Gandhi Research Foundation
Exploring Gandhiji Compilation of activities of Gandhi Research Foundation (2007 to 2012) Special Issue-2 August 2012
Published by Gandhi Research Foundation, Jalgaon
Exploring Gandhiji
Dedicated to Gandhian thoughts on truth and nonviolence
Special issue - 2 o August 2012
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Guidance: Justice Chandrashekhar Dharmadhikari Dr. Bhavarlal H. Jain Chief Editor: Ashok B. Jain Editorial Team: Bhaskaramenon Krishnakumar, Dr. Gita Dharampal, Shriniwas Mahabal, Bashu Art: Yogesh Sandhansive Front Cover: Designed by fabricating an original early morning photograph of the GRF in silhouette. Photo and Design: Yogesh Sandhansive Back Cover: The lawn and the cobbled pavement in front of the statue at Gandhi Hills, North Maharashtra University. Photo: Sumit Deshmukh Photographs: Ishwar Rana, Yogesh Sandhansive, Raju Harimkar, Rajendra Mali, Tushar Bende, Lalit Hiwale and Mini Photos; Mumbai Office: Gandhi Research Foundation, ‘Gandhi Teerth’, P.O. Box - 118, Jain Hills, Jalgaon - 425001. Maharashtra (India). Telephone: +91 257 2264939, +91 9404955338. Fax: +91 257 2261133. Website: www.gandhifoundation.net E-mail: info@gandhifoundation.net llllllll
Published by the Chief Editor for and on behalf of Gandhi Research Foundation, ‘Gandhi Teerth’, Jain Hills, Jalgaon - 425001. Printed at Spenta Multimedia, Peninsula Spenta, N. M. Joshi Marg, Mumbai - 400 013, India. | August 2012. llllllll
Contents Dedicating the Gandhi Teerth ..................................................................... 2 Statement of Purpose ...................................................................................... 4 Words of the Founder, Chairman and Trustees
From Gandhi Teerth... ..................................................................................... 8
Our Role...............................................................................................................10 Experiment and introspect .........................................................................12 A Beacon of selfless Industrious Enterprise .......................................13 The Nurturing of the Jain Family with Gandhian values................14 Gandhi Teerth: Establishment and Dedication
Laying the Corner Stone...............................................................................20
The capital of Gandhian thoughts ............................................................44 Committing to the Gandhi ideals ..............................................................46 Keeping the light glowing.............................................................................48 ‘Bhau, you will be known not by the industries you nurtured, but by the Gandhi Teerth’!...........................................................................52 The Museum.......................................................................................................60 The Library, the Archives and a Brief Overview of the Activities
Library at GRF...................................................................................................68 Archives...............................................................................................................70 Educational Activities....................................................................................72 Publications........................................................................................................74 Collaboration with Institutions.................................................................76 Gandhi Vichar Sanskar Pariksha...............................................................78 Rural Development Programs....................................................................82 Dissemination of Gandhiji’s Teachings...................................................91 The First GRF Lecture ...................................................................................94
Documenting the Thoughts of Senior Gandhians...........................109 Participation in Seminars and Workshops........................................111 Adopted Daughter of GRF.........................................................................113 Founder’s visit to Gandhian Institutions............................................114 A Unique Gift...................................................................................................115 Remarks of Guests and Visitors
Remarks by Eminent Visitors..................................................................120 Eminent Personalities who visited GRF..............................................127
My Life is My Message..............................................................................154 August 2012| Exploring Gandhiji
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Dedicating the Gandhi Teerth Reports of criminal violence, theft, robbery, rape, murder, terrorism, internecine war, corruption and nepotism crowd the media. Instances of misery, poverty, gender inequality and injustice do not even get reported. Every right thinking citizen feels an overwhelming sense of fear, shock, gloom, disappointment, frustration, righteous indignation and impotent fury enveloping them variously. But not many people get to do anything against these ever increasing crimes. And those few who do, address only one segment or a few segments of these wide ranging issues. What we, perhaps, need to do is to step up these efforts on a very large scale across the world and combine them into one overwhelming movement founded on principles of diversity, democracy and sustainability. It demands a moral genius of the highest order to be able to do that. Such a genius cannot merely be a religious leader. Limitations notwithstanding, failures notwithstanding, Gandhiji seems to be the closest one could ever get to this ideal. Which is why the world is increasingly turning to him now. Deep ecology, grass root democracy, common sense economics and colonial resistance merge together in him. The resister / challenger Gandhi who defied the oppressor on multiple fronts presents the picture of an ever resilient leader. Interestingly, this most unfashionable man, dubbed anti-science, anti-technology and anti-modern, is now getting identified as the symbol of ethical sustainability and contemporary relevance in international polity and corporate governance. It was in this backdrop that Bhau decided to undertake the daunting task of perpetuating Gandhi’s memory in a unique way. He decided to establish a memorial which would be massive in size, modern in design and comprehensive in nature. Gandhi Teerth is that memorial dream come true. The construction of Gandhi Teerth commenced on the 30th of June 2010 with the usual ritualistic Bhoomi Poja. It took a further four months to actually start the work – to be precise, till the 5th of November. Bhau, as is wont with him, was busy consulting engineers, architects and designers and giving shape to his ideas. Durability and aesthetics
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had to go hand in hand, recurring maintenance cost had to be minimized and expert labour had to be hired. Truck loads of red sandstone from the quarries of Rajasthan had to be brought to Jalgaon. Hundreds of labourers toiled day and might in extended shifts to finish the work in the appointed time. And that was the date of the presidential visit. Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, Honourable President of India, herself a native of Jalgaon, kindly consented to inaugurate the Gandhi Teerth on 25th March 2012. Once the date of the Presidential visit was confirmed, work started in full swing for organizing the function in a flawless manner. Gandhians across the country were invited to attend the function. A 13 feet tall statue of Gandhiji named ‘Ahimsa’, by the famous sculptor Ram Vanji Sutar on a five feet tall pedestal was installed on the western side. Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne, the founder of Sarvodaya, Sri Lanka agreed to deliver the inaugural GRF lecture. The President arrived at Gandhi Teerth at 1010 a.m. on the appointed day, accompanied by Shri K. Shankaranarayanan, Governor of Maharashtra and Shri Gulabrao Deokar, Minister, Government of Maharashtra. She was received by Bhau, Justice C. S. Dharmadhikari, (Chairman, GRF), Shri D. R. Mehta, Shri Ashok B. Jain and Shri Dalichand Jain (Trustees, GRF). The President initially unveiled the statue of Gandhiji holding a young boy and girl close to him. She then proceeded to the audio guided multimedia museum. The bioscope, the imaginative recreation of the infamous incident at Pietermaritzburg and the many other exhibits deeply touched her as documented by her in the visitors’ dairy. The President also joined eighteen veteran Gandhians by spinning on the charkha and watched in the auditorium real life clippings from Gandhi’s life. The formal inaugural ceremony was arranged in a huge pandal on the northern side, where over five thousand people were waiting. Shri Tushar Gandhi, Gandhiji’s great grandson, Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne and veteran nonagenarian Gandhians like Narayanrao Jaware and H. S. Doraiswamy shared the dais with the President. The high point of the Presidential address was her turning to Bhau and saying, ‘Bhau, you will be known not by the industries you nurtured, but by the Gandhi Teerth’!
