Monday, October 1, 2012

Thoughts on Gandhi's Birthday


I love  Gandhi and strongly  believe in Gandhian principles to the core. I have also read him extensively and on him as well. Two books which have made profound impact on me are Hind Swaraj and Gram Swaraj. I urge all my  my friends to read these two books to change one’s world view   I have tried to practice some of his experiments but I have to confess that my spirit is high but flesh is weak.

I am currently reading a book – KHADI: GANDHI’S MEGA SYMBOL OF SUBVERSION- written by Peter Gonsalves and published by Sage to pay tribute to Gandhi on his birthday. To fight the British and Colonialism, Gandhi adopted many strategies and one of the best one was to underscore Khadi – spinning and weaving – to be self-reliant. It was the best tools of subversion  which  was used by millions unarmed Indians.

In the book, the author has analysed various subversions in different chapters as follows:

  • Subverting Self
  • Eco-political Subversion
  • Psyco-Cultural Subversion
  • Socio-Religious Subversion-Untouchability
  • Socio-Religious Subversion-Militancy
  • The Philosophy of Gandhian Subversion through Khadi

The quote the author : Gandhi’s evolving awareness of semiological and political properties of clothing; his resolute use of Khadia as a metaphor of subversion in major dimensions of life , his adherence to the principles and values underlying a clear-cut strategy for socio-political change.

The way neo-colonialism is unleashed on us and the way we are forced to lose our sense of self-reliance, we are in search of a new method and a new tool of subversion. Please think it over and join the process os this search to save this great country and its people. Lets us have a resolution in honour of our great Gandhiji.

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