The phenomenon of Gandhiism

Mahatma Gandhi was a phenomenal man. His achievements speak volumes of his achievement. It is even more remarkable that he achieved what he could by two simple philosophies of life. Non-violence and Truth. These two terms made him the Man among the millions that were there. In previous posts, i had argued about Bhagat Singh being a revolutionary which the youth idealizes nowadays. But, in the back of man's mind, there is still a Gandhi who tugs at our heart. He just asks us to face life and its difficulties by using these two methods of Truth and non-violence.

In more ways like one, Mahatma Gandhi and Bhagat Singh represent the two forms of Cricket. While Gandhi represented Test Cricket, Bhagat Singh represented T20 Cricket. The comparison is crude, but appropriate. Test Cricket calls for application and concentration of a player's skill at a high point most of the time. T20 cricket is all about flash, energy and playing only for the moment. Tests end in draws, while T20 guarantees results. It was perhaps this philosophy which separated Gandhiji from Bhagat Singh.

Bhagat Singh's philosophy and actions is now being portrayed as achieving results. It has no doubt achieved awareness that societies cannot be divided along caste, religious and cultural lines. His aim of egalitarianism was appealing when combined with violence and fear. But, the dynamics of violence is such that man can use it to destroy the system. It should not have been expected from Bhagat Singh, but it can be only be speculated.

The British were thrown out fortunately, but one wonders how a violent upheaval may have shaped the India of today? Egalitarianism is like any other ideology, good on paper but very very difficult to achieve. Bhagat Singh's upheaval of a system would have possibly resulted in chaos, if one looks at hindsight at events after independence nationally and globally. Mahatma Gandhi focused on the intrinsics of man, not of the state and society. His simple notion of first individuals must improve, only then can the state improve. The conscience has to be clean, only then can the human body be healthy. Such could be the comparison of Gandhi's philosophy.

As the world lives on a fast pace today, Gandhi is instantly dismissive. The US has painted the world white and black, thus making man suspicious towards fellow man. Fast pace combined with suspicion makes Gandhi's philosophy of Truth and non-violence dismissive. The mental makeup of the people today is violence is rationalized to make the whole of society perfect. Truth is subjective, meaning there are multiple truths. The Mahatma's sayings have always targeted the conscience of man, arguing that man is complex and that he has to strife from within to achieve good things.

Nowadays, Truth and non-violence goes against the makeup of democratic or autocratic states. Without these, a state is perceived to be vulnerable. Men like Gandhi are dismissed as fools, and that truth and non-violence are only myths good for speaking. I guess it is up to individuals to learn the hard way, after this experience will they be patient enough to fight and strive for truth and non-violence. This moment is taken to remember a simple man, who had extraordinary thoughts and who even for me is a hero.