Board of Trustees
Justice C. S. Dharmadhikari Chairman
Dr. D. R. Mehta Trustee
Dalichand Jain Trustee
Dr. B. H. Jain Founder
Ashok Jain Trustee
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Statement of Purpose Mission Strive to help establish a world founded on Truth, Ahimsa, Peaceful Co-existence, Conservation and Love for Labour – values cherished and practised by Gandhiji.
Vision
Preserve for posterity the profound legacy of Gandhiji’s life, thought and work.
Background
Man has vastly changed his environment and has made a great deal of progress in terms of material possessions and pleasures. However, he has not changed a bit from within with reference to spiritual attainments. This lopsided imbalance has led to stark disparities, inequalities, dissatisfaction, discontent and social tensions. Indeed, today, humanity labours under clouds of nuclear wars and other forms of violence for settling their differences and conflicts. It is faced with varied dilemmas, problems and challenges. These challenges are not only internal to man but are an external threat to his very existence. This is also because man has come to believe that progress is not possible without sacrificing the environment.
In keeping with the tenets of a contemporary world, it has become the responsibility and concern of every thinking person to find creative ways and means, to revisit the eternal principles, practices, philosophies and message of Gandhiji’s life and work. The United Nations has declared 2nd October, the birthday of Gandhiji, as “International Day of Non-violence and Peace.” It follows that the world even today finds his message completely relevant and worth researching, remembering and emulating. Bhagwan Mahavir, Buddha, Jesus Christ all have propagated non-violence or ahimsa. However, it was only for the purpose of improvement of an individual’s conduct. Gandhiji was the first living legend who used non-violence for a larger purpose. He consistently preached non-violence as an instrument for sculpting the destinies of nations. His non-violence was not mere submission to violence, passive non-resistance to evil, but a patient and persistent struggle to convert violence into non-violence, injustice into justice, evil into 4
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good. For him, the conduct of the struggle was of the utmost importance; and he would employ only pure means to meet pure ends. This is Gandhiji’s greatest contribution to the modern age and thought. It is indeed a gift to the world not only of his time but for infinity.
Gandhiji presented to this unbelieving world all that is noblest in the spirit of man. He illuminated human dignity by faith in the eternal significance of man’s effort. He was one that redeemed the human race. He was the spokesman of the conscience of mankind. It is in this context that while mourning his death, Jawaharlal Nehru said, “The light has gone out of our lives… Yet, I am wrong, for the light that shone in this country was no ordinary light… and a thousand years later that light will still be seen in this country and the world will see it… For that light represented the living truth.”
In his own life and by his own uncommon methods, Gandhiji attained more success than any other living man. He raised the people of India out of dust and made them men. To them he brought back self-respect, the spirit of struggle and resistance. To the rest of the world he proved that one can live with less and conquer fear with the power of truth and ahimsa. He pleaded for “more from less for more” (MLM). That was a message for self restraint and symbiotic partnership with nature.
The world would need all what he had said and all what others have said about him. He wrote and spoke practically on all subjects under the sun. Most of his writings are in the form of articles, speeches, letters and reports of interviews, mainly through either self-edited or sponsored periodicals. His writings run into the most voluminous corpus in the history of human civilization so far. Today, every enlightened individual and/or a body corporate, is concerned about the youth. The youth is desperately looking for role models. Gandhiji is a timeless inspirator. I trust that posterity will have moments to reflect on his profound yet contemporary message. His teachings must reach every home not only in India but all over the world. Gandhiji’s message is universal and adaptable. It is with this exalted inspiration from within that an educational and research institute, a monumental museum, a capacious library and a modern archive are being dedicated to the nation and the world beyond.
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Words of the Founder, Chairman and Trustees
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From Gandhi Teerth Padmashri Dr. Bhavarlal Jain, familiarly known as “Bade Bhau”, is a farmer-friendly industrialist. He was born on 12th December 1937 at Wakod, five kilometers away from the worldfamous Ajanta caves in the Jalgaon district of Maharashtra. His father, Shri Hiralal Jain, was a middle-class farmer and his mother, Shrimati Gaurabai, was an astute housewife. Inheriting the best of his ancestral culture and wisdom, he followed his mother’s providential advice and was entrusted with the family’s total savings of Rs. 7,000/-, which enabled him to start a business that is worth a billion dollars today! Recently, in consultation with his children, he has created a trust out of his property, to be used for charitable and beneficial works, such as the Gandhi Research Foundation. Three famous personalities influenced his life, namely, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and J. R. D. Tata. The synergetic influence of these eminent role models is exemplified in the “Gandhi Teerth”. - Editor
It is believed, according to the religiophilosophical traditions of India, that whenever there is an imbalance in society, some form of energy comes into existence to rectify and restore the balance. We may call that energy God or give it whatever name we may consider appropriate. If we look back in history, particularly to the beginning of 20th century, we discern that Eastern cultural, ethical and moral values were being threatened by the Western way of life. At that crucial stage, when Western hegemony held sway over the globe, a person called Gandhi took upon himself the providential responsibility to guide the world, inspired by the virtues of Eastern values. It was Gandhi’s cultural self-assurance (reinforced by the fact that as a Diwan’s son his self-respect had remained unscarred by colonial obsequiousness, which was otherwise quite pervasive among the late 19th century Indian elite), coupled with intellectual curiosity, a spirit of adventure and, above all, great will-power and a strong sense of defiance in the face of injustice, which enabled him to ‘stand his ground’ (and in fact strengthen his own cultural identity) during his three years of legal studies in London from 1888 until 1891. These traits also enabled him to quickly seize the offer of a job as legal advisor for a Muslim business firm in Durban, South Africa, where he landed in 1893. During this stay in South 8
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Africa (originally intended to last for just one year, but which Gandhi felt compelled to extend to 21 years to fight against imperial injustice), he was provided with the tough apprenticeship for his subsequent Indian mission (a goal which at an early stage had become his primary goal) that made him into a true satyagrahi. Indeed, as he struggled relentlessly for 21 years against apartheid, injustice, the exploitation and discrimination of the Indian community in South Africa, Gandhiji developed an ingenious technique to fight against the evils of exploitation and injustice with Truth, Ahimsa and Satyagraha. Gandhiji has, thereby, given to humanity the message that injustice can be fought with love and can transform the doer of injustice through persuasion by influencing the latter’s heart. It is not surprising that I have been deeply influenced by Gandhiji for, being born into a Jain family I became acquainted at an early age with the virtues of Ahimsa, Brahmacharya, Aparigraha (non-acquisitiveness) and Anekanth (oneness of Ishwar). For decades, I have also been pursuing an inner search to attain a greater degree of spirituality and selfless-love in word and deed to dissolve the often glaring gap between thought and action, and on a more prosaic level, I have paid meticulous attention to the effects of diet on my physical and mental make-up. Realizing that Gandhiji, albeit at a level of greater intensity, was involved in a similar kind of
