FATHER OF NATION-INDIA
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The 31st January was the death anniversary of Mohanlal Karamchand Gandhi. Netaji Bose addressed him First time as a 'Father of the Nation' to whose feet he wanted to put the freedom of India if achieve in his own way. India also awarded him a title of 'Father of Nation' after independence.
MAHATMA GANDHI
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Mahatma Gandhi was not only Saint but he was social reformer and a Mass leader. He never said anything, which he never practiced. Therefore his life has become a message for the whole world.
He had a tremendous faith in God, and he considered truth as one of the extract form of God
One of the American journalists Vincent Shin described Gandhi's faith in God in following incident, which took place on the same day of his death.
" It was a year 1948. One early morning he getup from his sleep and his inner conscious gave him message that ' Gandhi is going to be killed. It was a time of partition of India and lot of communal disturbances were going on. He decided to go India and inform Gandhi about is inner message. He traveled from New York to New Delhi. It was very difficult for him to meet Gandhi, as he was extremely busy. Somebody told him to meet him doing his early morning walk. Accordingly he waited for Gandhiji. It was morning of 30th January 1948. Gandhi was with his four inmates for morning walk. Mr. Vincent introduced him self as journalist.
'What makes you to come here?' Gandhi asked.
'Sir you are going to be killed. I can see that'. replied Vincent.
'Oh you have traveled from New York to New Delhi to tell me this?' Gandhi asked him with a smile.
'You may not care for your life but it is very precious for us. You are the light for whole world.'Replied Vincent.
'Dear friend everything is in the hand of God and nothing move without thy wish. If God wish nobody will be able to save me. You must know that we Indians believe firmly in God.' Gandhiji replied him calmly .
Mr. Vincent Shin had satisfaction that he has tried his best to save his life. The God will prevail and Gandhi was killed in same evening at Birla House. Mr. Vincent was present then. He was unhappy that he could not save Gandhi’s life.
However Mr. Vincent was very much impressed with Gandhi’s faith in God."
This clearly shows that Gandhi was never afraid of death and more or less he was living a life of Saint.
He always accepted his weaknesses publicly looking at the truth, which had root in his deep faith in God. His son Hiralal use to misbehave with him publicly, due to some grievances against him. Once Gandhiji told in prayer meeting that ' He gave culture to whole country but fail to give his own son.' Such admission of truth in public requires lot of courage.
Gadhiji believed that he gets tremendous strength from his faith in God. He had no attachment to anything and no double standard for others. All these made him saint in true sense.
He was a social reformer and believed that untouchable is the blackest spot on the Hindu culture. He uses to call those untouchables as 'Harijan' ie'Godmen'. He uses to clean toilet him self in order to set example on others and to show that it is an important work for maintaining the good hygienic conditions. The people doing such work should not be looked down. He also told Kasturbaa to do such work otherwise it is difficult convince others. This shows he always started his social reforms with his nearest one.
‘The least requirements and simple leaving’ were one of his commandments. This can only bring inner happiness in the society. He was for social reforms through change of attitudes and by bringing inner happiness.
He saw human weaknesses with pity and instead of condemning it, He wanted to use the best part of human being in constructive work. Therefore he carried with all sort of people with him in freedom struggle.
He was a mass leader with magnetic personality. He knew very well that many of his followers never show eye to eye with him. They were with him because they can not survive without him. The final goal of freedom was more important for him then those individual leaders. However he was very unhappy when they started ignoring him after freedom. He wanted to leave Delhi to retire from public life. However one of his followers requested him that ' You have to be in public life because people of this country wants you.’ Thereafter he changed his plan. This shows that he was a Mass leader and more cared for the people.
He was very clear about weapon of ' Nonviolence’, which he used against British government in order to achieve freedom for India. Once Field Marshal Kariappa, then Army Chief of India asked Gandhiji "How to teach 'Nonviolence' to my soldiers?" Gandhiji did not replied because he knew that ‘Nonviolence is not a weapon of Cowards.’Therefore the use of Violence for Self-defense carried some meaning for him.
He said 'Even common man can achieve success in life by sincere efforts. Therefore It will be a best tribute to him by trying to follow what he practiced. In short that is how every life can be made his life story.
BHARAT DESAI.
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