Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Gandhi Journal Article-III ( October 2016 ) - Relevance of Mahatma Gandhi in Canada

Gandhi Journal Article-III ( October 2016 ) 

Relevance of Mahatma Gandhi in Canada

By Dr. Neeta Khandpekar 
Gandhi's legacy is significant for both of them owing to have faced problems of separatism and secession in specific areas. Canada's accord of 1992 (though failed) was an act of political courage, an experiment at once educative and conciliatory which is perhaps the only way of fusing a multicultural society into a nation. Even today we read news headlines like "IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE MAHATMA, GLOBAL MAHATMA". And in fact Martin Luther King Jr, Dalai Lama, Aung San Suu Kyi, Nelson Mandela, Adolfo Perez Esquivel were inspired by Gandhiji's philosophy and practice and have been awarded the Nobel Prize across the world. Gandhi is now a global icon and a mystical figure rolled into one. In the twentieth century Non-violence has achieved many successes. The American Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's led by Martin Luther King Jr. culminated in political rights for African-Americans. Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe when confronted with non-violent resistance, led by forces like Solidarity in Poland and Charter 77 in Czechoslovakia. In 1986, a massive show of people's power toppled Ferdinand Marcos's dictatorship in the Philippines. The armies refused to fire on the people after being convinced by them-Photographs of girls offering roses to men manning the tanks are still etched in memory - to support the pro-democracy movement. Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu played a major role in South Africa's relatively peaceful transition from apartheid to a democracy that granted blacks political rights. Esquivel an Argentinean was the founder of Peace and Justice, a pan-Latin American civil rights movement in the 1970s that adopted non-violence as its credo at a time when the continent was gripped by violent conflict. This paper will focus on twenty first century issues especially in Canada and its solutions in Gandhian thought.
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Thought For The Day ( MIND )

Mahatma Gandhi Quotes on Mind

Monday, October 10, 2016

Gandhi Journal Article-II ( October 2016 ) - Skill Development in India - The Gandhian Perspective

Gandhi Journal Article-II ( October 2016 ) 

Skill Development in India - The Gandhian Perspective

By Dr. Y.P. Anand 
One of the primary ‘missions’ for taking India forward being pursued at present on a national scale is ‘Skill India’ or making Indians, especially its upcoming youth, much more skilled in the various crafts, trades, industries and professions.

It would act as an ideal inspiration for both the propagators and the students of ‘Skill India’ mission to know that Mahatma Gandhi, all through his long public life (1893 till 30 January, 1948) invariably insisted on use of better and higher skills for working in whichever task or field he happened to be concerned with at any time. He believed in a constant and continuous learning process including experimentation, keeping the ideal as the goal but also knowing that human beings must always keep improving and rising in their skills but can never attain absolute perfection. Hence, he also called himself a ‘practical idealist’, going from ‘truth to truth’. He himself practiced the pursuit of skill in whatever he did even more than he told others to do.

In this paper an attempt has been made to give a summarized presentation of the multi-faceted Gandhian perspective on the critical role, application and development of varied skills in the numerous fields with which he was involved. Though his interest in the promotion of skills related to nearly any major activity he came across was sustained throughout, his longest and deepest engagement remained with the promotion of the skills required in the propagation of khadi (particularly that of hand-spinning) and other village industries. The promotion of khadi and other village industries was an essential part of his lifelong struggle for India’s freedom from foreign rule as well as for removal of poverty and economic morass into which India had sunk.

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Thought For The Day ( FORGIVENESS )

Mahatma Gandhi Quotes on Forgiveness

Saturday, October 8, 2016

Gandhi Journal Article-I ( October 2016 ) - Fighting for Peace: The Gandhian Way

Gandhi Journal Article-I ( October 2016 ) 

Fighting for Peace: The Gandhian Way

By Asha Gupta 
Peace does not imply simply ‘absence of war’. Rather, it implies justice, equity and ‘freedom from fear’. Gandhi, one of the apostles of peace, not only propagated peace at the world level but also understood fully. Since all plans of wars begin in the human mind, it becomes absolutely necessary to make it the abode of peace. Without inner peace and growth of spirituality at the individual level, there can’t be any peace and tranquility at the global level. For this to happen, individuals and civil societies would have to play a proactive role.

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Thought For The Day ( WAR )

Mahatma Gandhi Quotes on War

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi presented with first copy of new book on Mahatma's life in 1,300 colour photos

Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi presented with first copy of new book on Mahatma's life in 1,300 colour photos


"MAHATMA Gandhi's Life in Colour" - The definite photo biography of Mahatma Gandhi


Modi-released-the-book-Mahatma-life-in-colour

Mahatma Gandhi's Life in Colour, the coffee table book by GandhiServe India is released by The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi on October 2 on the occasion of 147th Gandhi birth anniversary. The book contains four-colour pictures reflecting various phases of Gandhi's life. About the book he said: "Excellent collection - excellent publication"! He wrote in the first copy of the book: "By means of photographs you are bringing the life of Mahatma Gandhi to the masses for which you deserve congratulations!"

Thought For The Day ( AHIMSA )


Sunday, October 2, 2016

2nd October 1947...The Last Birthday Of Mahatma Gandhi

2nd October 1947...The Last Birthday Of Mahatma Gandhi


Mahatma Gandhi at 10 Downing Street, London, 1930
On hearing of the possibility of India being made independent, Hindu-Muslim communal riots erupted around the country. Gandhi had never subscribed to the two nation theory nor did he agree to it. But the Congress leaders and the public, tired of the communal tensions in the country, considered partition to be the lesser of the two evils. Gandhi had to finally give in to popular sentiment.