experimentation on his inner journey of moksha, I became increasingly inspired by his persona, and accepted him as my role model. Consequently, over the years, I have nursed a deep desire to create something substantial so that Gandhiji’s life-work and his vision may be preserved for posterity. And it was this dream that guided me in my business activities, and Gandhiji’s spirit provided me with the necessary courage and conviction to tackle problems in my stride. Then six years ago, when visiting Manibhavan in Mumbai, in a flash of inspiration, I realized how my cherished project could be transformed into reality. To familiarize myself with Gandhiji’s concrete legacy, I visited his major heritage sites (Sabarmati, Wardha, Delhi, etc.), and with a view to preserving his physical inheritance (in the form of objects, writings by him and about him, photos, films, etc.), which was often kept in a sadly neglected condition, I decided to ‘rescue’ this invaluable heritage for the benefit of today’s youth and for future generations. All said and done, some sincere people, especially Gandhians, may implicitly question the motivation of a businessman for constructing a monument to Gandhiji. Though this may signify a legitimate doubt about my intentions, I would be inclined to respond frankly as follows: rather than be concerned with the man who has initiated the construction of this complex, skeptics should try to appreciate the social and cultural significance of the Gandhi Teerth itself and endeavor to contribute to the realization of its altruistic goals. Indeed, Gandhiji himself was not concerned with a person’s status or profession, but rather he had an intuitive grasp for (and could energize) the talents and potential of a whole range of individuals, pre-eminent among whom were towering figures such as Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel, whose divergent personalities he was successfully able to integrate into the Indian freedom movement. Likewise, receiving inspiration from Gandhiji’s example, I have been fortunate enough to find a chairman for Gandhi Teerth, namely Justice Dharmadhikari, who graciously complied with my sincere request to offer his guidance to this worthwhile project. Moreover, through this project I would like to dispel some purist notions about ‘Gandhiji and business’. Indeed, Gandhiji, as a shrewd bania, had an astute awareness about the importance of money and, as a political leader par excellence, was capable of managing the financial organization of his numerous campaigns with great skill, urging wealthy and poor supporters alike to participate
generously, according to their respective means, in his fund-raising drives; he himself even resorted to auctioning his gifts, received from world-wide admirers, as well as his spectacles and chappals to obtain the necessary funds. At one juncture, on learning that Rabindranath Tagore needed money for Shantiniketan, he was successfully able to raise almost instantaneously a sum of sixty thousand rupees, thereby sparing Tagore this embarrassment. Yet this concern with money did not blemish his saintly reputation: In 1944, alongside his famous talks with Jinnah, he also conversed with Sadhvi Ujjwala for 19 days, discussing several philosophical issues. During these extended meetings, Gandhiji asked her once whether she would accept food cooked by him. Quite amazed that he should harbor such a doubt, she exclaimed that since he was a vegetarian and did not exhibit any greed for money, she could certainly accept whatever he offered. Birlaji, who was present on this occasion, raised a separate issue, namely whether Gandhiji judged a wealthy person or his riches to be bad. Without hesitation, Gandhiji replied that money was Lakshmi (the Goddess of riches) and therefore could not be considered evil, and that if a rich man held his wealth in trusteeship for society, acquiring wealth was tantamount to doing a social service. Inspired by this dictum, the Gandhi Teerth has been constructed. In the contemporary world ridden with violence, political dictatorship, materialism, immorality and a dearth of true spirituality, the relevance of Gandhiji and his message will increasingly acquire more significance. Strengthened by this conviction, I decided to dedicate this monument to this extraordinary human being. Located in an idyllic and environmentally congenial oasis, I sincerely hope that the Gandhi Teerth will attract scholars of the highest caliber as well as young enquiring minds to come and visit its library, museum and exhibition in order to devote intensive hours of research and reflection with the aim of bringing about a change, not only in their lives, but also contributing towards ameliorating global conditions. I earnestly request all readers to come and participate in this noble endeavor, inspired by Gandhiji’s vision for humanity.
- B. H. Jain Founder, Gandhi Research Foundation, Jalgoan August 2012| Exploring Gandhiji
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Our Role Padma Bhushan Justice Chandrashekar Dharmadhikari, a dedicated Gandhian, of utmost integrity, was born on 20th November 1927. At the young age of fourteen, he participated in the Quit India movement; from 1954-1972 he practised law, and was appointed Justice of the High Court of Mumbai in 1989; later he was to become Acting Chief Justice and was nominated as the First President of the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal. Further he was awarded the D Litt. degree by the Rani Durgavati University, Jabalpur. The Rotary Club of Mumbai also conferred upon him the prestigious citizenship award. Besides he was recipient of a whole medley of other distinctions ranging from the Gandhijan award, Ramashastri Prabhune Social Justice award, the National Social Board Justice Ranade award, the Pride of India and the Goseva Ratna award. Quite understandably, he has been nominated Chairman of the Gandhi Research Foundation, and holds this distinguished position in several other prestigious institutions as well. - Editor
I saw Gandhiji for the first time at Sevagram in 1936. At that time the meeting of the Congress Working Committee was taking place there. All the leaders were involved in manual labour. Jamnalal Bajaj was grinding something. I was wondering whether Gandhiji had gone crazy. Why is he involving all these big leaders in small chores which can be done by servants. I took up the matter with the Ashram Manager. I asked him “Why do you involve all these great leaders and activists in petty chores which are normally done by servants? Is it befitting their status?” At that time some of the important leaders were engaged in cooking. The Manager asked me, “Do you like well cooked vegetables?” I affirmed. He further asked me, “What do you like to eat? Why should you feel shy about cleaning, peeling and cooking it?” I immediately understood the importance of the value of physical work! In a country or society which does not respect physical labor, it only respects non-work! Gandhiji accepted the Charkha as a symbol of revolution. We worked with Gandhiji at Wardha in cleaning the toilets of the so-called lower class households as well as doing other chores. Gandhiji considered the broom to be one of the symbols of revolution. If a Brahmin were to take the broom in his hand and a Harijan/Dalit were to hold 10
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the Bhagwad Gita for reading, Gandhiji felt, the discrimination of caste culture would end and that this would help eradicate the notional superiority of birth claimed by higher castes. For this reason the Charkha became the symbol for the eradication of poverty and the broom the symbol for the eradication of social discrimination. This attitude impacted me so much that I never asked anyone what his caste or salary was because one’s human value does not depend on these factors. ‘Spin so that you shall wear and wear what you spin’ is a revolutionary concept. Individual prayer benefits the individual and collective prayer is done for the welfare of society. I realized that Indian-ness would arise only from this loving co-existence. It was my privilege to have walked with Gandhiji’s hand on my shoulder. The day he was shot, we wept profusely. Our mourning was much deeper than the mourning when one has lost one’s own father since Gandhiji was the father of the Nation. Gandhiji said “My life is my message”. Some people took Gandhiji’s message seriously forgetting his life, while others took his life seriously forgetting his message. Thus there is a visible mis-match in the lives of individuals when trying to follow Gandhiji and his principles. Yet when I often interact with youth and students while travelling in India, I feel they have the basic urge to understand Gandhiji.
