The Great Gandhi
Yes, as unfashionable as it has become nowadays, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is one of my biggest heroes.
Gandhi is an enigmatic figure. As of today, there are probably more detractors of Gandhi than people who truly appreciate him. As far as politicians go, I think most of them just pay lip service to the great man.
So am I a Gandhian? - Honestly I don't know. I have no idea what that term means - Gandhian. But generally speaking, I don't like to constrain myself with these narrow ways of self identity.
Now most people say that Gandhi took many wrong decisions. Like not saving Bhagat Singh. Agreeing for the partition. Calling off the non-cooperation movement. etc. etc.
Well, I have no arguments against these accusations. I don't admire him for his political decisions. I admire him for his ability to transcend himself, and his needs and desires and give himself to a cause so great and daunting that it would have crushed any normal man's spirit. I admire him for his commitment and dedication towards the path of righteousness. For not compromising, for not taking any easy ways. For being willing to take physical abuse and not react in the same manner.
How many of us will be able to go the path of righteousness when confronted with physical violence? How many of us will be able to sacrifice things that are important to us for the sake of doing what is right? Let me give a personal example -
I was running a spoken English institute in Lajpat Nagar almost two years back. Our neighbour was a placement agency who had advertised in the paper for a walk in interview for a call centre. We decided to take advantage of the people coming for the interviews by distributing our pamphlets to them.
Soon enough our boy came back saying that the owner of that company had snatched our pamphlets and was refusing to let us distribute it to the people standing outside his office. He had no valid reasons to stop us, but I guess he felt that because he had paid for an advertisement, so we should not get benefit of those students for free. We personally went there and started distributing the pamphlets ourselves. He came out, we had a verbal match, and then he threatened to call in the gundas to fix us. And at this stage I must admit that I got scared. Though I managed to save my face before backing out, but I did back out. And I felt ashamed. And I recalled how Gandhi had not backed out of doing what he felt was right even in the face of physical assault and violence. He took the beating without any protest. And I backed out. And that my friends is the real reason why Gandhi is my hero. He did not give in to his fears and insecurities.
I am happy to say that after that the shame of that incident helped to overcome my fears somewhat. This time it was while I was running my institute in Greater Noida. This time it was some students who had joined but only attended 1-2 classes before they stopped coming. They came for a refund after almost 2 months. I was again on the right side – I tell everyone when they join that for a refund they must ask before their classes get over. But these boys were persistent. They soon got down to making threats. They made me talk to someone on the phone who again made veiled threats. But the shame of the previous incident had made me determined not to give in. And I lost my sleep for a few nights, and all my employees were also afraid and asked me to pay them and settle the mater. I didn’t, and in the end they left me alone. I wonder what I would have done if they actually came at with hockey sticks etc…?
Gandhi is an enigmatic figure. As of today, there are probably more detractors of Gandhi than people who truly appreciate him. As far as politicians go, I think most of them just pay lip service to the great man.
So am I a Gandhian? - Honestly I don't know. I have no idea what that term means - Gandhian. But generally speaking, I don't like to constrain myself with these narrow ways of self identity.
Now most people say that Gandhi took many wrong decisions. Like not saving Bhagat Singh. Agreeing for the partition. Calling off the non-cooperation movement. etc. etc.
Well, I have no arguments against these accusations. I don't admire him for his political decisions. I admire him for his ability to transcend himself, and his needs and desires and give himself to a cause so great and daunting that it would have crushed any normal man's spirit. I admire him for his commitment and dedication towards the path of righteousness. For not compromising, for not taking any easy ways. For being willing to take physical abuse and not react in the same manner.
How many of us will be able to go the path of righteousness when confronted with physical violence? How many of us will be able to sacrifice things that are important to us for the sake of doing what is right? Let me give a personal example -
I was running a spoken English institute in Lajpat Nagar almost two years back. Our neighbour was a placement agency who had advertised in the paper for a walk in interview for a call centre. We decided to take advantage of the people coming for the interviews by distributing our pamphlets to them.
Soon enough our boy came back saying that the owner of that company had snatched our pamphlets and was refusing to let us distribute it to the people standing outside his office. He had no valid reasons to stop us, but I guess he felt that because he had paid for an advertisement, so we should not get benefit of those students for free. We personally went there and started distributing the pamphlets ourselves. He came out, we had a verbal match, and then he threatened to call in the gundas to fix us. And at this stage I must admit that I got scared. Though I managed to save my face before backing out, but I did back out. And I felt ashamed. And I recalled how Gandhi had not backed out of doing what he felt was right even in the face of physical assault and violence. He took the beating without any protest. And I backed out. And that my friends is the real reason why Gandhi is my hero. He did not give in to his fears and insecurities.
I am happy to say that after that the shame of that incident helped to overcome my fears somewhat. This time it was while I was running my institute in Greater Noida. This time it was some students who had joined but only attended 1-2 classes before they stopped coming. They came for a refund after almost 2 months. I was again on the right side – I tell everyone when they join that for a refund they must ask before their classes get over. But these boys were persistent. They soon got down to making threats. They made me talk to someone on the phone who again made veiled threats. But the shame of the previous incident had made me determined not to give in. And I lost my sleep for a few nights, and all my employees were also afraid and asked me to pay them and settle the mater. I didn’t, and in the end they left me alone. I wonder what I would have done if they actually came at with hockey sticks etc…?
posted by philosopher stoned | 11:46 PM
4 Comments:
I think when you reflect upon the other side of the story, you miss the point. There are some people who believe in God in a way that gives them strength.
Firstly, its not that all those who believe in God turn to him/her (as much as i hate making God into a gendered entity!) only in times of need.
And secondly, what makes you think wanting to be heard by someone or to be helped by someone is disempowering?
There are many whose faith in God makes them stronger human beings and helps them face life with courage and empathy. I think we made God as an ideal for us, a being so wonderful and pure that we'd all could turn to him/her as an example or for guidance.
When you believe in Gandhi, it gives you a sense of rightousness and motivates you to do the same. Are you then disempowering yourself?
Maybe when you look at God as a kind of a role model, you would be able to understand why for so many people God is one of the most blisful experiences...it helps them come close to what they cherish the most in human beings!
i would have relented. i would have let them have their money back. policy is designed to help protect the business but if it starts hurting the very business its designed to protect then i would have changed the policy. but then again i have little business experience compared to you. i think its a brave thing you did though.
the trouble with gandhiji (i feel guilty if i just call him gandhi, like i am insulting him or something. i feel this need to add a 'ji', eventhough iam pretty sure he wouldnt have cared less. and offcourse i dont feel the need to say wayneji or scott peckji.) is that the politicians got to him first. he's become too much a part of the establishment. i get put off by that.
there was a gandhiji phase in my life, the initial days of mumbai. read fishers acount of him. and he appeared in freedom at midnight too. two qualities i would admire in anyone, he had them both. balls and discipline. you have to admire that.
it wasn't for the sake of the policy that I did not give in. It was the memory of the shame I felt the last time around at being afraid. I was so afraid at that stage that my hands were shaking when I took the mobile and it was visible to everyone. I did not want to feel that afraid ever again no matter what the cost. So I was actually prepared to accept whatever loss (monetary or physical) they might cause me as the payment for learning to not be afraid.
PS - The title of this blog was inspired by The Great Gatsby, a book that I did not read in college.
Yes, thats right, I did not read it cos it was part of our course in English subsidiary paper.
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