Gandhi Grp7 v3

8/8/2019 Gandhi Grp7 v3

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A Point of Departure: What is truth?

What is the nature of truth?

Is it true that there is extraterrestrial life?

What does it mean to say that it is true that there is extraterrestrial life?

Musings

Is truth what is? Is it relative, absolute or something else? The relationship between truth, knowledge and wisdom

What virtues spring from truth?

Is truth the sovereign principle? Is love? Are they the same?

Realization of truth realization of what reallymatters seeing God


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The origins of Mohandas Karamchand GandhiThe Gandhis belonged to Bania community, a vaishya caste (merchant class).

UttamchandUttamchand was Dewan of the Porbandar State

He had four sons by his first wife and two by his second

wife

KaramchandKaramchand was a member ofRajasthanik Court

He became Prime Minister in Rajkot

and Vankaner

He married four times, having lost

eachwife by death

MohandasMohandas was born on the2nd October 1869 in Porbandar

His mother Putlibai was the last

wife of Mohandas father

He had two stepsisters,

one sister and two brothers


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The childhood: family context and education

KaramchadKaramchad, Mohans father

had little education but had shrewdness of judgment and practical knowledge

acquainted through experience.

y he had not the inclination to accumulate wealth and left little property for his children.

y My father was a lover of clan, trustful, brave and generous. [] He was incorruptive

and had earned a name for strict impartiality in his family as well outside. []

PutlibaiPutlibai,, Mohans mother

had no education but was well informed about practical matters and ladies at palace used to valueher advise

was deeply religious: she used to visit Vaishnav temple daily accompanied by Mohan and regularly

kept difficult vows .

MohanMohan

at primary school was a mediocre student and read little

besides the text books

was shy and avoided any company

Ihad learnt to carry out the orders of the elders , not to scan

their actions

remained deeply impressed by plays about Shravana and Harishchandrataught him to be truthful at any cost and

to serve his parents with devotion


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The premature marriage

Its my painful duty to have to record here my marriage at the

of thirteen

Mohan married KasturbaiKasturbai, thirteen years:she was illiterate but strong-willed

He was married along with his brother and cousin for

the sake of economy and convenience

In spite of all, everything on that day seemed to be rightand proper and pleasing

Mohanwas a jealous and restraining husband: during the early period of marriage, Kasturbaicouldnt go anywhere without his permission

These severities were all based on inexperience, immaturity and, above all, love My passion was

entirely centered on one woman, andIwanted it to be reciprocated.[] Iwas passionately fond of her

He wanted his marriage to be free from carnal appetite

His own experience later made him a strong critic of child-marriages Ican see no moralargument in support of such a preposterously early marriage


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The high school period Mohan joined High School at Rajkot

he was liked by the teachers

he never had a bad certificate, rather he won some prizes shyness continued to be preponderant

he neglected physical training and handwriting onlyin adulthood he will understand their relevance in the education

since he lost one year because of the marriage, he attended

two years studies in one year with some difficulties

Fathers death

diedwhen Mohan was sixteen

Mohan had nursed him daily with love

at the time he

wasw

ith hisw

ife,w

how

as expecting a baby

he alw

ays felt ashamedfor this lapse

The teens transgressions the bad friendship with Sheikh Mehtab as a tragedy in Mohans young life Mohan failed in the

attempt to reform the boy

Mehtab induced him to meat-eating, but after some trials he stopped eating it his devotion to his

parents and his love for truth were the most important principles

Mehtab once sent him to a brothel, but Gods grace saved him

The bad friend induced Mohan to smoking and this once led to stealing.He confessed his guilt to his father,who didnt rebuke him lesson of nonviolence


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Gandhi in England

After the matriculation examination in 1887, the choice ofthe college

the family friend Joshji proposed to Mohan to study law in England Mohan made up his mind and overcame resistance from the family

members; he didnt matter of the opinion of his caste

before the departure in September 1888, he took the vow not to touch

wine, meat and women

The first impact in England Mohanwas sky and diffident He could not speak English fluently and was ignorant of British manners

loneliness and homesickness gripped him, during the first period

Mohan tries to play the English Gentleman to become fit for the British Elite Society

He got very expensive and fashion clothes and learnt to wear the tie He became very careful about his appearance

He joined a dancing class, started learning to play violin and engaged a tutor to give him lessons of

elocution

After three months his conscience awakened him: he realized he should concentrate on his studies

and not waste his brothers money


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Gandhi in England (contd) The choice to be vegetarian

My faith in vegetarianism grew on me from day to day the difficult search for veg restaurants

He purchased Salts book Plea for vegetarianism: his conviction became

stronger

He joined the Vegetarian Society: he became member of Society s Executive

Committee and contributed articles to the Societys paper

Mohan started a vegetarian club and became its secretary

usefulexperience to give him some training in conducting institutions

Experiments about diet became a long-life passion for him

Studies ofreligion

Itook mental note of the fact that Ishould read more religious books and acquaint myself with all the principalreligions

He read for the first time Gita, in English translation He also read Edwin Arnolds The light of Asia, Blavatskys Key toTheosophyand the Bible

The principles of renunciation and nonviolence appealed to him greatly

Gandhi becomes barrister

He was called to the bar in June 1891 after easy examinations

Despite the fact he had studied the laws, he didnt learn how to practice law in the real cases Besides, he did not learn anything of Indian law need to fill up this ignorance


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ay c an a - r en , sop er an

