Remembering Gandhi

U.N. Declared today as "world non violence day"

AHEMSA PARMO DHARMA
Non-violence – the greatest religion

Our profound appreciation and thanks must go to the United Nations Organization for having unanimously adopted October 2nd, Mohan Dass Karamchand Gandhi's otherwise known as Mahatma Gandhi, birthday, as "international peace and non-violence day." It took the world body some 59 years to bestow this honor upon the Indian fakir and pilgrim for peace after his assassination in 1948, just oneyear
after India 's independence.

Gandhiwho said "I am prepared to die, but there is no cause for which I am prepared to kill" lost his own life to violence perpetrated by an Indian religious zealot.
In a world seriously endangered by militancy, terrorism, violence, crusades, genocides and ethnic cleansing on the one hand and on the other abnormal hikes in military expenditures, new and destructive missile systems, race and black marketing for nuclear weapons and technology, military initiatives and penetrations, occupation and attempts to establish a new kind of imperialism and the resultant violence, can the Gandhian model provide a viable alternative in restoring the peaceful nature of our society?

The answer to this crucial question has to be a resounding yes because the alternative is too gloomy, dangerous, destructive and extremely frightening. The
Mahatma answered this question in one sentence i.e., "There is no path to peace. Peace is the path". Further elaborating he said "Your beliefs become your thoughts.
Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your values and your values become your
destiny". Now you can imagine what might happen when we as a society reaffirm our belief in peace and make Gandhi's principle "Ahemsa Parmo Dharma" as our
guiding light.

Given the ongoing volume of violence in today's world whether it is in Iraq , Afghanistan , Pakistan , India , Myanmar , Darfur or Palestine , Gandhi's message
of peace and non-violence is perhaps most relevant today than it has ever been.

From the Indian point of view paying homage to this naked fakir is especially deserving for he laid the prosperity and future of his family and children at the alter of securing justice, freedom and liberty for hundreds of millions of his countrymen and
women while following the dictates of GITA – The gospel of DHARMA & KARMA.

He went into the mindset of murderous riotsduring the partition of Indiaand risked his own life. During that volatile period full of human turbulence at peace gatherings, a Muslim rioter in an attempt to kill him chocked his neck and almost killed him. But the
kindness he expressed even at that time melted the misguided attacker and he fell on Mahatma's feet begging for forgiveness. The Mahatma believed that one should
not lose faith in humanity for it was an ocean and if a few drops of ocean were dirty that does not make the whole ocean dirty. He persuasively preached the philosophy
imbedded in the proverb "hate the sin and love the sinner." I personally find it distasteful when some Hindus demonise Gandhi for some mistakes he may have made
while they ignore the brilliant and great courage of that man to be the main instrument to bring about India 's independence. We all respect him and are grateful to him and are happy that UNO have unanimously adopted October 2nd, Mahatma Gandhi, birthday, as "international peace and non-violence day.

" AHIMSA PARMO DHARMA: Non-violence is the Supreme Religion. Know other creatures' love for life, for they are like you. Kill them not; save their life from fear and enmity. All creatures desire to live, not to die. Hence to kill is to sin. The word Ahimsa is associated with Buddha, Mahavira and Mahatma Gandhi. Martin Luther King applied this concept in his life to create an atmosphere of integrity, firmness, peace, respect for ethnicity, and human dignity.

Although the word Ahimsa is the word from the Sanskrit language, yet it has gained the global importance. Why so? Because of Mahatma Gandhi's practice of nonviolence for changing the fate of India from slavery to independence, in the mid twentieth century. Non – violence is Ahimsa. Ahimsa is the word from the Sanskrit language, which means not to hit, not to strike, not to kill, not to destroy. Its emphasis is on non-injury, harmlessness, abstaining from killing or giving pain to other in thought, word and deed. Ahimsa word is the antonym of Himsa, which is said to be of three
kinds-- personal, verbal and mental from the philosophical point of the ancient India. Himsa mean killing, slaying and destruction of any sort, where human being is involved.
Kanayalal Raina

Today worldover scientist are experimenting for the search of truth. yet He was the only scientist who experimented with the truth.

Let us hope his kind endures.

indeed...

On Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

Pacifism had its place, but it was his mastery of strategy together with tactical understanding, both, of his followers and his opponents that set him apart. The planning and execution of the salt strike remains an unparalleled stroke of genius in the David-and-Goliath contest which brought down the ruling order.

As founder of the spinning wheel movement, however, one wonders what the Mahatma's opinion would be of India's emergence...today. Would he approve of the legacy that Nehru his successor—perhaps the greater visionary—set in motion after his departure?

Yes he broke the backs of the British Money machine the SALT Company when he made salt at the sea. Reclaimed his country and got the forgien rulers out. The man had a pair thats for sure.

I fully agree with Einstein's view of Ghandhiji. We should cherish Gandhiji's contribution not only to India but also to humankind. However, it seems that we wantonly wish to ignore the lessons he thought us about struggle (in every sense of the word). Unlike the past, where we were divided by lack of communication, the new global order has made all of us part of the Global Village - it was in the villages that Ghandiji found the Soul of India, and it was in the villages that he introduced the Basic Needs Approach to development - for him "Small was Beautiful". It was also in the villages he introduced the Sarvodhaya Movements - so that poor people could take control of the very lives and restore their dignity. I wish that all of us, in our small and humble way, take heed and lesson from one of his famous quotes: "YOU MUST BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD". Long live the spirit of Ghandhiji!

Hear! Hear!

_{(What will the American say about that? Here Here? Hear here?) ^Peace!}

It is wonderful to hear such a emotional response from Engineers around the Globe. In India we have many of his Statues, Museums, Roads Named after him but his soul is missing.To-days generation of youngsters politicians and others have forgotten him.

I am proud son of the followers of Gandhi who were freedom fighters and went to jail on many occasions when I was a kid. Till their end they remained simple persons and wore Khadi, handwoven white clothes. May long Live Great man.