Page 258 - Reliance Foundation School Koparkhairane - School Magazine - Zenith

GANDHIJI - THE MAN OF THE MILLENNIUM

It is said that everyone, every living being big or small leaves their impact on
the world they live in. For some these effects live for a shorter period of time

whereas for some they remain for a millennium. Mahatma Gandhi man of
millennium is one such great personality that has left an irremovable impact
on India. World or let’s say the Western world who knew India for tigers,
jungles, snake charmers know India for this man who taught people ahimsa
and truth again which world has forgotten after medieval period and

industrial revolution.

This year we are celebrating his 150th anniversary. Let’s not speak of him as

a great leader of national freedom movement as much is spoken about it.
Let’s focus on his role as Bapu, father. This title was not conferred onto him
by authority. His very being, his care, concern, his love for us Indians gave
this place. Even while fighting for independence he was not keen only on
throwing British out but he was more concerned of winning freedom from

age old evils of casteism, poverty and ignorance. He worried more for making
us a strong nation that is modest, cultured and upholder of humanity. More
time and energy he devoted to ‘Sarvodaya’ a movement for educating us,

correcting u, moulding us into a new India.

He believed in ‘Antyodaya’ uplifting of the downtrodden classes. He is the
one who thought tirelessly for the poorest person in India who he called
‘Daridrinarayana’. He believed in dignity of labour. He believed in manual

labour not much to oppose the western civilisation, but more to give
opportunity to our own human resource. Every day he used to fix his target
to spin thread and no matter where he happens to be, at ashram, in custody

or on dais where he is addressing thousands of people, his wok will be
ceaselessly going on and he will complete his work. Same is about his
insistence on using people’s language which every common man can
understand. He never upheld English nor refined versions of any Indian
language meant for elites. For him everyone especially the weakest, poorest

and humblest person was important.

When I compare him with his contemporaries in India or in World I feel all

others have limits of time and space. Most of them were for a specific race,
religion, nation, class. Their ideologies believed in loving someone and
hating someone. They wanted to win by defeating someone. Violence and
bloodshed were essential part of their methods. But Gandhi believed in

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