Guide

y Poet Raychand or Raja chandra- a man of great character and learning

y Wide knowledge of scriptures, spotless character, burning passion for

self-realization

y A connoisseur of diamonds and pearls, but the centre of his passion was to

see God face to face.y Absorbed in Godly pursuit in the midst of business.

y Refuge in the moments of spiritual crisis

y Great deal of truth in the doctrine that true knowledge is impossible without

a guru


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South Africa

y Offer to take up a big case in South Africa for Dada Abdulla & Coy Arrival at Durban, port of Natal

y Meeting Abdulla Sheth

y Refused to take off turban in the court

y Indians in Nataly Musalman merchants- Arabs, Hindu , Parsi clerks- shared social relations

y Largest class Tamil, Telugu and North Indian Indentured and freed labourers

(girmityas)- further divided into Hindus, Musalmans and Christians

y Had business relations with other three classes

y Englishmen called them Coolies or Sami

y Gandhi known as coolie barrister


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On the way to Pretoria


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y Thrown out of first class compartment at Maritzburg, capital of

Natal

y AThought on Duty

y ShouldIfight for my rights or go back to India or shouldIgo in Pretoria without

minding the insults, and return to India after finishing the case?

y

the hardships to which Iwas subjected was superficial- only a symptom of the deepdisease of color prejudice. Ishould try, if possible, to root out the disease and suffer

hardships in the process.


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Stay in Pretoria

y Christian contacts

y Read lots of christian literature

y Ido not seek redemption from the consequences of my sin. Iseek to be

redeemed from sin itself, or rather from the very thought of sin. UntilI

have attained that end , Ishall be content to be restless

y My difficulties were with regard to the Bible and its accepted

interpretation


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Stay in Pretoria.. Contdy Seeking touch with Indians

y ShethTyeb Haji Khan Muhammed had in pretoria the same position aswas enjoyed by Dada Abdulla in Natal

y Intention to get in touch with every Indian in Pretoriay First step: call a meeting of all the indians in Pretoria and to present to them

a picture of their condition in the Transvaaly Attended by Meman merchants and few Hindus

y Business they say is a very practical affair, and truth a matter of religion is quiteanother.

y Pure truth a matter of religion, and they argue that practical affairs are one thing,while religion is quite another.

y Pure truth , they hold, is out of the question in business, one can speak it only so far asis suitable.

y ForIndians the responsibility of being truthful was all the greater in a foreign land,because the conduct of a fewIndians was the measure of that of the millions of their

fellow-countrymen


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Stay in Pretoria.. Contd

y First meeting- a success!

y Formation of an association

y To make representation to the authorities concerned in respect of the

hardships of the Indian settlers

y Gandhi, nowwell known in Pretoria

y Stay in Pretoria

y Exposed Gandhi to make a deep study of the social,

economic and political conditions ofthe Indians in the

Transvaal and the Orange free state


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What is it to be called coolie

y Indians deprived of their rights in Orange Free State by a special lawenacted in 1888

y All Indians had to pay a poll tax of 3 as entry fee in Transvaal

y Allowed to work only as waiters or for menial jobs

y Traderswere driven awaywith nominal compensation

y Not to walk on footpaths and not to move out of doors after 9pm

y Gandhi kicked off the footpath by a guard

y This deepened his feeling for the Indian settlers

y Made an intimate study ofthe hard condition ofthe

Indian settlers, not only by reading and hearing about itbut by personal experience.


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Map of South Africa (1885)


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Lessons from Pretoria

y Stay at Pretoria one of the most valuable experiences

y Opportunities of learning publicwork and acquired some measure of his

capacity for it

y It was the religious force within me became a living force and here too I

acquired a true knowledge of legal practicey Also gained confidence as a lawyer

y facts mean truth, and once we adhere to truth, the law comes to our aid

naturally

y Learnt the true practice of law

yLearnt to find out the better side of human nature and to enter mensheart

y The lesson was indelibly burnt into me


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y Settled in Natal

y Sheth Haji Muhammad Haji Dada foremost leader of Indiancommunity in Natal (1893)

y In face of calamity that overtaken the community , all distinctions such as high andlow, small and great, master and servant, Hindus,Musalmans, Parsis, Christian,Gujaratis,

Madrasis,

Sindhis were forgotten.

A

ll were the children and servants of themotherland

y In spite of a good fight the Indian franchise bill was passed.

y The agitation infused life into the community

y It was one and indivisible.

y Duty to fight for political and trading rights


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Natal Indian Congress

y Came into being on 22nd May, 1895

y Learnt at the outset, not to carry on public workwith borrowed money.

y Can rely peoples promises in most matters except in matters of money

y Learnt principles that never have more money at ones disposal than

necessary

y In public work minor expenses at times absorbed large amounts

y Carefully kept accounts are a sine que non for any organizations

y Feature of congress- service of colonial born educated Indians

y Another feature- Propoganda


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y Balasundaram

y Hearts earnest and pure desire is always fulfilled

y

Always a mystery how can men feel themselves honored by the humiliation offellow beings

y Took off turban at Supreme court,which he refused to take off at

District court

y Applicabilty ofthe principle oflooking at a thing from a different

standpoint in different circmstancesy All through my life, the very insistence on truth has taught me to appreciate the beauty of

compromise

y The 3 tax

y 1894, Natal Govt. sought to impose an annual tax of 25 on indentured Indians.

