Should we apply Should we apply the principle and the principle and

doctrines of doctrines of Gandhi’s in 21st Gandhi’s in 21st

century???century???

Mohandas Mohandas Karamchand Karamchand

GandhiGandhi

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948), also Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948), also known as Mahatma Gandhi, was born in known as Mahatma Gandhi, was born in Porbandar in the present state of Gujarat on Porbandar in the present state of Gujarat on

October 2, 1869October 2, 1869

At the age of thirteen At the age of thirteen Mohandas was married Mohandas was married to Kasturba.to Kasturba.

The marriage had been The marriage had been arranged for him by his arranged for him by his family.family.

They had four sons.They had four sons. Harilal Manilal Ramdas Devdas

Life of GandhiLife of Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi Mahatma Gandhi completed his high completed his high school in India.school in India. HeHe was educated in law was educated in lawat University College, London. In 1891,at University College, London. In 1891,after having been admitted to the Britishafter having been admitted to the Britishbar, Gandhi returned to India and bar, Gandhi returned to India and attempted to establish a law practice in attempted to establish a law practice in Bombay, with little success. Two years later an Indian firm Bombay, with little success. Two years later an Indian firm with interests in South Africa retained him as legal adviser with interests in South Africa retained him as legal adviser in its office in Durban. Arriving in Durban, Gandhi found in its office in Durban. Arriving in Durban, Gandhi found himself treated as a member of an inferior race. He was himself treated as a member of an inferior race. He was appalled at the widespread denial of civil liberties and appalled at the widespread denial of civil liberties and political rights to Indian immigrants to South Africa. He political rights to Indian immigrants to South Africa. He threw himself into the struggle for elementary rights for threw himself into the struggle for elementary rights for Indians. Indians.

Important principle of Important principle of GandhiGandhi

Satya (Truth)Satya (Truth) Ahimsa (Non-violence)Ahimsa (Non-violence) VegetarianismVegetarianism Mauna (silence & Simplicity) Mauna (silence & Simplicity) Nai talim ( basic education)Nai talim ( basic education)

Gandhi in South Africa (1895)

TruthTruth

"God is truth. The way to truth lies "God is truth. The way to truth lies through through ahimsa (non-violence)" - (non-violence)" - Sabarmati 13 March 1927 13 March 1927

Gandhi dedicated his life to the Gandhi dedicated his life to the wider purpose of discovering wider purpose of discovering truth, , or or Satya. He tried to achieve this by . He tried to achieve this by learning from his own mistakes and learning from his own mistakes and conducting experiments on himself. conducting experiments on himself. He called his autobiography He called his autobiography The Story of My Experiments with Truth..

Gandhi in 1918, at the time of the Gandhi in 1918, at the time of the Kheda and Champaran satyagrahas Kheda and Champaran satyagrahas

NonviolenceNonviolence

Gandhi at Dandi, 5 April 1930, at the end of the Salt March

"I want world sympathy in this battle of right against might" -

Dandi 5th Apr 1930

Non-violenceNon-violence

Although Mahatama Gandhi was not Although Mahatama Gandhi was not the originator of the principle of non-the originator of the principle of non-violence, he was the first to apply it in violence, he was the first to apply it in the political field on a huge scale.the political field on a huge scale.

The concept of The concept of nonviolence ( (ahimsa) ) and and nonresistance has a long history in has a long history in Indian religious thought and has had Indian religious thought and has had many revivals in Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, many revivals in Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Jewish and Christian contexts.Jewish and Christian contexts.

VegetarianismVegetarianism Although he experimented with eating meat upon Although he experimented with eating meat upon

first leaving India, he later became a strict first leaving India, he later became a strict vegetarian. He wrote books on the subject while vegetarian. He wrote books on the subject while in London, having met vegetarian campaigner in London, having met vegetarian campaigner Henry Salt at gatherings of the Vegetarian Henry Salt at gatherings of the Vegetarian Society. The idea of vegetarianism is deeply Society. The idea of vegetarianism is deeply ingrained in Hindu and Jain traditions in India, ingrained in Hindu and Jain traditions in India, and, in his native land of Gujarat, most Hindus and, in his native land of Gujarat, most Hindus were vegetarian. He experimented with various were vegetarian. He experimented with various diets and concluded that a vegetarian diet should diets and concluded that a vegetarian diet should be enough to satisfy the minimum requirements be enough to satisfy the minimum requirements of the body. He abstained from eating for long of the body. He abstained from eating for long periods, using fasting as a political weapon.periods, using fasting as a political weapon.

SimplicitySimplicity

Gandhi earnestly believed that a Gandhi earnestly believed that a person involved in public service person involved in public service should lead a should lead a simple life..

He first displayed this principle He first displayed this principle when he gave up wearing western-when he gave up wearing western-style clothing, which he associated style clothing, which he associated with wealth and success.with wealth and success.

He spun his own yarn and made his He spun his own yarn and made his own cloth. He encouraged others to own cloth. He encouraged others to do the same, instead of buying do the same, instead of buying imported British material.imported British material.

Gandhi having tea with Lord Gandhi having tea with Lord Mountbatten Mountbatten

Mahatma Gandhi's room at Mahatma Gandhi's room at Sabarmati AshramSabarmati Ashram

Silence Silence

Gandhi spent one day of each week Gandhi spent one day of each week in silence. He believed that in silence. He believed that abstaining from speaking brought abstaining from speaking brought him inner peace and made him a him inner peace and made him a better listener. This influence was better listener. This influence was drawn from the Hindu principles of drawn from the Hindu principles of maunamauna

On such days he communicated with On such days he communicated with others by writing on paper.others by writing on paper.

Nai Talim (Basic Education)Nai Talim (Basic Education)

Nai TalimNai Talim is a spiritual principle is a spiritual principle which states that knowledge and which states that knowledge and work are not separate. Gandhi work are not separate. Gandhi promoted an educational curriculum promoted an educational curriculum with the same name based on this with the same name based on this pedagogical principle.pedagogical principle.

It can be translated with the phrase It can be translated with the phrase “Basic Education for all”“Basic Education for all”

Conclusion Conclusion

• Gandhiji the father of our nationGandhiji the father of our nation

helped us to imbibe the importance helped us to imbibe the importance

of his principle.of his principle.• This principles are relevant today.This principles are relevant today.• This help the rich to think more of the poor This help the rich to think more of the poor

and down trodden in count.and down trodden in count.• With the constant spurt of terrorism, With the constant spurt of terrorism,

Corruption and war, Gandhi's principles of Corruption and war, Gandhi's principles of satyagraha and non-violence are needed satyagraha and non-violence are needed more than ever.more than ever.

Thank youThank you