GANDHI e-JOURNAL > August 2018

GANDHI e-JOURNAL > August 2018

1. The way to Peace @ https://www.mkgandhi.org/momgandhi/chap95.htm

2. Relevance of J.C. Kumarappa's Concept of Decentralization in Modern India - By M.P. Guruswamy 
@ https://www.mkgandhi.org/articles/relevance-of-kumarappa-concept-of-decentralization.html

3. Non-violent Action: Some Dilemmas - By M.S. John
@ https://www.mkgandhi.org/nonviolence/dilemmas.htm

Gandhi Journal Article-I ( JULY 2017 ) - Mohan to Mahatma journey through Champaran

Gandhi Journal Article-I ( JULY 2017 )

Mohan to Mahatma  journey through Champaran

By Ansuman Tripathy 

He had arrived in India two years before and following the advice of guru Gokhale had travelled the length and breadth of the country to see, feel and comprehend the miseries of his people before plunging into public service. He was deeply moved by the poverty, hunger, disease, superstitions, evil caste system and all other financial, moral and social maladies that had encased his countrymen and encompassed his country. He had taken a secret vow to eradicate the maladies as best as he could, of course, under the rule of the union jack. Freedom of his country was not at the wildest of his dreams then.

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Gandhi Journal Article-III ( JUNE 2017 ) - THAMBI NAIDU - 'Lion Like' Satyagrahi in South Africa

Gandhi Journal Article-III ( JUNE 2017 )

THAMBI NAIDU - 'Lion Like' Satyagrahi in South Africa

By E S Reddy

One of the first satyagrahis in the movement of 1906-14 in South Africa and a most loyal and courageous colleague of Gandhiji was Govindasamy Krishnasamy Thambi Naidoo.¹ Apart from defying the law and going to jail many times, he made a crucial contribution in mobilising the Tamils in the Transvaal to participate in the satyagraha and the workers in Natal to strike for the abolition of an unjust tax which caused enormous suffering.

Thambi Naidoo was born in 1875 in Mauritius where his parents had migrated from Madras Presidency.² According to his daughter, Thayanayagie (known as Thailema), his father was a prosperous fertilisers and cartage contractor in Mauritius. Thambi was his youngest son. One day, his father said to him, “You are my youngest son. You must think of the people before you think of yourself”. Thailema continued:

“My father was very impressed by his father’s seriousness when he said these words and he took them to heart and afterwards built his life on them and taught them to us his children”.³

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Gandhi Journal Article-III ( July 2016 ) - Gandhiji's basic education : A medium of value education

Gandhi Journal Article-III ( July 2016 )

Gandhiji's Basic Education: A Medium of Value Education

The function of education is to create ideal citizens. Ideal means an individual is overwhelming with virtues and is always well behaved. Idol citizens are the pre-requisite for coherent and comprehensive development. The education to produce the best citizens means the education of the hearts of people. This expects education to changes the hearts of individuals.

Explaining the meaning of genuine education Mahatma Gandhiji says, “Genuine education does not consist of cramming a lot of information and numbers in mind. Nor it lies in passing the examination by reading a number of books, but it lies in developing character. It is a real education which inculcates internal virtues (values) in human beings. If you can develop such virtues, it will be the best education”.

“Education is a process of comprehensive development of the best things (point, parts) lying in the mind and soul of children or men and bringing them out”1 Gandhiji has shown the royal path to us and to the world to observe and implement the lofty virtues and daily life practice by setting an example of himself by putting in to practice those ideals in his daily life activities. Value education means the education that teaches to put the virtues and values in to practices.

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Gandhi Journal Article-III ( May 2016 ) - Gandhian Trusteeship as an 'Instrument of Human Dignity'

Gandhi Journal Article-III ( May 2016 )

Gandhian Trusteeship as an 'Instrument of Human Dignity'

Gandhi's economic ideas were part of his general crusade against poverty, exploitation against socio-economic injustice, and deteriorating moral standards. Gandhi was an economist of the masses. His approach was rooted in human dignity. His economic philosophy is a result of innumerable experiments which he conducted in the course of his life. His pragmatic approach gave a new direction to the existing socio-economic problems in the process of protecting human dignity.

The fluid international conditions fraught with ideological tensions in the economic domain demanded a fresh approach to economic philosophy, with emphasis on the ideals of human rights like democracy, economic freedom, and social justice. Gandhism as a socio­economic philosophy suits not only to accomplish the higher ideals of democratic freedom and socialism but it was also thoroughly developed to meet the challenge of national and international forces of communism and capitalism.