y Truth triumphed in the end. The sufferings of the Indianswere the

expression of truth. It would not have succeeded without unflinching faith, great

patience and incessant effort


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Comparative study of religions

y Desire for self-realization led Gandhi to the service of

community

y Ifound myself in search of god and striving for self realization

y Influence of christian friends increased his appetite for

knowledgey Therewere fundamental differences,which proved helpful since there

was tolerance, charity and truth. Friendship kept alive in my interest

in religion

y The study stimulated my self-introspection and fostered in me the habit of putting

into practice whatever appealed to me in my studiesy Intensive study ofTolstoys works

y Iwas confirmed in my opinion that religion and morality are synonymous


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As a householder

y Lessons learnt from having blind faith in companion

y In harbouring him Ihad chosen a bad means for a good end- in spite of knowing

his bad characterIhad blind faith in him

y My intentions were pure, and so Iwas saved in spite of my mistakes This

experience thoroughly forewarned me for the future.y Howsoever you may repair it , a rift is a rift


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y Homeward

y In 1896, after three years in SA, returns to India

y

Hands over charge of congress and educational society to AdamjiMiyakhan

y In India

y Publishing in the pioneer- Leading to lynching in SA

y Pamphlet on happenings in SA The Green Pamphlet

y Cleanliness drivey The authors of the Smritis, as Iknew have laid the greatest emphasis on

cleanliness both inward and outwards

y Two passions

y Loyalty and aptitude for nursing

y Service which is rendered without joy helps neither the server nor the served

y As my concept for ahimsa went on maturing, I became morevigilant about my thought and speech.


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y Amassed support for movement in SA.

y Wanted help of people of every shade of opinion.y Pherozeshah, Lokmanya Tilak, Gokhale

y Sir Pherozeshah had seemed like the Himalaya, the Lokmanya like the ocean,

But Gokhalewas as the Ganges

y What barrier is there that love cannot break?

y Freedom from exaggeration

y Devotion for truth

y We win justice quicker by rendering justice to the other party


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Part IIIy Rumblings ofthe storm

y We feel all the freer and lighter having cast off the tinsel of civilization

y All become one in the face of danger.They forget their differences and begin tothink of one and onlyGod.With the disappearance of danger disappeared alsothe name ofGod from their lips

y The stormy Shipwas quarantined for 23 days at Durban

y The testy Lynched on arrival at the port of Natal: Durbany it is idle to adjudicate upon the right and wrong on incidents that have already

happened.It is useful to understand them and if possible, to learn a lesson from them

for the futurey Judging a man from his outward act is no more than a doubtful inference, in as much

as it is not based on sufficient data


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The calm after the storm

y Refusal to prosecute the assailants produced a profound

impression on the Europeans

y Lynching proved to a blessing!

y Functioning of a public institution

yIt is not good to run public institutions onpermanent funds.It carried initself the seed of the moral fall of the institution.

y A public institution means an institution conducted with the approval, and from

the funds of the public

y The ideal for a Public institution is to live, like nature, from day to

day


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Brahmacharya

y For a Brahmachari

y Ideal food is fresh fruits and nuts

y Fasting is essential it is usefulwhen mind co-operateswith a starving body,

it cultivates a distaste for the objects that are denied to the body

y Mind is the root cause of all sensuality

y Control of the senses in thought,word and deed

y Thought should be under complete control of the will

y The existence of God within makes control of the mind possible

y

Highest effort is necessary to attain the highest goals


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The Boer war

y Gandhi offered his services freelyduring the Anglo-Boer War of 1899.

y Formed an Indian Volunteer

Ambulance Corps of 1100 men,

y Traders and Professionals

y

Saw to the needs of the sick and woundedy Awarded War Medal

y Indian community became better

organized

y Human nature shows itself at its

best during trialsy Public worker should not accept any costly

gifts


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1901 Congress Session

y Untouchabilitywas prevalent

y Unhygienic conditions at the camps

y Working of the Congress was unproductive and ineffective

yHis resolution was passed at the fag-end of the sessionwithout anyone reading it

y Gandhi had to finish his speech in five minutes but due to

miscommunication of protocol he stopped after only 3

minutes


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Lord Curzons Darbar

y Rajas and Maharajas usuallywore fine bengali dhotis and

shirts

y But in Lord Curzons Darbar they put on trousers and

turbans befitting to khansamas

y This was highly demeaning for the kings

y Idiscovered that these were insignia not of their royalty but of their

slavery

yThe condition was similar for Rajas and Maharajas in otherparts of India as well.


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Gopal Krishna Gokhale

y To see Gokhale at work was as much joy as education

y Extremely hardworking and truthful man

y Concerned about Indias poverty and subjection

yHad immense respect for Justice Ranade


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Religion

y Debated with Kalicharan Banerjee on Bhakti Marga

y Original Sin Surrendering to Jesus vs. Bhakti Marga

y Disturbed by the animal sacrifice at the Kali Temple

yAlso met people from Brahmo Samaj, Sister Nivedita

y Paid a flying visit to Burma and was pained by the lethargy of

the foongis


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Travel across India

y Decided to make a tour through India travelling third class

y Journey from Calcutta to Rajkot

y Comfort level of third class in India far worse than in

England or South Africay Reasons Indifference of Railway authorities and filthy habit

of Indians


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In Benaras

y Darshan at Kashi Vishvanath temple

y Pained by the filth and noise at a place ofworship

y Where one expected an atmosphere of meditation and communion it

was conspicuous by absencey Isearched here forGod but failed to find him


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Faith on its trial

y Son Manilal faced an acute attack of smallpox

y Doctor advised a diet of eggs and chiken but Gandhi refused

y If the boy had grown up Iwould have tried to ascertain his wishes

and respected themy Religion, as Iunderstand it, does not permit me to use meat or eggs

for me even on occasions like this

y Started hydropathic treatment

y Manilal responded to the treatment and his temperaturereduced after a few days

y Moved to South Africa a few days later


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Loves Labor's Lost

y Chamberlain cold-shoulders Indian Deputation at Natal.

y The special department for Asiatics.

y Gandhiji uses his influence with the Durban SP to enter the

Transvaal.


