, “Who are you?” Apologising for my lapse, I introduced myself, “Sir, I am a student touring the princely states. I have just come back from Hyderabad. Quickly, I prayed for Mahatma Gandhi’s darshan. Rajaji consented. My request having been accepted, I said, “I want to tell him…” But Rajaji promptly said, “No telling please”. My encounter with the forceful personality of Rajaji left me a bit shook up. Hardly did I then realise that I was face to face with the would-be first Governor General of Free India.

Granting my first request, he said, “Go through the side door leading to an enclosed open space. On your left, there will be another open door and you will find Mahatma Gandhi sitting there. Have his darshan and come back through the same side door”.

A fleeting moment gave me glimpse of Gandhi, sitting on the floor mat in a hut with mud walls barely two feet high and a hay roof top. His face was resplendent as a radiant sun. I stood respectfully with folded hands. He responded with folded hands and a smile on his gracious face. Not content, I moved ahead a few paces, and soon retraced my steps and offered a respectful namaskar for the second time. Likewise, he responded the second time.  The kind gesture of the noble man gave me immense joy. My mission was achieved.

On my way back, I was thinking of Bapu’s favourite song:

Vaishnava Jana To, Tene Kahiye Je, Peed Paraayi Jaane Re

(A good soul is one that feels the pain of others)

This vibrated in many countries. Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore despite differences had great regard for each other. He called Gandhi Mahatma and Gandhi regarded him Gurudev. In a letter to Rabindranath Tagore, Gandhi, a great music lover, suggested to give both Hindustani as well as Western music and Bengali music due place in Shantiniketan. Both Mahatma Gandhi and Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore were greatly influenced by Leo Tolstoy, a celebrated Russian writer whose novel War and Peace is still widely read. To earn a meal, Tolstoy worked in his farm for eight hours everyday. Likewise, Mahatma Gandhi engaged in physical activity and did his own chores. Once, a representative of The Washington Post came to interview him. Gandhi made him wait as his goat was thirsty and that was “more important” Self-help was to be practised by all inmates of the Ashram.  One has to manage one’s own waste, big or small.

Gandhi was against the Partition. “Pakistan would be raised only on my graveyard,” he had once said. But he had to give in due to bloodshed of his countrymen. Mahatma Gandhi had travelled through ravaged Hindu and Muslim settlements in Bihar and Bengal with Manu and Abha who were called his walking sticks. Gandhi was of the view that India does not belong to Hindus alone nor does Pakistan belong to Muslims alone. India is the home of Muslims no less than Hindus. He not only helped in establishment of Jamia Millia Islamia, but also sent one of his sons to study there.

On one of these eventful days, demonstrators who championed the cause of refugees from Pakistan, reached Birla House, Delhi where Pt Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Maulana Azad were present. Demonstrators said “Let Gandhi die”. Nehru came out and shouted, “How dare you say that? Come and kill me first!” At this, the demonstrators dispersed. As danger stared him in the face, it was incumbent that due care was taken to protect him. Even though Gandhi  was opposed to any such protection for himself. It may be pertinent to point out that once Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan invited Gandhi to his house near Mardan (NWFP). He was extra vigilant to ensure Gandhi’s safety and to foil any plot or any possible attempt on his life. So, he made arrangements on the rooftop of his room and kept Pathan Gunmen ready with loaded guns behind hay stacks to guard Gandhi without even a whiff of it to his guest. Later on, at the time of departure when it was revealed to Gandhi, he was annoyed as it was against his creed of non-violence’.

Gandhi was also upset with the Government decision to withhold from Pakistan the share of sterling balance owned by British. It was because of Pakistan’s invasion of Kashmir that the Indian Government had delayed payment. But in Gandhi’s view of the world, financial debts to another person or entity whether friend or enemy had to be taken care of immediately.

To kill a saint who was not even a part of the Government was rather tragic. It is indeed worse that the man who preached non–violence met a violent end. But Gandhi could still live through his countrymen if they only truly follow him. Sahir Ludhianvi once burst out:

Ham Tere Hi Qatil hain

Tere Hi Pujjari Hain

(Ironically, we his killers arehis worshippers.)