Bapu tujhko salaam
From The Abolition of truth posted five years ago, in 2015:
सत्य की हत्या
Gandhi was an optimist of the soul. We need him as much today as we needed him in 1948. Even those who hate him need him, an old horse upon whose tired back we can off-load all our remorse and anger and pain. Well may the 'Parivar' hail his assassins (there were more than one). They seek to kill him yet again, to wipe out the last sweet traces of his memory from our minds. But to do that, they would have to abolish the very human capacity to love, smile and befriend people. As Gandhi said, The force of love is the same as the force of the soul or truth. We have evidence of its working at every step. As long as we retain those capacities, they will fail. On January 31, 1948, as India and indeed the whole world was plunged in grief (barring those whom Sardar Patel accused of distributing sweets), the Hindusthan Standard published a black front page, with three simple sentences:
Gandhiji has been killed by his own people for whose redemption he lived. This second crucifixion in the history of the world has been enacted on a Friday - the same day Jesus was done to death one thousand nine hundred and fifteen years ago. Father forgive us.
The Indian people need to stand up and fight against the propaganda directed against Mahatma Gandhi, and the celebration of his murder by people whose minds are crazed by hatred, ignorance and spite. It is a crying shame that this campaign is being led by people who are close to or indeed, members of the ruling dispensation. It will bring them nothing but disgrace. Gandhi belongs to humanity. The Reverend Martin Luther King said: “If humanity is to progress, Gandhi is inescapable. He lived, thought, and acted, inspired by the vision of humanity evolving toward a world of peace and harmony. We may ignore him at our own risk.”
Ishwar Allah Tere Nam
Sabko Sanmati De Bhagwan
The Assassination of Mahatma Gandhi: Inquiry Commission Report (1969)
Some material on Gandhiji's last days:
Gandhi's discourses at prayer meetings between January 12 & 18, 1948, the period of his last fast, may be read in Vol 90 of his Collected Works on the GHP (look for relevant dates in the contents). The archive also contains Hindi and Gujarati versions, plus many books, including the important Constructive Programme (1941); Anaasakti Yog (The Gita according to Gandhi); and From Yeravada Temple.
सत्य की हत्या
Gandhi was an optimist of the soul. We need him as much today as we needed him in 1948. Even those who hate him need him, an old horse upon whose tired back we can off-load all our remorse and anger and pain. Well may the 'Parivar' hail his assassins (there were more than one). They seek to kill him yet again, to wipe out the last sweet traces of his memory from our minds. But to do that, they would have to abolish the very human capacity to love, smile and befriend people. As Gandhi said, The force of love is the same as the force of the soul or truth. We have evidence of its working at every step. As long as we retain those capacities, they will fail. On January 31, 1948, as India and indeed the whole world was plunged in grief (barring those whom Sardar Patel accused of distributing sweets), the Hindusthan Standard published a black front page, with three simple sentences:
The Indian people need to stand up and fight against the propaganda directed against Mahatma Gandhi, and the celebration of his murder by people whose minds are crazed by hatred, ignorance and spite. It is a crying shame that this campaign is being led by people who are close to or indeed, members of the ruling dispensation. It will bring them nothing but disgrace. Gandhi belongs to humanity. The Reverend Martin Luther King said: “If humanity is to progress, Gandhi is inescapable. He lived, thought, and acted, inspired by the vision of humanity evolving toward a world of peace and harmony. We may ignore him at our own risk.”
Ishwar Allah Tere Nam
Sabko Sanmati De Bhagwan
The Assassination of Mahatma Gandhi: Inquiry Commission Report (1969)
Some material on Gandhiji's last days:
Gandhi's discourses at prayer meetings between January 12 & 18, 1948, the period of his last fast, may be read in Vol 90 of his Collected Works on the GHP (look for relevant dates in the contents). The archive also contains Hindi and Gujarati versions, plus many books, including the important Constructive Programme (1941); Anaasakti Yog (The Gita according to Gandhi); and From Yeravada Temple.
The two essays below address the philosophical and historical significance of Gandhi's life-work. The first is a meditation on Socrates and Gandhi, the second an outline of the permanently war-like aspect of modern history
This is an AV of 2 talks on Gandhi during partition
These are brief summaries of the last month of his life:
(our Jan 18 meeting will mark the 72 anniversary of the conclusion of his last fast)
These articles are comments on more contemporary events