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Pocketed The Insult

y Gandhiji pacifies agitated Deputation; George Godfrey tolead now.

y Chamberlain justifies exclusion.

y Community taunts Gandhiji; Gandhiji defends war effort.

y Gandhiji decides to stay back in theTransvaal.

y Gets enrolled in theTransvaal Supreme Court.


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Quickened Spirit Of Sacrifice

y Gandhiji admits to a desire to secure his future.

y The Life Policy.

y Gandhiji starts questioning his motives:faith in Godand issue

of self reliance.

y Influence of Theosophy in company of Mr. Ritch, hismerchant friend.


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Result Of Introspection

y The Seekers Club and SanskritTexts.

y Two verses a day of the Gita.

y The Gita becomes a reference for the conduct of daily life.

y The ideal of non-possession.

y The consequence: a drifting-apart of brothers.


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A Sacrifice To Vegetarianism

y The vegetarian restaurant in JoBerg.

y Gandhiji lends trust-money, loses the amount and makes good

the loss out of his own finances.

y And gets a sound advice from a friend.


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Experiments In Earth And Water Treatment

y Headaches and constipation.

y The No BreakfastAssociation in Manchester.

y Earth andWaterTreatment.

y Gandhiji gives a caveat.


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A Warning

y OnA Guide To Health.

y Gandhiji recommends sunbaked fruits and nuts; says milk is

unnecessary.

y Recall Kheda illness when his theory failed him; admits that

milk has unequalled for people with a weak digestion.

y Restraint of the sexual and other passions becomes easy for a man

who lives on such a diet


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A Tussle With Power

y Gandhiji complains against the Asiatic departments antics;

meets with a sympathetic police Commissioner.

y

Gets tw

o officers arrested and cashiered.

y However,without any personal malice.

y Man and his deed are two different things


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A Sacred Recollection And Penance

y Gandhiji declares never having known discrimination in his

heart.

y

Has a big fightw

ith hisw

ife; attempts to turn her out; endsup red-faced.

y Admits that they were by no means an ideal couple.

y Again admits to Lust and Jealousy on his part.


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Intimate European Contracts

y On his conception of God .

y On the questionable nature of autobiographies.

y Iam not writing the autobiography to please critics.Writing it is itself

one of the experiments with truth. One of its objects is certainly to provide

some comfort and food for reflection for my co-workers

y Gandhiji recalls receiving two Englishmen at his house and

problems to his wife as a result.


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European Contacts (contd.)

y Need for hands at the office.

y Mrs. Dick

Before long she became more a daughter or a sister to me than a mere steno typist

Ms. Schlesin

She is one of the few women Ihave been privileged to come across, with a character as

clear as crystal and courage that would shame a warrior


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Indian Opinion

y Gandhiji assumes editorial position at the Indian Opinion.

y Gave whatever financial support he could.

y Indeed, the journal became for me a training in self-

restraint There was very little to which the critic could

objectI realized that the sole aim of a journalist should be

serviceAn uncontrolled pen serves but to destroy


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Coolie Locations Or Ghettoes?

y Discrimination has been a part of all cultures.

y On the word coolie.

y

On Indian ghettoes in JoBerg.

y On the Municipality and the Indians.

y Became legal advisor to many of them.

y Ibecame more their brother than a mere legal advisor, and shared in alltheir private and public sorrows and hardships


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The Black Plague-1

y Pneumonic plague in the locality.

y Gandhiji leads a heroic rescue mission.

y Praises the role of Srgt. Madandas, Dr. William Godfrey

and others.

y It is my faith, based on experience, that if ones heart is pure,

calamity brings in its train, men and measures to fight it


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The black Plague-2

y Twenty patients die inspite of brandy treatment . Gandhiji saves two with his

earth treatment.

y

the experience enhanced my faith in the earth treatment as also my skepticism of theefficacy of Brandy Iknow that neither this faith nor this skepticism is based upon any

solid grounds

y Criticizes the Municipality in the press.

y Asks Mr. West to take charge of the Indian Opinion press in Durban.


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Location In Flames

y Different treatment of the whites by the Municipality in the

Plague issue.

y

Gandhiji became banker to the Indian people and helpedthem deposit their savings.

y Municipality burned down the locality without any

inclination to save any thing.


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The Magic Spell Of A Book

y Meets Mr. Polak at the vegetarian Restaurant.

y Gets Mr. Wests alarming report about the finances at Durban.

y Inow realize that a public worker should not make statements of which he has

not made sure

y Off to Natal.

y Polak gives him Ruskins Unto This Last.

y Ibelieve that Idiscovered some of my deepest convictions reflected in this greatbook ofRuskin and that is why it so captured me and so transformed my life


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The Phoenix Settlement

y Inspired by the idea of labour in Ruskins book,wishes tomove Indian Opinion to a farm.

y Sergt. Madandas calls the plan foolish.

y West and others support the move.

y Phoenix farm set up in 1994 near Durban.

y First issue of Indian Opinion taken out from Phoenix soon.