To quote my father Dada Dharmadhikari – “Gandhiji’s thoughts and actions are based on the most liberal, scientific and objective principles. In a world where there is discrimination based on caste and religion, where the power of the sword and arms is dominating, where man considers it legitimate to fight against man, in such an environment a great soul proclaims ‘I do not feel ashamed of my Ahimsa’. In a vicious and envious environment where the spirit gets depressed, Gandhiji’s spirit stands high and mighty. His character, morality, philosophy and policies are as vast as an ocean; as pure as Ganga; as bright and pious as Gaurishankar! Mahakavi Kalidas describes the Himalayas as the yardstick of the Earth; likewise the soul of Mahatma
is the yardstick of Humanity. One can judge from his Thought, Words, Action, the height, depth, length and breadth of human values. We salute such a great soul for his unbending commitment, unlimited valour, vigorous energy and unconquerable warrior spirit. Such a spirit is the symbol of great, holy and compassionate human endeavor.” Such is the vision of Gandhi Teerth and Gandhi Research Foundation. We hope Gandhi Teerth and Research Foundation will become the hub for the dissemination of Gandhian thought and practices.
- Chandrashekhar Dharmadhikari Chairman, Gandhi Research Foundation, Jalgaon
w Truth is like a vast tree which yields more and more fruit the more you nurture it. w The freedom to err and the power to correct errors is one definition of Swaraj.
w Happiness eludes us if we run after it. In fact, happiness comes only from within. It is not a commodity to be bought from outside.
w Only when religion becomes an integral part of one’s life, can it be called religion. It is not like a garment. w The root-cause of most of our misunderstandings lies in distrust, and at the root of this distrust mostly lies fear.
w I have merely given expression to the thoughts that were dormant within the hearts of the Indian people. w If we continue to say things out of politeness, we really become a nation of hypocrites.
w We are dazzled by the shining luster of our chains and look upon them as symbols of freedom. This state of mind bespeaks slavery of the worst kind. w Good travels at a snail’s pace, but evil has wings.
w I believe that the civilization India has evolved is not to be beaten in the world.
- Mahatma Gandhi
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Experiment and Introspect to Revitalize Gandhiji’s Ideals Dr. D. R. Mehta is the initiator of the Jaipur Foot philanthropic venture, which is today the largest provider of artificial limbs in the world. He was born on 25 June, 1937 in the Jodhpur district of Rajasthan. He graduated from the Rajasthan University and obtained his post-graduation from London in Public Administration subject. He belongs to the 1961 batch of the Indian Administration Services. As a leading bureaucrat of India, he has held many positions of paramount responsibility both at State (Rajasthan) and national levels. After retirement, he established the Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayta Samiti, and dedicated himself to the service of the disabled. He is a PadmaShri recipient. Many international awards and recognitions have also been bestowed on Dr. Mehta. – Editor
Gandhiji based his actions on search (introspection) and experimentation. He has titled his autobiography as Experiments with Truth. The concept of Satyagraha and the many modifications made in its grass-roots level applications are a result of Gandhiji’s innate zeal to experiment. Right from the initial Satyagrahas in South Africa to the ones during India’s freedom struggle, Gandhiji focused on modulating this concept and improving upon it, based on previous experiences and outcomes. However, after Gandhiji’s departure, this focus on experimentation faded from the agendas of his followers. They started following his words too literally. The implementation of various Gandhian programs became stagnant. It lacked in the dynamism which is born out of continuous experimentation. Let us take Khadi as an example. Gandhiji wanted to eradicate India’s poverty through Khadi. He projected Khadi as the fabric of the poor. This was a wonderful thought – a result of Gandhiji’s innate ability to experiment and to introspect. But today, most of the Khadi cooperatives are in financial trouble. The fabric has become expensive. The spinners are paid poorly. Very few people wear it. The young generation is averse of Khadi. How can Khadi and its original philosophy be revived? Gandhians and his admirers never think about this. The Charkha was contemporized in its avatar as Ambar Charkha, and then came polyester Khadi. Some other innovations followed. But these 12
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have never met unanimous approval amongst the gandhian school of thought. What would have Gandhiji done if he was alive today? He would have definitely aligned the philosophy and aims of Khadi with modern management, sales and distribution principles, and thus linked it with contemporary economic paradigms. He would have even experimented with solar energy in Khadi’s life-cycle. He would have experimented and innovated without disturbing or diluting the original thought behind Khadi. The second example is of Satyagraha. It has evolved as a moral tradition. It means insistence on truth. It is based on truth. Whenever Gandhiji thought that his Satyagraha was no longer on the side of the truth, he immediately withdrew it. But today, untruth and pretentiousness prevail on the name of Satyagraha. Mass movements for wrong ends are run with wrong means, and are labeled as Satyagraha to gain cheap publicity. If Gandhiji was amidst us today, he would have never endorsed such movements. There was an unmistakable tinge of spirituality in his Satyagraha. In conclusion, to eradicate stagnation and unimaginativeness in the implementation of Gandhian ideals and to revitalize them, one must resort to experimentation and introspection.
