Thought For The Day ( NON-VIOLENCE )

Gandhi Journal Article-III ( September 2016 ) - Thanatos, Terror and Tolerance: An Analysis of Terror Management Theory and a Possible Contribution by Gandhi

Gandhi Journal Article-III ( September 2016 )

Thanatos, Terror and Tolerance: An Analysis of Terror Management Theory and a Possible Contribution by Gandhi

By Kuruvilla Pandikattu SJ and Gini George 

Gandhian description of Swaraj as the "abandonment of the fear of death" is the point of departure of this article. Following the cultural anthropologist Ernest Becker, the relationship between death, terror and our ability to tolerate others who live or think differently from us is discussed. For this purpose, the Terror Management Theory of Death as elaborated by scholars in the last thirty years is examined closely. Besides outlining some of the main insights of Terror Management Theory (TMT), the paper highlights the challenge that Gandhi offers to it through his life and death. In spite of the terror that is caused by the awareness of our own death (Thanatos) and the corresponding tendency towards intolerance, there are some people, like Gandhi, who can look directly at death and still practise tolerance.

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Thought For The Day ( SCIENCE )

Thought For The Day ( PRAYER )

Thought For The Day ( HUMANITY )

Thought For The Day ( EDUCATION )

NEW BOOKS PUBLISHED : Give Nonviolence a Chance

Give Nonviolence a Chance

The Journey of Neelkanta Radhakrishnan

Edited by: Anoop Swarup

First Published : 2016

Pages : 348

Price : Rs. 650/-

Published by : Konark Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
206, First Floor, Peacock Lane, Shahpur Jat, New Delhi 110 049, India.
Tel. +91-11-41055065 | 65254972 | Email: india@konarkpublishers.com | Website: www.konarkpublishers.com

About the Book:

 

Give Nonviolence a Chance is a treasure trove of articles that showcase the peace initiatives and nonviolent campaigns of the peace activist, author, educator and philosopher, Neelakanta Radhakrishnan who devoted his entire life to the cause of peace and nonviolence and in reinterpreting and restructuring Gandhi's Peace Army, the Shanti Sena. Edited by Anoop Swarup, an internationally known scholar and peace activist and Chair, Center for Global Nonkilling, the book provides an inside view of several major campaigns.

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Thought For The Day ( LOVE )

Thought For The Day ( MARRIAGE )

Thought For The Day ( GOD )

Gandhi Journal Article-II ( September 2016 )

Kabir and Gandhi as Apostles of Human Unity Transcending Religion and Caste-based Distinctions

By Saral Jhingran
 

Kabir asserted the basic unity of all human beings not on the basis of some spiritual hypothesis of God's immanence in every heart, but on a very rational and scientific basis. Shorn of conventional man-made distinctions, basically, all human beings are the same, according to him. He derives a morality of compassion and non-violence from his basic thesis of unity of all living beings. The paper argues that Kabir's vision of the essential unity of all human beings can provide an idealistic foundation to all our efforts at both the resolution of mutual conflicts and restoring dignity to the downtrodden. The Mahatma's interpretation of the same vision gives us two messages which can contribute to realizing the above goals. They are: sincere religious toleration of and respect for other faiths on the basis of a frank acknowledgement of the possible faults of our own religion; and the need to see the 'Divine' in the hearts of the 'dumb millions', which must in turn lead us to the service of those millions as the only way to realize the 'Divine' in our hearts.

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Thought For The Day ( CHARKHA )

Thought For The Day ( TRUTH )

Thought For The Day ( PRAYER )

Gandhi Journal Article-I ( September 2016 ) - Decentralized Political Order: The Gandhian Perspective

Gandhi Journal Article-I ( September 2016 ) 

Decentralized Political Order: The Gandhian Perspective

By  Ramashray Roy 

This paper discusses the rationale of local democracy by looking at the democratic discourse surrounding the usefulness and limits of the representative form. Stalwarts like Jefferson called for the creation of ‘elementary republics’ by dividing counties into wards. Such intimate communities are not only a more reliable means of addressing public problems, but also avenues of the inner growth of the citizens in self-responsibility. This means reversing the pyramid of authority and power. The Gandhian scheme of decentralized political order is more than a technical  device; it is, at one and the same time, an institutional strategy for facilitating and sustaining spiritual regeneration of human existence in the backdrop of a simple economy based on limitation  of wants.

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Thought For The Day ( FEARLESSNESS )

Thought For The Day ( LABOUR )

Thought For The Day ( JOURNALISM )

Thought For The Day ( AHIMSA )

Thought For The Day ( DEMOCRACY )

Thought For The Day ( NON-VIOLENCE )

Thought For The Day ( TRUTH )

Thought For The Day ( NATURE )

Thought For The Day ( FAITH )

Thought For The Day ( HUNGER )

Thought For The Day ( UNTOUCHABILITY )

Thought For The Day ( TEMPLES )

Thought For The Day ( LOVE )

Gandhi Journal Article-III ( August 2016 ) - Forgiveness and Conflict Resolution

Gandhi Journal Article-III ( August 2016 )

Forgiveness and Conflict Resolution

By John Moolakkattu 

Conflict resolution deals with how people resolve their disagreements, often emanating from mutually incompatible goals. Such disagreements entail not only fights, but also negative emotions that persist. The resolution of conflicts through various rational strategies such as negotiations, mediation and facilitation might yield positive outcomes. But conflict resolution focused on the issues that give rise to conflict cannot often address the rupture in human relations that takes place. Failure to deal with this rupture might increase the likelihood of future conflict. Hence forgiveness can play a role in conflict resolution when the parties accept that the conflict is a relational phenomenon and is the result of failed interaction, that both sides have a role in reconstructing the relationships, and in so doing, reconstructing their identities, which results in the restoration of humanity of both. At an interpersonal level forgiveness is seen as a very useful virtue and it has led to the resolution of conflicts between those in intimate relationships such as married couples. But many would have reservations when this idea is applied to address group conflict.

