Bapu Ki Jai

I watched the movie Lage Raho Munna Bhai recently and I became an instant fan. The movie wasn't the greatest in cinematography nor did it contain the most complex plot, but it certainly had entertainment value, and above all, it delivered a message that can apply to even the most lay person in today's society. At first I dismissed it as another idealistic movie moral, but as I thought about it, I realized Gandhi's message can be carried on even today, albeit molded to present society. What keeps us from following his values of self-reliance, non-violence, utter determination, and unbiased love for all?

I decided to re-read his autobiography, My Experiments with Truth, and found a few lines that resounded with me. I describe a few here:

A old Gujarati poem:
For a bowl of water, give a goodly meal;
For a kindly greeting bow thou down with zeal;
For a simple penny pay thou back with gold;
If thy life be rescued, life do not withhold.
Thus the words and actions of the wise regard;
Every little service tenfold they reward.
But the truly noble know all men as one,
And return with gladness good for evil done.

These lines do truly describe Gandhi's life. It seems that understanding the paradox that one receives the most when giving the most remains as an unreachable truth in today's society. In the midst of nations' willingness to go to any lengths to secure their economical well-being, in the midst of ethnic and political groups each vying for their own interests and striking against their neighbors, in the midst of a society where wealth indicates power and attaining happiness becomes a destination, these lines are ever so poignant. If I may coin a phrase, that in a world where persuasion means economic sanctions and outright war, forgiveness is and can only be the greatest revenge. Gandhi certainly believed in this statement.

Though nations are at war, each nation is built upon its people. Thus, it is clear that these transformations must begin at the level of the people, of the individual. Once again, Gandhi showed that the individual can be the catalyst for the transformation of the nation, if not the world. Is it simply human nature that we can only learn in hindsight? Can change come about only after suffering becomes unbearable? Let's take a chance. Just once, let us check our desire to get ahead of the man next to us and instead work for our common good. Maybe it will be enough for us to get taste of that experience and realize that we are cheating ourselves. Life exists beyond our own ego. A connection brings together people of every race, sex, political orientation, and religious belief. A connection brings together....people. If we must have a common enemy to coalesce as one people, then let it be the blind ego that gives us false impressions of separation and differences. Let us rejoice in our unity in diversity and in celebration of God's most splendid creation.

I am getting carried away. My point is, people like MK Gandhi must inspire us to open our eyes and recognize our oneness. For me, I hope one day some kid will learn about this obscure guy named Sathish who may not have been famous nor rich, but instead had an inkling of understanding of the human spirit.

I'll try to avoid these tirades from now on. Thanks for reading.