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The First Night

y The engine fails.

y A wheel as a fall back options comes to the rescue.

y Gandhiji easily manages to secure labour of carpenters.

y Everybody works all night to get the paper out in time.

y Those were, to my mind, the days of highest moral uplift for Phoenix


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Polak Takes The Plunge

y No thatched mud- huts; Corrugated iron used.

y Everyone has to learn type-setting. Maganlal Gandhi

becomes an expert.

y Polak leaves The Criticjoins Phoenix farm to develop it.

y Persuaded by Gandhiji to join office at Jo Berg as an

Attorney.


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Whom God Protects

y Gandhiji decides to bring her wife and the children.

y Cures his son Ramdas broken arm with earth treatment.

y Invites Polak to stay with him.

y Persuades Polak to get married.

y Same with Mr. West.


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A Peep Into The Household

y Tendency towards simplicity and manual work.

y Prepare bread at home.

y Cleaning the closet personally.

y Sacrifice of childrens education.

y Polak opposed his views favouring the vernacular overEnglish


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The Zulu Rebellion

y The Indian Ambulance Corps.

y No signs of a real Zulu resistance.

y At any rate, my heart was with the Zulus

y Iam thankful that we hadGods work to do


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Heart Searchings

y Pondered seriously over Brahmacharya.

y Service of humanity not possible without it.

y Discharged from duty.

y After discussions, took the vow of brahmacharya for life.

y For me the observance of even bodily brahmacharya has been full ofdifficulties


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The Birth Of Satyagraha

y Prize offered in Indian Opinion.

y Maganlal Gandhi coins Sadagraha and wins the prize.


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More Experiments In Dietetics

y Importance of fasting and restriction increase.

y Fasts on Ekadashi and Religious occasions

y Fruit diet.

y Started giving up on quantity as well as types of food Items.

y Aimed at attaining a symphony with nature


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Kasturbais Courage

y Wife suffers a haemorrhage.

y

Refuses to give in to the doctors decision to take beef tea.

y Against the doctors opposition, they leave for Phoenix.


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Domestic Satyagraha

y Another Haemorrhage.

y Refuses to give up salt and pulses against Gandhijisinsistence.

y He himself gives them up for a year.

y She has to consent. Recovers quickly.

y andIadded somewhat to my reputation as a quack


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Towards Self-Restraint

y Meets Mr. Kallenbach at Mr. Khans.

y Curiosity about religious matters leads to friendship.

y Pledge to give up milk and go on a pure fruit diet.

y A mind consciously unclean cannot be cleansed by fasting


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Fasting

y Complete fasting on Ekadashis.

y Started observing pradosha in the month of shravan.

y Persuaded Muslims to observe Ramzan fast.

y And in general encouraged self-denial at Tolstoy farms.


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As School Master

y As Farm grew, need for education recognized.

y Financial constraints.

y Gandhijis lack of faith in the existing education system.

y

Character building, classes, physicalw

ork and vocationaltraining( shoe making, carpentry and cooking)


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Literary Training

y Three periods to literary education.

y English, Hindi, Tamil, Gujrati and Urdu along with some

Sanskrit were taught.

y Elementary history, geography and arithmetic.

y Gandhiji taught Tamil and Urdu.


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Tares Among The Wheat

y Mr. Kallenbach protests against Gandhiji letting his sons

mix with unruly boys.

y

Gandhiji says it is his duty to look after the unruly boysand he would not like his sons to feel superior to the

other boys.

y Ido not consider my sons were any the worse for theexperiment


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Fasting As Penance

y Moral lapses of inmates as his own failures.

y Fast for a week and then for fourteen days as a penance.

y some occasions do call for this drastic remedy

y Drinking lots ofwater and taking Ramanama.


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My Part In The War

y Volunteered for Ambulance Work.

y Other Indians opposed it.

y But Gandhiji did not at that time consider Indians to be slaves

of the British.

y Gets to meet Smt. Sarojini Naidu.


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A Spiritual Dilemma

y Polak questioned about consistency of contribution with

stand on ahimsa.

y On Ahimsa.

y Defends his participation as a matter of duty.

y The question is subtle. It admits of differences of opinion


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Miniature Satyagraha

y High-handedness of the Commanding Officer.

y Gandhiji represents the grievances of the Corps regarding thesection commanders.

y A meeting and a Resolution.

y Division and Persuasion.

y Making the best of a bad job.


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Gokhales Charity

y Gokhale puts pressure on Gandhiji to give up his dietectic

experiments.

y Gandhiji resists the pressure gently but firmly.


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Treatment Of Pleurisy

y Dr. Allison advises him to give up al fats for some days.

y Oil massage,walks in the open, fresh air etc.

y In anticipation of the approaching severe cold, Gandhiji is

advised to leave England for home.

y He consents.


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Homeward

y Mr. Kallanbach refused passport by Government of India; so

Gandhiji has to travel without him.

y Health improved by the day.

y Noticed the lack of informal conversation between the

English and Indian passengers.


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Some Reminiscences Of The Bar

y Never resorted to untruth in the profession.

y Wished to win only if the client was right.

y Fees not conditional on outcome.

y Clients kept their clean cases for him.

y Went against a senior counsel to persuade their client toadmit a mistake in court.


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45. Sharp Practice?

y A judge suggests sharp practice.

y Gandhiji objects and goes on to convince the judges of the

inadvertent nature of the mistake.

y Jugdes refuse to cancel the award.


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46. Clients Turned Co-Workers

y Devotion to truth enhanced his reputation.

y Did not hide his ignorance.

y Would recommend some other counsel for the client.

y Gained unbounded affection and trust of his clients.

y Hundreds of them became his friends and co-workers inpublic life.