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Thought For The Day ( WORLD )

Thought For The Day ( RELIGION )

Thought For The Day ( CONFESSION )

Gandhi Journal Article-II ( August 2016 ) - Community of Ark: Hind Swaraj Perspectives in Practice

Gandhi Journal Article-II ( August 2016 )

Community of Ark: Hind Swaraj Perspectives in Practice

By Siby K. Joseph 

It is a befitting tribute to Gandhi to reflect on his work Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule and its practical applications during its centenary year. One who scrutinises Gandhi's philosophy and methods will see their seeds in his work Hind Swaraj.¹ That is why this booklet is often hailed as Gandhi's ‘seminal work'. Though Gandhi wrote this book keeping in mind mainly the Indians, his concept of Swaraj is not confined to the Swaraj of India alone. In fact, the ideas presented in this book constitute the foundation of Gandhi's philosophy of life. It may be said that it is on the foundation of Hind Swaraj that the whole edifice of Gandhi's theory of life is built. The values presented in this booklet are eternal and transcend geographical boundaries. Also, while this booklet is a severe condemnation of modern western civilization and its institutions, it also presents Gandhi's concept of an alternative way of life based on moral values, and spirituality.

Records show that Hind Swaraj gave rise to a lot of controversies. Discussions and debates were aplenty at the theoretical level. It is to be noted that several experiments were also undertaken by people of idealistic orientation to put the Hind Swaraj insights into practice. The Community of Ark in Southern France, for example, is an attempt to apply the Hind Swaraj perspectives on nonviolence as a way of alternative living.

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Thought For The Day ( TOLERANCE )

Thought For The Day ( INDEPENDENCE )

Thought For The Day ( NATIONALISM )

Thought For The Day ( SALVATION )

Thought For The Day ( FREEDOM )

Thought For The Day ( DEMOCRACY )

Thought For The Day ( AHIMSA )

Thought For The Day ( SATYAGRAHA )

Thought For The Day ( TRUTH )

6TH AUGUST - 71ST HIROSHIMA DAY OBSERVED

6TH AUGUST - 71ST HIROSHIMA DAY OBSERVED

"NO MORE HIROSHIMA" - A call for peace and & Nuclear-free World by 1,247 students

“Today, we pledge together with the millions of people all over the world to work tirelessly for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons and all weapons…” Students, graphically depicting the horror of the nuclear weapons, along with 1,247 NSS Volunteers of University of Mumbai and SNDT University, school students, social activists and peace-loving citizens in the city marched for peace and a nuclear-free world from Azad Maidan to Hutatma Chowk today, 6th August, Hiroshima Day. The Peace rally was jointly organized by Bombay Sarvodaya Mandal and NSS Units of SNDT & Mumbai University.

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Thought For The Day ( NON-VIOLENCE )

Commemorating 71st Anniversary of the Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima

Thought For The Day ( GOD )

Thought For The Day ( COWARDS )

Gandhi Journal Article - I (August 2016) - Cleanliness-Sanitation : Gandhian Movement and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

Gandhi Journal Article-I ( August 2016 ) 

Cleanliness-Sanitation : Gandhian Movement and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

By Dr. Y. P. Anand 

The concept of 'Sanitation' is a comprehensive one including effective management (collection, treatment and disposal/recovery, reuse or recycling) of human waste, solid waste (including biodegradable and non-biodegradable refuse/trash/rubbish), waste water, sewage effluents, industrial wastes, and hazardous (such as hospital, chemical, radioactive, plastic or other dangerous) wastes.

...Mahatma Gandhi had realized early in his life that the prevalent poor state of sanitation and cleanliness in India and particularly the lack of adequate toilets, in the then largely rural India, needed as much attention as was being devoted toward attainment of swaraj. He said that unless we "rid ourselves of our dirty habits and have improved latrines, swaraj can have no value for us." [CW 14:56-58] Along with the struggle for India's independence, he led a continuous struggle for sanitation, cleanliness, and efficient management of all categories of wastes throughout his public life (1893 – 30.1.1948), in South Africa and then in India. He dealt with nearly all aspects of sanitation-technical, economic and its various aspects-personal, domestic and corporate.

This idea of Gandhi to help the poorest of the poor has brought about a peaceful revolution in the world. He has shown a way to this extremely materialistic, acquisitive, narrow-minded and selfish world. Today Gandhi may not be among us, but he manifests himself through many individuals in our society.

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Thought For The Day ( ANGER )

Thought For The Day ( PRAYER )