GANDHI TODAY

 Mahatma Gandhi is celebrated worldwide as an icon of peace and non-violence. In India, he is revered as the Mahatma or "great soul." But do his ideals continue to hold influence today, nearly a century and a half after his birth?

Today’s World & Gandhi’s Ideals

For my generation, Gandhi is a figure we know only through stories and books. Yet, we idolized him. Today, many either don’t know him, or, if they do, fail to appreciate or understand him.

Truth

Truth and non-violence were the cornerstones of Gandhi's philosophy. His autobiography reveals how life experiences shaped his character and principles. For Gandhi, truth was the foundation of all virtues, equating it with God. He dedicated his life to discovering and pursuing truth, naming his movement Satyagraha, which means "insistence on or adherence to the truth."

Morality and Moral Force

Gandhi believed that truth and honesty provided individuals the moral strength to resist injustice. The power of truth to challenge oppression and inspire change remains as relevant today, as in Gandhi’s time.

Nonviolence

Ahimsa, or non-violence, was the essence of Gandhi’s thought. It means refraining from harming any living being, physically or mentally, while striving for harmony. Though non-violence has deep roots in India’s cultural heritage, Gandhi was the first to apply it politically and on scale.

Religion

Though a devout Hindu, Gandhi was deeply influenced by Jainism, Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism, as well as thinkers like Tolstoy, Ruskin, and Thoreau. For him, religion was a force for unity, not division. But today, religious intolerance has re-emerged in violent re-incarnation, with even those once known for tolerance subscribing to an "us vs. them" mindset.

Sarvodaya

Sarvodaya, meaning "universal upliftment" or "progress for all," was Gandhi’s vision for the downtrodden. He fought against social evils like untouchability and caste discrimination. While India has made progress, caste still remains a major divisive issue.

Swaraj & Swadeshi

Swadeshi, or self-reliance, was at the heart of Gandhi’s vision for Swaraj, or self-rule, which extended to all aspects of life. Although institutions like Panchayati Raj exist, they often lack the authority and resources to fulfil Gandhi’s vision. Still, the increasing advocacy for local products and self-sufficiency in a de-globalising world, where machines, some companies and countries have displaced local employment and participation, echoes his ideas.

Health & Hygiene

Gandhi's approach to health was pragmatic. His emphasis on preventive health was ahead of its time, as today’s governments focus more on disease control, than prevention. He stressed preventive health through diet, exercise, and discipline, and promoted vegetarianism, not out of religious obligation, but based on the principle of non-violence.

Environmental Concerns
While environmental issues were not as pressing in Gandhi's time, his principles of simple living and self-sufficiency align with today’s concerns about sustainability and minimalism.

But in today’s world, does truth still hold value? We live in an age overwhelmed by information, where fake news and manipulated narratives often dominate. People distort facts without hesitation, driven by personal gain.

Yet violence seems to have permeated the modern society. Terrorism, wars, and rogue states sponsoring violence have become a global norm. The tragedy is that even brutal violence is often justified, and people have become conditioned to accept it as a very potent weapon to achieve their vicious objectives. Revenge has replaced dialogue as the preferred solution.

Social Concepts

It is remarkable that Gandhi, fully immersed in India’s freedom struggle, also dedicated significant thought to socio-economic issues. He wrote extensively on topics like self-reliant communities and villages, vegetarianism, health, religion, and social reforms.

His focus on hygiene has found resonance in modern India with the government’s Swachh Bharat (Clean India) campaign, launched nearly 75 years after independence.

 Education

Gandhi viewed education as a means to build character. Unfortunately, today’s education system often lacks both the moral and technical foundations he envisioned.

Critique of Gandhi

Gandhi was not without critics. Hindu extremists condemned his approach to alleged Muslim appeasement. He believed that the majority had a moral duty to protect minorities, and he ultimately gave his life for promoting Hindu-Muslim unity.

On the caste issue, Gandhi initially supported a profession-based caste system (varna), but his views evolved over time. His disagreements with Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on caste-based constituencies are well-known. However, Gandhi was unwavering in his opposition to untouchability, working directly with the downtrodden, something few other leaders did.

Gandhi also had differences with Subhash Chandra Bose, another revered freedom fighter. Bose advocated for armed resistance, while Gandhi firmly believed that ends did not justify the means. During World War II, Gandhi even supported the British, while Bose sought help from the Axis powers.

His stance on technology also drew criticism. Gandhi opposed large-scale industrialization, fearing it would rob people of jobs. Today, the rapid rise of automation and artificial intelligence partially validates his concerns.

His promotion of vegetarianism, once dismissed as a fad, now aligns with environmental goals and movements promoting plant-based diets and sustainable living resonate with his ideas.The UN recommends reducing meat consumption to combat environmental damage, echoing Gandhi's beliefs.

Gandhi of course had certain limitations; but that showed how human he was.

Gandhi’s Legacy

Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolent resistance has inspired civil rights movements across the world, from Martin Luther King Jr. to Nelson Mandela. Time magazine named leaders like the Dalai Lama, Lech Wałęsa, Cesar Chavez, and Desmond Tutu as "Children of Gandhi," carrying forward his legacy.

Gandhi’s ideals transcend time and space. Movements inspired by his principles will continue to emerge, led by enlightened individuals who recognize the enduring power of truth, non-violence, and justice.