Gandhi Journal Article-I : A bridge to the times of Gandhi - An interview with Narayan Desai

A bridge to the times of Gandhi - An interview with Narayan Desai

By By T. Kannan

This is an account of my interview with Narayan Desai in September, 2012. The Tamil version of the interview was posted in GandhiToday.in.
"I am Gandhi’s friend. He used to swim with me.” This was how Narayan Desai, who was on his way from Madurai to Vedchchi, introduced himself to my 4-year old daughter when we met him at Chennai, last year.

The previous week, the moment I heard that Narayan Desai was delivering his Gandhi Katha at Madurai, I decided to go there from Chennai. I had been wishing to meet him for a couple of years and had enquired a Gandhian friend about his whereabouts only a few days earlier. Narayan Desai is one of the few amongst us, who have interacted closely with Gandhi.

Narayan Desai has captured and presented a historical hero through the eyes of a child. He is Mahadev Desai’s son. He grew up in Gandhi’s ashrams. Later, he was an active co-worker with Vinoba Bhave and Jayaprakash Narayan. He played a leading role in the Sarvodaya movements like Bhoomidhan and Shanti Sena. Now he runs the Sampoorna Kranti Vidyalaya. He is the Chancellor for Gujarat Vidyapeeth, started by Gandhi during non-cooperation movement. He has written the biographies of Gandhi and Mahadev Desai. Along with Kanti Shah, he has also edited an important work on JP, in Gujarati, ‘Jayaprakash’.

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Newsletter: A unique way of donation

An Extraordinary Example of Application of Trusteeship Principles

By Rajnikumar Pandya

A unique way of donation

A young man residing in America happened to read Narayan Desai's Gujarati volumes on Gandhiji's life titled 'Maaru Jeevan ej Maari Vaani'. (My Life is My Message). After reading this book he wept all night. Gandhij's mantra "You are not the owner of your wealth but just a trustee of that wealth and what is for the good of the whole society is good for me" touched his heart in such a way that it changed his whole life. He realised that you experience far greater and lasting pleasure in spending money for the needy compared to the momentary pleasure and happiness you feel after spending more than required for your needs. To spread this message of Gandhiji and publicise these book, he has donated 75 lakh rupees to the Navjeevan Trust. He, in addition, regularly provides lakhs of rupees to other institutions undertaking constructive work, all this anonymously without expecting any publicity in return.

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International Conference 2015

(January 28-30, 2015)

Organized by

Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust (SAPMT), Ahmedabad

In Collaboration With

Gujarat Vidyapith and Centre for Environment Education 

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Tales of the Mahatma

Tales of the Mahatma

Narayanbhai Desai’s ‘Gandhi Katha’ fascinated the audience with its riveting anecdotes

For five days from October 2, Narayanbhai Desai kept the audience that filled Gandhi Sewa Mandir Hall in Bandra glued to their seats with his narration of Gandhi Katha. It was a story that most people knew in broad strokes, but had never heard told in quite this intimate, passionate and engrossing fashion. Gandhi knew me before I knew him, Narayanbhai began. 

Son of Gandhi’s secretary Mahadevbhai, he based his quizzical claim on the fact that Gandhi had held him as a baby when he didn’t know who Gandhi was. As every teacher who has ever stepped before a crowded class knows, if he is to turn diverse ears into a single focused ear, he needs to be a performer.

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