- Dr. D. R. Mehta
Trustee, Gandhi Research Foundation, Jalgaon
Gandhi Teerth: A Beacon of Selfless Industrious Enterprise Born on 20 August, 1932, at Wakod, a small village in Jalgaon district in Maharashtra, Dalichand Jain is courtesy and amiability personified! He worked in the Premier Automobiles (Mumbai) after obtaining a diploma in Mechanical Engineering. He resigned from this job in 1966 and joined the Jains’ family business. He is one of the pioneers of this business empire. He established a cooperative bank on 15 February 1998. Even today, he presides over important positions in various social and religious institutions. He has been honoured by many organizations with coveted titles like Samaj Shiromani (Leading Light of the Society), Ajatshatru (Friend of Everybody), Sevadas (A Servant of Humanity), etc. He provides invaluable services to Gandhi Teerth as the Trustee of Gandhi Research Foundation. – Editor
It is 64 years since India achieved freedom. I am of the view that we are forgetting Gandhiji’s ideals with time. Now, people have become selfish and arrogant, and they are running blindly after wealth and material wellness. The all-pervasive corruption is the end-result. Dr. Bhavarlal Jain was influenced by Bhagwan Mahaveer’s and Gandhiji’s ideals. He has imbibed these values in his life and business activities. He is an ardent follower of these values, and he lovingly influences all those who come in his contact with the same. His life mantra is “Work is Worship”. He has always believed in fair and equitable earnings. He has also believed that not only he and his family, but the entire society and in fact, the entire nation has a right over his earnings. Today, he is anguished to see the petty-mindedness and the selfcenteredness of people wherever he goes. He then remembers Bhagwan Mahaveer’s and Gandhiji’s invaluable ideals. Being introspective, conscientious and sensitive, he had pledged right from childhood that he would base all his commercial and social activities on the philosophies of Mahaveer and Gandhiji. Gandhi Teerth has taken shape from this exalted thinking of Dr. Bhavarlal Jain. He has conceptualized it with great care and farsightedness. His central aim is to present the Gandhian values to the world in an amicable manner, so that people can integrate them in their lives and co-exist harmoniously with interdependence as the driving force. Hard work,
honesty, vice-less life, vegetarianism, nobility, etc. are some of the guiding principles of this worldview, which could inspire people to live a life of nonpossessiveness, contentment, refrain and discipline that Gandhiji lived. This magnificent edifice of Gandhi Teerth, which is built to preserve for posterity Gandhiji’s timeless legacy, has been commissioned in just 16 months. Its noble aim is to motivate people to serve all life forms with selfless love. In particular, it focuses on the youth and aspires to become their beacon by beckoning them to Gandhian values. All Indians must strive to emulate our ancient lifestyle based on saint-like purity and farmer-like industriousness, and help establish peace in the world. This was the way of life which Mahaveer and Gandhi taught us. This is the only way through which we can achieve lasting peace in the world. Dr. Bhavarlal Jain has built Gandhi Teerth with these ideas and ideals in his mind. Let us complement him and his great noble gesture. Let us also wish him good health and a long, healthy life.
- Dalichand Jain Trustee, Gandhi Research Foundation, Jalgaon August 2012| Exploring Gandhiji
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The Nurturing of the Jain Family with Gandhian values Shri Ashok B. Jain, eldest son of Padmashree Dr. Bhavarlal Jain (Bhau) and late Smt. Kantabai Jain, was born on 10th January 1963 at Jalgaon. Being the first child, he was the apple of his parents’ eyes. The noble Sanskaras, or the cultural values and traditions of the family are distinctly discernible in Shri Ashok Bhau’s persona – he is deeply compassionate, and his business style is laced with sympathy and empathy. Just as he has inherited an acute business acumen, he has also learned from his parents how to serve society to the best of his ability. Shri Ashok Bhau has earned the Vice Chairmanship of Jain Irrigation Systems Limited by virtue of merit, and not as an inherited gift. Likewise, the important positions that he holds in various social organizations have not come to him gift-wrapped, but he has earned them with his own toil and effort, enhanced by a genuine desire to serve society. This able son of a visionary father now represents the inspired leadership of Gandhi Research Foundation. Shri Ashok Bhau has truly lived upto his father’s expectations. His contribution in nurturing this Foundation has been immense and it will continue to grow with time. For this, everyone at GRF is deeply indebted to him. - Editor
Honorable Bhavarlalji Jain, fondly addressed as Bhau by one and all, has an uncanny knack for successfully accomplishing each and every venture that he undertakes. The secret of this success lies in his incredible capacity to work hard on a continuous basis and to make paramount sacrifices for the avowed cause, until the aim is achieved. Many of his life-lessons are derived from the advices of his illiterate but astute mother. All his chosen business activities, which have the farmer, the farm and farming at their core, have resulted from his mother’s advice. After rejecting a safe, secure and socially reputable government job offer, Bhau had sought his mother’s advise as to which profession he should opt for. His mother had then advised him to take up any activity which would not only feed the bellies of his family, but would also serve the mute kingdoms of animals, birds and plants. Bhau could identify only agriculture as a suitable activity which would be inclusive enough to live upto his mother’s vision and aspiration. Thus, a first-generation agrientrepreneur was born. 14
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It is not coincidental that the deeply humanitarian virtues of Ahimsa (non-violence), Shanti (peace) and Aparigrah (non-acquisition) are imbibed in all of Bhau’s initiatives. These virtues emanate from the Gandhian influence that Bhau bore on his persona from a very early age, and Jain tenets which the devout and chaste family followed. Bhau’s multinational business empire, spread over five continents, has its feet firmly grounded in the Indian soil. Essentially, profitability is not the overriding motive of his businesses. To do business with a Gandhian orientation is, and always will be the prime objective. Bhau’s excellent entrepreneurship is not only known for its acute business acumen, but also for its equitable and inclusive partnership between business and social cause. As Bhau’s business grew, so did the resources. This enabled him to engage increasingly in altruistic and social cause activities. Gandhi Research Foundation, or Gandhi Teerth, as Bhau fondly refers to it, is his latest and most cherished initiative. It has materialized after deep contemplation and