The weapons of truth and non-violence used by the Congress, and by default by the people, to achieve independence, were no longer considered adequate either by the same leaders of the Congress (who were in the forefront of the non-violent movement) or even the public. The views and the role of the vocal society on issues of communal harmony, khadi, village industries, Urdu, devnagari script, use of Hindustani (as against pure Sanskritised Hindi) and revival of Indian languages were very different. They considered Gandhi as an obstruction to achieve their ends.

...The differences of opinion and the circumstances of the country at that time led to Gandhiji feeling alone and isolated. Gandhi’s dejection was palpable. He sounded distraught. Death was very much on his mind. He used to pray that either the almighty give him the strength to change all that was happening and if not, to give him death. In this kind of milieu, Gandhi’s 78th birthday was approaching on 2 Oct 1947. This would prove to be his last birthday to be celebrated. All those around him had come to offer their good wishes. One such visitor jokingly commented, “Bapuji, on our birthdays we touch the feet of others and on your birthday too we have to touch your feet, how fair is that?” Gandhiji grinned and said, “The ways of mahatmas are always different. That is not my fault. You people have wrongly declared me a mahatma, so now bear the consequences.”
 

CELEBRATING 147TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF MAHATMA GANDHI & INTERNATIONAL NON-VIOLENCE DAY

Mahatma Gandhi Quotes on Non-violence

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Prisoners, Maoists, students to write Gandhi Peace Exams on October 2

Prisoners, Maoists, students to write Gandhi Peace Exams on October 2

Prisoners, Maoists, students to write Gandhi Peace Exams on October 2

Around 450 jail inmates of Maharashtra and 90 surrendered Maoists in Chhattisgarh will join around 1.70 lakh students to write the annual Gandhi Peace Exam to mark the 147th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

The exams shall be conducted across the state by Mumbai Sarvodaya Mandal to give the jail inmates and Maoists an opportunity to feel a sense of remorse by inculcating moral values, peace, truth and non-violence propounded by Mahatma Gandhi.

Thought For The Day ( FAST )

Mahatma Gandhi Quotes on Fast

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Sarvodaya Mandal to promote Gandhian value through books

Sarvodaya Mandal to promote Gandhian value through books

Sarvodaya Mandal to promote Gandhian value through books


In its efforts to promote Ghandhian values, Mumbai Sarvodaya Mandal will sell over 200 books written by Mahatma Gandhi and Acharya Vinoba on low prices from October 2 onwards at the Gandhi Book Centre here.


On the occasion of 147th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, about 200 titles on and by the Gandhiji, Vinobaji and Sarvodaya will be sold at up to 50 per cent discount by Mumbai Sarvodaya Mandal.


The books would be on sale from October 3 to 11 (except on Sunday) at Gandhi Book Centre in Nana Chowk.
 

Thought For The Day ( BRUTE )

Mahatma Gandhi Quotes on Brute

Thursday, September 22, 2016

New Book Published: Gandhi Searches for Truth

Gandhi Searches for Truth

A Practical Biography for Children
 
(For the agegroup of 3 to 12 years)


By:
 Stephanie N. Van HookFirst Published : August 2016


To order copies online, please visit @ www.amazon.in or at www.mettacenter.org

About the Book:
Gandhi Searches for Truth is subtitled, A Practical Biography for Children, and that is exactly what it is. It uses the lens of Gandhi’s search for truth to walk children through the spiritual highpoints of Gandhiji’s life and unfold its great significance, emphasizing  its power to inspire them in their own searches.  It therefore fills an important niche, on at least two levels: it is informative on one of the greatest, if not the greatest person of the 20th Century, which is covered very inadequately if at all outside of India (and not always with the needed sensitiveness anywhere).  It also inspires and empowers children, in the best Montessori spirit, which can be vitally needed in this dispiriting world.  As information it fills a space left by, for example, Sri Eknath Easwaran’s Gandhi the Man, which takes a similar spiritual approach but is designed for high-school children and adults.
 
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Thought For The Day ( DEMOCRACY )

Mahatma Gandhi Quotes on Democracy

Monday, September 19, 2016

Surrendered Naxals pass test on Gandhian principles

Surrendered Naxals pass test on Gandhian principles

The whole exercise is to help them drift away from path of violence

A total of 55 surrendered Naxals who had dozens of murder and arson cases registered against them have fared very well in an exam on Gandhi’s life and principles conducted by Gadchiroli police.
In an effort to reform prisoners, the Maharashtra jail authorities conduct classes on Gandhian philosophy with the help of NGOs in most prisons. After these classes, it holds the Gandhi Peace Exams to gauge the prisoners’ understanding of the philosophy. The exercise would help them in drifting away from violence.

Speaking on the endeavour, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Special Operations, Bipin Bihari said the surrendered Naxals were given lectures on Gandhian philosophy and an exam on the same was conducted in the month of August.

“Naxalites are waging a war against the state and we are trying to stimulate an ideology which shuns violence and preaches non-violence,” Bihari told The Indian Express.

“In order to draw the cadre to the Naxal fold, they are made to believe that armed revolution is the most effective solution. However, by introducing the Gandhian philosophy we are trying to instill the idea that demands could be met through non-violent means or ‘ahimsa’ (non-violence) which Gandhi preached and practised,” Bihari added.

Thought For The Day ( TRUTH )

Mahatma Gandhi Quotes on Truth