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Gandhi Journal Article-II (May2016) - Gandhian relevance to environmental sustainability

Gandhi Journal Article-II (May2016)

Gandhian relevance to environmental sustainability

By Dr. Vaidehi Daptardar 

Environmental sustainability is the most burning issue with which every one of us is related very closely. Environmental Sustainability means to sustain ability, both the ability of the environment to regenerate and the ability of people to retain control over their living conditions (Kuhn 1998). In the terms of the 1987 Brundtland Report, sustainability is "Meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs." Sustainable development may be described as a process for improving the range of opportunities that will enable individual human beings and communities to achieve their aspirations and full potential over a sustained period of time, while maintaining the resilience of economic, social and environmental systems (Munasinghe 1994). The concept has evolved to encompass three major points of view: economic, social and environmental, as represented by the triangle.

Each viewpoint corresponds to a domain (and a system) that has its own distinct driving forces and objectives. The economy is geared mainly towards improving human welfare, primarily through increases in the consumption of goods and services. The environmental domain focuses on protection of the integrity and resilience of ecological systems. The social domain emphasizes the enrichment of human relationships and achievement of individual and group aspirations. In other words, sustainable development requires increase both in adaptive capacity and in opportunities for improvement of economic, social and ecological systems (Gunderson and Holling 2001). Improving adaptive capacity will increase resilience and sustainability.

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Gandhi Journal Article-I (March 2016): Gandhi Journal Article-I (March 2016) Gandhi and Ambedkar on Human Dignity

Gandhi Journal Article-I (March 2016)

Gandhi and Ambedkar on Human Dignity

By Ravi Ranjan 

There are many ways in which we can understand the contemporary crisis of global India; some are external but majority of the problems are internal, few are legal but many are socio-political, and most of them are ethical and moral. Escalating violent conflicts, oppression, marginalization and exclusion has been producing and reproducing humiliation which dehumanizes the human 'self.' The relation of self to other self, hegemonic self to the oppressed self and individual self with the shared self embarks on the idea of equality and hence tries to eradicate untouchability and ensures dignity. In the Indian context the notion of equality still has to reach its constitutional commitment to be a righteous republic.¹ Therefore, it is required to deliberate on ideas of Gandhi and Ambedkar that are constantly argued for dignified and harmonious human existence.

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Gandhi Journal Article-I: Gandhian Perspective of Development

Gandhi Journal Article-I: Gandhian Perspective of Development

By Dr. Usha Thakker

The UN Millennium Declaration of September 2000 indicates eight millennium development goals: eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality and empower women, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensure environmental sustainability, and develop a global partnership for development. When we think of Gandhi in this context, we realize that his ideas are of crucial importance. His life remained 'experiments with Truth' and his concerns embraced the whole of human race and not just India, South Africa and England. His principles, evolved during his life span 1869 to 1948, cover not just the last part of the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century, but rather transcend any time-frame.

The world has changed dramatically since he lived and worked. There have been enormous changes in political, economic and social scenes. However, trials, tribulations, and challenges faced by Mahatma in his eventful life remain important. The moral issues he raised are still relevant; and the questions he posed for social, economic, and political justice still remain of crucial importance. 

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Gandhi Journal Article-II

Gandhi Journal Article-II (December 2014)

Gandhi and Globalisation

By Dr. Tabassum Sheikh

In dealing with the subject of Globalization and Gandhi I would like to first bring out Globalization, it’s negative, disruptive, exploitative and marginalized aspect and the thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi as to how it can prove to bring solutions to the problems brought about by Globalization.

Globalization is defined by intellectuals and thinkers as the process of integrating and opening markets across national borders. It is a process of increasing interdependence in the world. This free flow is related to ideas, goods, services, money, values, aims, culture across the national frontiers. It is shaping a new era of interaction among nations, economies and people. As a result it has increased the contacts between people across national boundaries in economy, in technology, in culture and governance; it is also fragmenting production process, labour markets, political entities and societies. While globalization has positive, innovative, dynamic aspects it also has negative, disruptive, exploitative and marginalized aspects. The entire process of globalization is highly controversial, raising great concern about national sovereignty, corporate responsibility, equity for the world’s poorest people. It is a complex phenomenon and its complexities are likely to increase with the unfolding of the process.

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Gandhi Journal Article - II : Gandhi and status of Women

Gandhi and status of Women

By Jyotsna Kamat

When Gandhiji assumed India's leadership the average life span of an Indian woman was only twenty seven years. Babies and the pregnant women ran a high risk of dying young. Child marriage was very common and widows were in very large number. Only 2% of the women had any kind of education and women did not have an identity of their own. In North India, they practiced the purdah (veil) system. Women could not go out of the house unless accompanied by men and the face covered with cloth. The fortunate ones who could go to school had to commute in covered carts (tangas).