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How A Client Was Saved

y Parsi Rustomjis case.

y Gandhiji arranged for a settlement out of court by

persuading the Customs Officer and the Attorney General.

y Ibrought to bear on this case all my powers of persuasion


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Part V The First Experience on returning to India

o Party at Mr. Jehangir Petits place Idid not dare to speak in Gujarati. In those

palatial surroundings of dazzling splendourI, who had lived my best life among

indentured labourers, felt myself a complete rustic

o Guajrati Function spoke in Gujarati

entering my humble protest against use of English in a Gujarati gathering

nobody seemed to misunderstand my insistence everyone seemed reconciled to my protest.

The meeting emboldened me to think that Ishould not find it difficult to place my new-fangled

notions before my countrymen.

Met with Lord Willingdon, the Governor of Bombay, en route to Poona

Meeting with Gokhale and the Servants of India Society at Poona

o Gokhale offered funds for Ashram Gandhi wanted to build in Gujarat

o

Ideological differencesw

ith members of SIS. Gandhi did not join

Part V Contd


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Part V Contd Dressing style in South Africa and when landing in Bomaby

Viramgam Customs Hardships and the Advent of Satyagraha in Indiao Satyagraha, on the other hand, is an absolutely non-violent weapon. Iregard it as my

duty to explain its practice and its limitations. Ihave no doubt that the British Government isa powerfulGovernment, but Ihave no doubt also that Satyagraha is a soverign remedy.

Inhuman treatment of 3rd class passengers

o

How it should be fought, according to Gandhio Burdwan to Poona via Mogalsarai train journey

Experiments at Shantiniketan

o The Tagore-Gandhi Controversy

1915: Gokhales died Gandhi lost his mentor

Generous hospitality at Calcutta and Rangoon

1915: The Kumbha Mela Experience Took another vow

They [The vows] have subjected me to a severe test, but they have also served as myshield. Iam of the opinion that they have added a few years to my life and saved me from

many an illness

Part V Contd


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Refused to wear the sacred thread but decided to regrow the shikhao So long as there are different religions, everyone of them may need some outward distinctive symbol. But

when that symbol is made into a fetish and an instrument of proving the superiority of ones religion over

others, it is fit only to be discarded.o As for the shikha, cowardice having been the reason for discarding it, Idecided to regrow it.

Criticized the Lakshman Jhula the metal suspension bridge in Hrishikesh andcondemned the handing over of its keys to the Govt.

Decision to found the Ashram in Ahmedabad the Satyagraha Ashram

o The code of rules and observances, and his views on Humility Admitting a family of untouchables into the Ashram

31stJuly 1917: Abolition of Indentured Emigration

Early 1917: Went to Champaranwith Rajkumar Shukla

The thinkathia system and ill-treatment of tenants

Gandhi reached a conclusion that going to law courts was not going to help. Itwas more important to drive the fear out of the ryots minds.

Asked to leave Champaran, and upon refusal, was issued court summons

Decision to keep Congress and its name out of this movement

Part V Contd


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in this meeting with the peasants Iwas face to face with God, Ahimsa andTruth

When Icome to examine my title to this realization, Ifind nothing but my love for the

people. And this in turn is nothing but an expression of my unshakable faith in Ahimsa According to the law, Iwas to be on my trial, but truly speaking the Government was to

be in its trial.The Commissioner only succeeded in trapping Government in the net which

he had spread for me.

Pleaded guilty in the Court Trial. How

ever the judgmentw

as postponed, andbefore the next hearing, the case was withdrawn

Wrote letters to the Press not to hype the matter

even where the end might be political, but where the cause was non-political, one

damaged it by giving it a political aspect and helped it by keeping it within its non-

political limits.

Funding the work at Champaran; taking statements in front of CID

Gandhi felt the need for village education, set up primary schools in 6 villages

Also dealt with the issue of cleanliness. Requested SIS for help

Part V Contd


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Volunteers gained confidence of the Village folk through schools, sanitationwork and medical relief

Sir Edward Gait appointed an official committee to investigate the peasantsgrievances,with Gandhi as its member at his own terms

Committee recommendations were in favor of the farmers,who got refundsfrom planters. Agrarian Act passed, tinkathia system abolished

Organized mill-hands strike in Ahmedabad on the following conditions:o Never to resort to violenceo Never to molest blacklegs (strikebreakers)

o Never to depend upon alms, and

o To remain firm, no matter how long the strike continued, and to earn bread during thestrike by any other honest labor

The workers showed signs of flagging. This hurt Gandhi, and he declared a fast,until a settlement was reached

This melted the mill-owners who were also Gandhis friends, settlementreached within 3 days of fasting

Plague in Kochrab and Shifting of the Ashram to a site opposite Sabarmati Jail

Part V Contd


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The Kheda Satyagraha to suspend the land revenue in famine struck Kheda

Mohanlal Pandya The Onion Thief

Unexpected Ending If thewell-to-do paid, the others exempted

Though it led to awakening of peasants, Gandhi not satisfied with the ending

o The end of a Satyagraha campaign can be described as worthy, only when it leaves the

Satyagrahis stronger and more spirited than they are in the beginning

It would be on the question of Hindu-Muslim unity that my ahimsa would be put to itsseverest test

Efforts for the release of Ali brothers and support to the Khilafat Movement

Decision to participate in the War Conference

o Objections by Charles Dinabandhu Andrewso Chelmsfords arguments

First to speak in Hindi at a Viceregal meeting, supporting the resolution

Part V Contd


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Letter to the Viceroy putting forth the demands in return for support in war:

o Home rule

o

No Financial Assistanceo Any Organized tyranny would be resisted

o Demands w.r.t. the Mohammedan States

On a recruitment campaign for war in the face of opposition and disinterest

o Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the Act depriving a whole

nation of arms as the blackest. If we want the Arms Act to be repealed, if we want to learn the use ofarms, here is a golden opportunity. If the middle-classes render voluntary help to Govt in the hour of its

trial, distrust will disappear and the ban on processing arms will be withdrawn.