immaculate planning. As a result, an international institution of global standards has been created. Such a mammoth project could not have been successfully commissioned without the spirited support of the Gandhian fraternity from all over the world. We, as children, have been influenced by our father’s sanskaras from a tender age. In fact, incidences related to Bhau’s high ideals even before my birth, have often been narrated to me by many relatives, and they have only added to the admiration I have for my father. Common factors among these incidences are Bhau’s nobility and humility, his steadfast refusal to compromise with his principles, and his fair-minded conduct for one and all, under any circumstances. The foundation of our rational, emotive and intellectual thought processes has been reinforced with these early influences. By the time we reached adolescence, we had already started feeling closely aligned to Gandhian morals that were encrypted in our family’s ideological DNA. Although Bhau never directly preached or even mentioned Gandhian ideals to us, his actions spoke louder than his words, echoes of which resonated throughout my formative years. Bhau began his entrepreneurial career around 1963. His rural background and his grass-root level contact with the rural community had enabled him to nurture deep sympathy and understanding of the Indian hinterland, its agricultural practices, and the perennial problems of the hapless farmer. This ‘hands-on’ experience was very much akin to Gandhiji’s realization of the plight of these abject Indians which he had gained during his India-wide travels. This acute awareness and the resulting moral obligation that Bhau felt towards rural Indians who were invariably attached to farming or associated activities, is one more reason why Bhau’s thoughts and actions are cast in a Gandhian mould, I think. Among the many business houses that were emerging in free, resurgent India during the 1960s, Bhau’s corporate imprint was exceptionally marked with the Gandhian school of thought. With all humility, yet with pride, I would like to point out that my father’s was one of the first and few enterprises of free India which was wedded to Gandhiji’s principles. As his heir apparent, I consider myself singularly fortunate to have inherited this rich ideological lineage. Bhau’s modest initiation into the business world started with dealership of kerosene. Under a socialist economy, license raj ruled India at that time. Perennial scarcity of kerosene, the ‘fuel of the poor’, and its black-marketeering was rampant. Worse still, the prices were increased by the government, thus making kerosene a dream fuel for the marginalized
masses. Despited these problems, Bhau never engaged in any exploitative or manipulative practices. He maintained the spotless reputation of a fair dealer. Around the same time, Bhau also took up various dealerships for farm inputs like fertilizers, seeds, pesticides, etc. These items also remained in permanent shortage. But typically, Bhau ensured fair dealing and thus maintained an impeccable track record as a trader of high integrity. A memorable incident from my childhood, which is imprinted on my psyche, strikes me as an apt example. During the busy sowing season, Bhau had given me the responsibility of preparing invoices at our shop in Jalgaon. Due to acute shortage of seeds, he had made a policy of selling only two bags per farmer. They, however, were offering an under-thetable bribe of Rs. 10 per extra bag. We never ever entertained such unethical dealings. The incident, though apparently miniscule, has been my lead example which has helped me inculcate my father’s ethics-based business philosophy. Some incidences just stay with us for life and mould our belief system. For me, this was one such life-changing example. In 1985, we had embarked upon an ambitious project to manufacture PVC resin, which is the main raw material for producing PVC pipes. License raj still prevailed during those pre-liberalization days in India. Hence, the project proposal was sent to the concerned central ministry to obtain a manufacturing license. The minister called my father to Delhi for ‘discussions’. A hefty amount of Rs. five crores was demanded to process our project file. My father’s response was cordial but firm, “We have come up in business on the basis of merit and quality. We have never resorted to unethical practices, and never will”. He returned to Jalgaon empty-handed. However, soon thereafter, we learned that within the next fortnight itself, the license was awarded to another industrialist who had presumably paid the ‘processing fee’. Worse still, we were disheartened to know that the license was given on the basis of our project proposal; all that had changed was a single paper in it, namely the one giving the name and details of the applicant! Had we compromised on our principles then, our turnover, which is inching towards Rs. 5,000 crores (2012), would be closer to Rs, 50,000 crores now. Even at a modest calculation of 10% profitability, the same would be Rs. 5,000 crores. Our CSR budget, which is voluntarily declared at 5% of profits, would have also soared proportionately. We would have consoled ourselves that the ‘one-time’ unethical practice had helped us in increasing our social spend. Thus, we would have rid our conscience of the guilt factor. August 2012| Exploring Gandhiji
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However, we are a business house with a pure corporate conscience. We derive immense satisfaction and happiness from whatever social activities that our present CSR budget facilitates. Why? Because this money is clean, it is earned ethically and with sweat and toil. Therefore, the conscientious value of social activities generated from this money is far more than its face value. We are happy about what we do, how we do it and the way we do it. Our way is the way shown by our ideological mentor Bhau. Our path is strewn with a unique ideological footprint, and we will not change track merely for the sake of easy, unethical monetary or non-monetary gains. I believe with utmost sincerity that when Gandhi Research Foundation is fully operational, it will stand out as a tangible, physical manifestation of our Gandhian value system. It will be our ideological ambassador, and will not only reflect and represent, but also justify why our chosen path is perhaps the only sustainable way in which society can derive lasting benefits. Most importantly, this Foundation will inspire the present and future generations to opt for a worthy alternative to the selfish, greedy, exploitative, ruthless and profit-centric career and life style choices offered by the fast and restive 21st century. The core objective behind commissioning this project is just this, to preserve for posterity the timelessly potent Gandhian legacy. Already, this process has been unleashed in our family. Just as charity begins at home, practicing what one preaches should also begin at home. Our third generation is already amiable to Gandhian values. The credit for this goes to Bhau. Because of his engaging and persuasive communication, he has been able to permeate Gandhian thought in the minds and hearts of this upcoming generation. My younger son Aatman, who is just eight years old, told Bhau just a few days before his 75th birthday (12-12-2011) that he would like to give a gift to him on his birthday. Bhau replied that in that case, he would have to give him a return gift as per the
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custom, and that he would not like. Spontaneously, Aatman replied that there was no need for this, as ‘Dada’ had already given them a gift. Surprised, Bhau asked him what was that gift, and Aatman replied, it was the gift of Anubhuti School! Do I need to emphasize more that our children too are ready to carry the mantle of Gandhian ideals when their time comes. On the matter of giving a birthday gift to Bhau, the grandchildren ultimately had their way. They kept on coaxing me until I conceded to get made a statue of Gandhiji spinning Charkha as this gift. On the morning of his birthday, when they unveiled this surprise gift and presented it to Bhau, for once, he was left speechless and overwhelmed with fond emotion. The core vision of GRF, namely, to spread Gandhian ideology among youth, will happen in a self-generative manner once the Foundation is fully functional. If this can happen in our immediate family, why can it not happen in our extended family, the society at large? I am sure it will happen. Bhau has emptied his pockets and poured his heart in this venture. He has spent countless hours at the GRF site, personally guiding the proceedings. He has unconditionally sacrificed his personal life for the sake of Gandhi Teerth. For six long years, GRF has been Bhau’s labor of love. On the eve of dedication of Gandhi Research Foundation to the society, I pledge all my energy and resources for its continuous evolution as a dynamic institute of global stature. Jai Hind.