It is in this context that we have to recognize the miracle of Gandhi's work. Gandhiji claimed that a woman is completely equal to a man and practiced it in strict sense. Thousands and millions of women, educated and illiterate, house wives and widows, students and elderly participated in the India's freedom movement because his influence. For Gandhiji, the freedom fight was not political alone; it was also an economic and social reform of a national proportion. After a couple of decades, this equality became very natural in India. After India's freedom (in 1947) and adoption of constitution (1950), emphasized equality of women, when Hindu code was formulated, the population was not even impressed. They said -"Of course, it had to be done."

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Gandhi Journal Article - I

Gandhi and the Great Divide: Portrayal of Gandhi/sm in Partition Novels

By N.S. Gundur

Abstract

The present paper aims at exploring the image of Gandhi and Gandhism as portrayed in the fictional narratives on the Partition of the Indian subcontinent. The study undertakes the analysis of novels - what reality of Gandhi do they construct? Do they condemn or critique or idealize Gandhi/sm? How far are they historically authentic and aesthetically appealing? It is argued here that the Indian English novels on Partition affirm humanism as against sectarianism, and celebrate values of love, peace and non-­violence that were very central to Gandhi's lifelong mission. The idiom of their message is Gandhian - 'violence breeds violence; hence non-violence.

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Gandhi Journal Article - III

Gandhi in the footsteps of Jesus Christ

If Gandhi were to visit America today...

An article published in the American The Leader 3rd October 1931 is even today, after 83 years, still relevant and worth introspecting. There are countless thinking people of the world who have understood Gandhi in depth and consider his philosophy important. Today his philosophy is even more relevant and coherent. People like Gandhi and Jesus can never be killed. They will rise from the dead and continue their teaching. Let us respectfully accept his eternal message from his soul.

If Gandhi were to visit America today, the first thing he would do is to explain the meaning of their religion to them. This might sound odd to the readers for two reasons.

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Gandhi Journal Article - II

Gandhi on Religion and Social Harmony

By Malabika Pande 

Abstract

Democracy and democratic norms such as civil rights, adult suffrage, political pluralism and secular politics, were the dominant themes in international politics till the middle of the twentieth century. Religion was not considered a political force potent enough to disturb democratic societies. But recent history has proved all that wrong. In India, the colonial period saw an aggregation of communal tension culminating in partition. The importance of religion and religious mobilization are now widely recognized as significant factors in national and international politics. Gandhi had anticipated this. After his return from South Africa in 1915 he committed himself to the pursuit of a kind of swaraj for India that went beyond mere political freedom and civil rights, and was marked by the inculcation of ideals of peace, brotherhood and social concord.

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Gandhi Journal Article - I

Building the Entrepreneurial Attitude: Learning from M. K. Gandhi

Dr Nanduri Aparna Rao

He reminds us of Kipling's classic poem 'If' –

'If you can dream-and not make dreams your master; If you can think and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster; and treat those two impostors just the same...'

He belonged to one of the most business oriented communities in India-the Gujarati 'Baniya' community'. One recalls names like Karsonbhai Patel (Nirma), Dhirubhai Ambani (Poor boy with big ambitions), Gautam Adani (Adani Group), Dilip Shanghvi (Sun Pharmaceuticals), and the list goes on... 

One does not often come across his name in such a list of entrepreneurs. While entrepreneurs, as we know them, create businesses and grow rich, he created business opportunities, social improvement and chose to stay poor... Yes, the one unique feature of this entrepreneur is that he gave away everything he earned, and could have earned, given his huge body of work - be it wealth or position for himself or his family. One would call him a saint and yes, short of beatification, he did everything saints would and many things saints wouldn't. He is known as the Mahatma - he is Mahatma Gandhi.

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Gandhi Journal Article - III

Gandhian perspective on Tribal Resources and the Modern State

By Birinder Pal Singh

Abstract

The modern state, whatever be its nature and type, has come to stay. It has become an extremely powerful engine to steer the so-called traditional society on the path of development following the framework of western modernization. It is positively related to the development and multiplication of resources for the 'benefit of its people' but negatively related to the tribes

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Gandhi Journal Article - II

Gandhian Concept of Non-Violent Society: A Modern Perspective

By P. I. Devaraj & Syamala K.*

The WORLD TODAY is dominated by greed and competition, speed and restlessness, pollution, poverty and starvation, exploitation, ecological destruction, war and violence. The standard of living of the people has risen with multiple amenities for a comfortable living. But despite extra ordinary progress in the fields of science & technology, there are ample signs of a sick human society. As a result of the degradation of man, culture and society many serious problems have arisen. If democracy is to survive and if science has to be utilized for maintaining the stability of society, if peace and security of the people is to be ensured we have to work hard and steady. 