Attack of Dysentry, Near Deaths Door

o Refused to take medicines or injections (which he wrongly believed as some kind of serum)

o Iwould take no medicine, but preferred to suffer the penalty for my folly

o Treatment by Ice Doctor infused energy. Refused to take even sterilized eggs

o Agreed to take goat milk, adhering to the letter of the vow and sacrificing it spirit

because of the strong desire to live created by an intense eagerness to take up the

Satyagraha fight

Part V Contd


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DieticAhimsa vsTruth

Satyagraha to oppose Rowlatt Committee Recommendations

o Establishment ofSatyagraha Sabha with Gandhi as its President

o Ideological differences with the other members about truth and ahimsa

Rowlatt Billwas passed into a law

o April 6, 1919, a "hartal" was organized where Indians would suspend all business

and fast as a sign of their hatred for the legislation Denied entry into Punjab and brought to Bombay by Police

Angry crowds dispersed by Police in front of Gandhi

Argument with the commissioner Mr. Griffiths

o Allowed to address a meeting at Chaupati on what Satyagraha entailed Violence in Ahmedabad. Allowed to address a meeting at Sabarmati Ashram.

o Appealed the guilty to confess their guilt

o Declared a fast for 3 days, appealed all to do the same to repent for the wrongs they

did by resorting to violence

Part V Contd


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Appealed to government to condone the peoples crimes

Neither people nor the government listened to his appeals

Decided to suspend Satyagraha saddened by violence in Ahmedabad and Punjab

The Himalayan Miscalculation

o Before a people could be fit for offering CivilDisobedience, they should thoroughly

understand its deeper implications.

o Need for well-tried, pure-hearted volunteers who thoroughly understood the strictconditions of Satyagraha, and who could guide the other people

Punjab lawless repression, Special tribunals to sentence innocent people

About visiting Punjab Dilemma: Civil Disobedience or not?

Deportation of Mr. Horniman, Suspension of The Bombay Chronicle

Young India converted to a biweekly, Gandhi took up its editorship

Used Young India and Navajivan for propagating ideas about Satyagraha

Printed both from Ahmedabad, importance of having a press of ones own

Part V Contd


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Viceroy permitted visit to Punjab after October 17, 1919

o Received by a huge mass in Lahore

o Decided to boycott the Hunter Committeeo A parallel inquiry committee was appointed on behalf of Congress by Pandit

Malaviya, comprising Motilal Nehru, C.R.Das, Abbas Tyabji, M.R.Jayakar and

Gandhi. Gandhi was responsible for organizing the Committee

o Prepared a report on the atrocities committed in Punjab by the Government

A Hindu-Muslim joint Conference at Delhi to discuss Khilafat Movement

o The question of Cow protection was also to be discussed

o Gandhi emphasized that the support of Hindus in the Khilafat issue and the Cow

protection issue be kept totally separate; the latter was not discussed

o Gandhis argument to keep the Punjab and Khilafat issues separateo Debate with Maulana Hasrat Mohani on the question of boycott of foreign goods

o Spoke of non-cooperation first time stop all cooperation with the Government,

return Government titles and honors, resign Government jobs

Part V Contd


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The Amritsar Congress presided by Pdt. Motilal Nehru

o Release of most prisoners of the recent lawlessness in Punjab. Ali Brothers released

o Gandhi wanted the Kings reforms to be accepted while C.R.Das was against it.LokmanyaTilakwas on C.R.Dass side.

o The difficult situation of opposing the views of the senior leaders of the Congress

o Efforts to reach a compromise, Jeramdass amendment accepted by all

o Marked the real entry of Gandhi into Congress Politics

Lokmanya, C.R.Das, Motilal Nehru were pleased with Gandhis work relatedto Punjab inquiry and had confidence in him

Aptitude in collecting and managing funds Jallianwala bagh memorial

Aptitude as a draftsman undertook framing of the Congress Constitution

o 3 member committee Gandhi, Kelkar, I.B.Sen

o Never met, consulted through correspondence, submitted a report

The birth of Khadi The object was to be able to clothe ourselves entirely in clothmanufactured by our own hands.We therefore forthwith discarded the use of mill-wovencloth and resolved to wear handwoven cloth made from Indian yarn only.

Part V Contd


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The wheel began merrily to hum in my room, andImay say without exaggeration that

its hum had no small share in restoring me to health.

Discussion with Maulana Abdul Bari and other Ulema, about whether non-violence and non-cooperation were in line with Islam

Moved non-cooperation resolution in the Khilafat conference and carried

Moved non-cooperation resolution in the Gujarat Political Conference and was

declared carried, although from a subordinate organizationo Favored by Vallabhbhai and Abbas Tyabji

Sept 1920: Special Session of Congress in Calcutta precided by Lala Lajpat Rai

o Vocabulary in the process of formation used the word non-violent for the first

time in the drafted resolutiono Maulana Azad gave the urdu words ba-aman for non-violent and tark-i-mavalat for

non-cooperation to bring the meaning to purely Muslim audiences

o Non-Cooperation should for the demand for Swaraj rather than for Khilafat or

Punjab wrongs Vijayaraghavachari and Pdt Motilal Swarajwas Incorporated

Part V Contd


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Pdt Motilal was the first to join the movement. B.C.Das and Lalaji accepted

later in the Nagpur Congress

Lokmayas death My strongest bulwark is gone.