- Ashok Jain Trustee, Gandhi Research Foundation, Jalgaon (Translated by Abhay Goghari)
d¡îUd OZ Vmo VoZo H${h¶o... d¡îUd OZ Vmo VoZo H${h¶o, Oo nrS> namB© OmUo ao& na XþIo CnH$ma H$ao Vmo¶, ‘Z A{^‘mZ Z AmUo ao& gH$b bmoH$‘m ghþZo d§Xo, qZXm Z H$ao Ho$Zr ao& dmM H$mN> ‘Z {ZíMb amIo, YZ-YZ OZZr VoZr ao& d¡îUd OZ Vmo VoZo H${h¶o, Oo nrS> namB© OmUo ao& g‘Ñ{ï> Zo V¥îUm ˶mJr, nañÌr OoZo ‘mV ao& {Oˆm WH$s Ag˶ Z ~mobo, naYZ Zd Pmbo hmW ao&& d¡îUd OZ Vmo VoZo H${h¶o, Oo nrS> namB© OmUo ao& ‘moh ‘m¶m ì¶mno Z{h OoZo, ÑT> d¡am½¶ OoZm ‘Z‘m ao& am‘Zm‘ew Vmir bmJr, gH$b VraW VoZm VZ‘m ao&& d¡îUd OZ Vmo VoZo H${h¶o, Oo nrS> namB© OmUo ao& dUbmo^r Zo H$nQ> a{hV N>o, H$m‘ H«$moY {Zdm¶m© ao& ^Uo Zag¢¶mo VoZw§ XagZ H$aVm, Hw$b EH$moVoa Vm¶m© ao&& d¡îUd OZ Vmo VoZo H${h¶o, Oo nrS> namB© OmUo ao&
-Narsinh Mehta 15 Century Gujrati Poet th
Lead, kindly Light Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom Lead Thou me on: The night is dark and I am far from home, Lead Thou me on. Keep Thou me feet, I do not ask to see The distant scene; one step enough for me. I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou Shouldst lead me on; I loved to choose and see my path; but now Lead Thou me on. I loved the garish day, and spite of fears, Pride ruled my will: remember not past years. So long Thy power hath blest me, sure it still Will lead me on, O’er moor and fen, o’er crag and torrent, till The night is gone; And with the morn, those angel faces smile, Which I have loved long since and lost awhile.
-Cardinal (John Henry)
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Gandhi Teerth Establishment and Dedication
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Laying the Corner Stone
Prayer to mother earth; Bhau with Dalichand Jain, Atman Jain, Nil Bhandari, Ashok Jain, Kantilal Jain, D. M. Jain, Atul Jain, Girdharlal Oswal, Rajendra Mayur, Dr. Subhash Chaudhari and others.
Bhau in discussion with the engineers. 20
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Dr. Bhavarlal Jain, Founder Trustee of GRF, laid the foundation stone for the International Research and Study Centre on 30th June, 2010. The centre has been conceived and is being constructed so as to make it endure for many centuries. The total built-up area measures up to 65,000 sq. ft. The compounded plot area measuring about 22 acres has sprawling lawns dotted with mango trees surrounded with earthern mounds which act as sit-outs. The design, the selection of materials and the actual construction are such that it would withstand even an earthquake of the magnitude of about 8.5 on the Richter scale. A magnificent 13 ft. tall statue of Gandhiji is mounted in the centre’s premises. The statue is sculpted by the renowned sculptor, Shri Ram Sutar.
Gandhi Teerth under construction, work begins from 5 November 2010.
Bhau in discussion with colleague Farhad Gimi.
Overviewing the work on site are Chairman Justice Chandrashekhar Dharmadhikari, Bhau and Dr. Jethmal Doshi
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The dais awaits the Honorable President Shrimati Pratibha Devi Singh Patil
The Pandal and the sitting arrangements.
The Local Audience awaiting its entry in a queue.
The Trustee Ashok Jain inspecting the public address system.
The associates, photographers and media persons taking position. 22
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Ready to welcome the President: Ashok Jain and his wife Jyoti Jain.
Overviewing the sitting arrangement: Ajit Jain and Atul Jain, Sons of The Founder.
The Chandorkar group singing devotional songs prior to the commencement of the function.
The grand statue of Mahatma Gandhi ready to be unveiled.
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Abhedya, Athang, Karishma, Aarohi, Amoli, Aayushi and Aashuli grand children Bhau’s.
Bhau engrossed in discussion with son Ajit.
Justice Chandrashekhar Dharmadhikari and Bhau caught in a reflective moment, with Bhau’s daughters - in - laws in the background.
Bhau with Aashuli, Abhang, Athang,Atman, Abhedya and Atul Jain .
Bhau in discussion with Atul Jain.
The President and Bhau approaching Gandhi Teerth.
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Bhavna Jain, wife of Atul Jain with her infant son Anmay and Bhau’s granddaughters waiting to welcome the President.
The daughters of the Jain family welcoming the President in traditional fashion.
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The President unveiling the grand statue of Mahatma Gandhi by pressing the remote button.
The President pays tribute to the Mahatma after unveiling his statue. 26
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Shri Dalichand Jain, Devisingh Shekhawat, Bhau, Justice Dharmadikari, the Honorable President, Governor of Maharashtra K. Shankaranarayanan, Mrs. Shankaranarayanan and Mr. D. R. Mehta. August 2012| Exploring Gandhiji
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The President inaugurating the “Khoj Gandhiji Ki” Museum - Bhau, Justice Dharmadhikari, Dalichand Jain, Atul Jain, Dr. Devisingh Shekhawat and others look on.
Posing for the cameras after the inauguration of the “Khoj Gandhiji Ki” Museum - D. R. Mehta, Radha Shankaranarayanan, K. Shankaranarayanan, The President, Justice Dharmadhikari, Bhau, Devisingh Shekhawat and Dalichand Jain. 28
Exploring Gandhiji |August 2012
The inscription of Gandhi Teerth. August 2012| Exploring Gandhiji
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The President Justice Dharmadhikari and Bhau departs Gandhi Teerth after its inauguration.
The President, along with Bhau, Ajit Jain and others overviewing the amphitheater. 30
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The Presidential entourage and dignitaries walk towards the museum.
An overwhelmed President after seeing the Gandhi Teerth edifice, with Bhau at her side. August 2012| Exploring Gandhiji
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The President and other dignitaries by the side of the statue of the Mahatma cuddling a calf.
Registering her name at the museum through touch screen. 32
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Deeply engrossed in viewing the depiction of the Mahatma’s Ideal on the screen.
Watching the Bioscope.
Turning the pages of an e-book through gesture technology at the museum.
Going through the Mahatma’s childhood section in the museum.
Looking at the books that the Mahatma read while in England.
Watching a film on Gandhiji’s childhood.
Passing through the section of the museum depicting the apartheid attack on Gandhiji in South Africa.
Reflecting in front of the peace symbol.
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Engrossed in a presentation narrating Gandhiji’s third class travel.
Experiencing the plight of hapless farmers in Champaran.
The tax burden imposed in South Africa in 1930.