A healthy and harmonized society can exist only when its members imbibe some moral and ethical values. Only such values can ensure mutual aid and co-operation. Only when the people internalize ethical and moral values in their lives and actually practice them in their day-to-day lives they can build a healthy and progressive human society. In order to attain this we have to bring about certain changes in human nature and attitudes. For the reconstruction of society, its social, economic, political and religious institutions, value systems and tradition which breed violence should be removed and replaced by new ones. As stated by Dr. Sampooran Singh, “we are often caught in an acquisitive culture which consists of ambition, comparing, competing and acquiring. This is called psychological aggressiveness. This is actually a subtle violence which has led to making the whole human race in to a civilized violent community. Violence benumbs the sensitivity and this makes our understanding of life poorer. No wonder, man has emerged as a violent species. Mahatma Gandhi foresaw this situation and one of his major intentions while he wrote 'Hind Swaraj' was to teach the Indians that 'modern western civilization' with the above said consequences posed a greater threat to them and to humanity than did colonialism. He said that "I would ask you to read Hind Swaraj with my eyes.... and see therein the chapter on how to make India non-violent. You cannot build non-violence on a factory civilization..."

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Gandhi Journal Article - II

Violence and Non-violence Today: How Gandhian Principles can help in reducing violence

By Ravi Bhatia

There are serious problems of deprivation and marginalisation being faced by millions across the world. Although people suffer silently, occasionally they rise up in protest and commit violence on the state and the other individuals. This paper discusses the nature of different forms of violence and factors leading to it. In addition, it seeks to bring out the relevance of Gandhian principles of truth, Satyagraha, non-violence, proper educational system and religious tolerance, and argue that these principles can be applied in the contemporary situation for reduction of conflict and violence by advancing the welfare of the deprived, protection of environment, promoting peace and understanding among peoples. These principles have a universal validity and have been successfully adopted by several countries and peoples.

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Gandhi Journal Article - I

Gandhian Inspiration, Buddhist Philosophy

By Dr. A. T. Ariyartne

In 1927 November, Gandhiji visited Sri Lanka (Ceylon) which he himself called a ‘mercenary visit.’ He appealed to one and all, the rich and the poor, students, teachers and parents, employers and labourers, to open out their purses and donate money to support teeming millions of the starving poor in India, to promote spinning, weaving, sale and wearing of Khadi to ensure a steady income for them. Wherever he went he was welcomed by large crowds ranging from national leaders to common people all of whom contributed to his cause of Daridranarayana.

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Gandhi Journal Article - III

Gandhi's Debt: Family Obligation and the Greater Good

By Thomas Weber 

Abstract

There is often a dilemma is deciding where an obligation to assist others should be directed. Many insist that “charity begins at home”, while others may agree that it should be aimed at most needy. Gandhi was a member of a joint family who saw their future prosperity linked with his success as a lawyer. Yet eventually Gandhi ceased contributing to the family coffers and put his income at the disposal of the Indian community in South Africa, to the great displeasure of his immediate family. Gandhi justified his actions by adopting a broader than usual definition of family. This came at the cost of alienation from his siblings but it was also at least partially responsible for creating the Mahatma.

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Gandhi Journal Article - II

Mahatma Gandhi and Children's Literature in Indian English

By Ved Mitra Shukla

In the present century, children's literature has not been a marginalised area in the world of literature. There is a long list of such writers who are constantly writing for children. As far as the beginning of the history of Indian English literature is concerned, writers have knowingly or unknowingly focused on it. Children-centric works can be credited to Rabindranath Tagore, R K Narayan, Mulk Raj Anand, etc. However, the genre could not be developed so much in the pre-Independence era, but later on, there followed a number of writers who focused considerably on it. But not many big names except writers like Salman Rushdie, Vikram Seth, etc. can be cited as far as the development of the genre is concerned. However, the paper will make an attempt to discuss the influence of Mahatma Gandhi on some selected works of Indian English children's literature. No doubt, a number of children's books can be found on Gandhi. Owing to the limited scope of the paper, there will be a focus on the children's books suggested by the Bombay Sarvodaya Mandal / Gandhi Book Centre, Bombay. Works like Pictorial Biography of Mahatma Gandhi by B R Nanda, Inspiring Stories from Gandhiji’s Life by Uma Shankar Joshi, Mahatma Gandhi by Jyoti Solapurkar, Story of Gandhi by Ramanbhai Soni, The Story of Gandhi by Rajkumari Shankar, A Pinch of Salt Rocks by Sarojini Sinha, etc. will be taken for study. Some other works which are without the biographical account of Gandhi will also be taken. All these works will be studied with the purpose of a literary analysis of the writers’ treatment of the technique, tone and content, or length in the respective works. The paper will also try to crutinize the books by age category, keeping in view the divergent interests of children of the age-group 1-18. Over and above, it will concentrate on how children’s literature has gone through considerable changes under the influence of Gandhi over the years. 

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