Nagpur Session: Confirmed the resolutions adopted at Calcutta Special Session

Non Cooperation Resolution passed unanimously after some amendments

suggested by Lalaji (about boycott of schools) and by C.R.Das

Resolution regarding the revision of the Congress Constitution was taken upo The subjects committee passed the draft with one change the number of

delegates increased from 1500 to 6000

o Gandhis reactions to the increase

o Objections to goal of the Congress as Swaraj within the British Empire if possible

and without if necessary. Jinnah and Malviya wanted it limited to former only, but

didnt get votes

o Means for the attainment Peaceful and Legitimate. Some objections but passed

after discussions

Resolutions about Hindu-Muslim unity, untouchability and khadi also passed

Part V Contd


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Farewell

there is no otherGod than truth the only means for the realization of truth is

Ahimsa.

After all, however sincere my strivings after Ahimsa may have been, they have still

been imperfect and inadequate.

To see the universal and all-pervading Spirit ofTruth face to face one must be able

to love the meanest of creation as oneself. And a man who aspires after that cannot

afford to keep out of any field of life.That is why my devotion to truth has drawn

me into the field of politics

Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion

means

God can never be realized by one who is not pure at heart purification of oneself

leads to purification of surroundings to attain perfect purity one has to become

absolutely passion-free in thought, speech and action

Part V Contd


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To conquer the subtle passions seems to me to be harder far than the physical

conquest of the world by the force of arms. Ever since my return to India Ihave

had experiences of the dormant passions lying hidden within me.The knowledge ofthem has made me feel humiliated though not defeated.

So long as man does not of his own free will put himself last among his fellow

creatures, there is no salvation for him. Ahimsa is the farthest limit of humility.

Analysis of the protagonist


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y Truthy Self-disclosure, faithfulness in matters big and small

y Empathy

y Servicey Prepared to go to any length

y Rigorous striving for Self-discipline, for perfection

y A journey in communionwith God

y Humility to accept ones mistakes

y Power of convincing others

y Forgiving naturey Capaciousness of spirit

y Did not believe in the end justifying the means

y Hating the sin, not the sinner

y p g

The Grain

More Grain


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y Devotion to parents

y

Fast and humble learnery Good communicator communication of vision

y Identification with the lowliest

The Chaff

Some of his experiments did impose a cost on others Interference between family life and public life

Personality

Gandhiji and the Big Five Traits: Extroversion,Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional

stability, Openness to experience

Leadership Style


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y Servant Leadershipy

Gandhiji achieved results by giving priority importance to the needs of hisfollowers; he walked the path along with them

Aspects of a servant leader:y Servant and not leader first (Robert Greenleaf)y listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight,

stewardship, commitment to the growth of others and building communityy

a lifelong journey that includes discovery of ones self, a desire to serve others,and a commitment to leady emphasizes collaboration, trust, empathy, and the ethical use of powery leading in order to better serve others, not to increase ones own power

p y


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Comparison II: with Jonathan Livingston


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y Eponymous protagonist of Richard Bachs

creationy Seized by a passion for flight

y Outcast

y Higher plane of existence

y Comes back to show the light to others

y His students then turn teachers

y Frustrated with materialism, aspiration for ahigher goal

y

Relationship betw

een Jonathan and histeacher

y Importance of forgiveness

Seagull


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Thematic Reflectionsy Ethics

y The principles of right and wrong that are accepted by an individual or

social group

y Dependent on individual, time and other variables (like organizational

setting)

y What if the abiding ethic does not advance the common good?y Normative ethics

y Distinction between ethics and morality (???)

y How do we judge whether an action in the past was ethical or not?

y Can an ethical action be a folly?


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Thematic Reflections (II)y Gandhi, the fathery Gandhi, the husband

y Taking critical decisions on behalf of others

y Son being ill, abstinence from meat

y Comparison with the protagonist ofHindustani

y Shared value system

y When, if ever at all, is compromise a virtue?

y Is every beliefworth dying for?

y A belief, by definition, might in actuality be untrue

y Or do we choose the lesser evil (eg: certain elections) ?


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Thematic Reflections (III)y The nature of belief

y Is every belief to be questioned?

y Is reason supreme? (Amartya Sen)

y Or is blind faith a must in order to realize truth?

y When does one change ones beliefs?

y Belief in self listening to the inner voice

y Does the end justify the means?

y Truth in thought,word and deed

y Business relevance


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y Question 4


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Comparison with a Business Leader

y Wikipedia An experiment with truth

y Wikipedia believes that the truth will finallytriumph

y Belief in the goodness of people at large

y Bringing knowledge to the massesy Allegations that pages will be vandalised

y However, nature magazines study found thatWikipedia entries have minimum errors

y

Ethical Behavior Copyrighted content isconstantly removed

y No ads on wiki Works completely on donations


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Relevance of the book

y Be constantly in the quest for self-realizationy As we learn to increase our patience and compassion, develop our

courage and authenticity, and focus on howwe can best contribute toothers,we will be more far more effective and successfulprofessionally

y Treating each person with respecty Work to eliminate negative thoughts beliefs and judgments

y Who are we serving?y Arewe offering our services to those in the community who most

need them?

y Be the change you want to seey Approach each situation as an opportunity for growth and learning

y Experiment with your deepest valuesy Search for self-realization and search for truth


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Th k Y

Gandhi Grp7 v3

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