Bhau explaining the operating system to the President.
The section visualising the “Sarvoday” concept in the museum.
Watching the electronic display of photographs in the museum.
Listening to the narration of the activities of contemporary Gandhians.
Approaching end of the museum.
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Posing in the backdrop of an attractive gandhi painting.
Watching an original film on Gandhiji.
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Gandhians spinning on the Charkha.
The President and Bhau spinning on the Charkha. 36
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The President greeting Gandhians.
President unveiling the “Manthan� note book.
The President acknowledging the greetings from Gandhians.
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(First row, from left) K. M. Mariyappan, Minister of State Gulabrao Devkar, Dr. A. T. Ariyeratne -Sri Lanka, The President, Dr. Devisingh Shekhawat, The Founder Bhavarlalji, Mr. H. S. Dorai Swami, Narayan Jaware, Sonal Gandhi, Tushar Gandhi, Amrutbhai Modi, Gautam Bajaj, Dr. Sangeeta Malik, Varshadas, Dr. S. N. Subbarao , Dr. Geeta Dharampal - Germany, Deenaban, Bhai, Jagdishbhai Shah, Babulal Gandhi, Bhudan Subbarao, Shashibhai, Vasantrao Gade, Haribhau Talele and attendants of the President.
(First row, from left) The Museum Team - Saurabh Sharma, R. Subhadra, Siddarth Kabra, Shekhar Badve, K. Shankarnarayanan, The President, Dr. Devisingh Shekhawat, Bhau, Architect A. Mrudul, N. G. Lalwani, Aashish Bhirud, S. R. Bhangar, Vikrant Bhangale, Pankaj Bharhate, Avinash Chauhan, Anil Patil, Ashok Sapkale, Popatlal Chordiya, Dr. Yogendra Yadav, Sachine Chaudhari, Savarmal Sharma, Bharat Malhar, Sanjay Chaudhari, Chandresh Bhavsar, Laxman Rathode, Jitendra Tiwari, Satish More. 38
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Justice Chandrashekhar Dharmadhikari, Shrimati Radha K.Shankarnarayanan, Governor of Maharashtra K. Shankarnarayanan, (Second row, from right) Manohar Joshi, B. Y. Parit, Maruti Khairkar, M. M. Gadkari, Jaywant Matkar, T. K. R. Somaiya, Natwar Thaker, (Third row, from left) Husan Jamadar, Advocate Ram Singh Rajput, Kusumtai Pande, Dr. Sudershan Aayanger, Dr. Sugan Baranth, Aai Abdul
Chairman Justice Chandrashekhar Dharmadhikari, Shrimati Radha K.Shankarnarayanan, Governor of Maharashtra Uday Mahajan, (Second row, from right) Vijay Sirsagar, Ajay Kale, Dileep Patil, Prashant Patel, Kailash Gurav, Manoj Bhangale, (Third row, from left) Pavan Jangid, Mukund More, Uday Shinde, Shankerlal Kumawat, Shayamlal Sharma, Sachine Birla, August 2012| Exploring Gandhiji
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The President coming out of the “Vikas� Gate.
Jyoti Jain, wife of Ashok Jain greeting the President.
Jyoti Jain presenting an auspicious gift to the President.
The President greeting the gathering.
The President, along with other dignitaries, seated on the stage
Students of Anubhuti School singing the welcome song.
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The President being felicitated by Justice Dharmadhikari and Bhau.
Bhau presenting Gandhiji’s statue to the President.
Bhau presenting Gandhiji’s bust to Tushar Gandhi, the great grandson.
Bhau presenting Gandhiji’s bust to Dorai Swami.
Bhau presenting Gandhiji’s bust to Dr. Devisingh Shekhawat.
D. R. Mehta presenting Gandhiji’s bust to Dr. Ariyaratne.
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Dr. D. R. Mehta, Dr. Ariyaratne, Justice Dharmadhikari, Gulabrao Devkar, Governor of Maharashtra K. Shankaranarayanan, The President, on the dais. 42
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Dr. Devisingh Shekhawat, Bhau, Tushar Gandhi the great grandson of Gandhiji, senior Gandhians Narayan Jaware and Dorai Swami August 2012| Exploring Gandhiji
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The capital of Gandhian thoughts
Justice Chandrashekhar Dharmadhikari.
I have great pleasure in welcoming you to the inauguration of Gandhi Teerth. When in 1936 Mahatma Gandhi expressed the wish to hold an AICC session in a village, it happened in the Khandesh region at Faizpur. On the second day, addressing the large gathering, Gandhiji praised the local organizers at length and said that they did not aspire to become leaders, but were content to remain as servants of the people. I would like to remind you that 2012 is the 75th year of the Faizpur session. So is it of the three institutions Gandhiji established in Wardha – of the Sarvodaya Ashram, the Rashtra Bhasha Prachar Samiti and the Hindustani Taalimi Sangh. What is more, Bhau, the founder of Gandhi 44
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Teerth also is into his seventy fifth year. Gandhi’s ashes were immersed at Prakasha in this region, at the confluence of the river Tapti at the ghats constructed by Ahilyabai Holkar. She has a beautiful saying, “whatever has flowed by is the Ganga, whatever has remained is the holy water, Teerth.” I shall not venture a better simile for Gandhi Teerth. It is a matter of honour for me that the river Tapti originates from here; for I am the ‘Dharmadhikari’, dispenser of justice, of this place. I should also relate a bit of history here. Speaking at a convocation of the North Maharashtra University I had expressed a wish that we should have a living memorial for Gandhi in Jalgaon. Shri Bhavarlal Jain
immediately accepted my request. People say that I am the inspiration behind Gandhi Teerth. But I am only the trigger; all the rest is Bhavarlalji. I have an added reason for keeping a soft spot in my heart for Her Excellency the President. She paid obeisance to the Mahatma today by spinning on the Charkha. She has worn Khadi all through her life. I consider Khadi, worn by the first Lady President of the country, – a lady becoming the President of India was one of Gandhiji’s dreams – as its national sartorial symbol. I appeal to her that Khadi may be accorded that status. These days people abroad speak very high of Gandhiji. Obama, the President of the United States declares that Gandhiji is his role model. All the leaders of states who come to India say the same thing. I have a friend by name Peter, who lives in France. He has established a Gandhi Information Centre in Germany. I met him in Mani Bhavan. He was telling me, ‘if you need any information on Gandhi, drop me a card and you will have all that
The audience.
by return post’. He added further, ‘we will establish Gandhi in Germany and export him to India, for the people here seem to love exported goods.’ I admit that our generation did not quite understand Gandhi. Because we could not convey the Gandhian ideals to our children. But I have seen that the youth of this country is interested in Gandhi, whom they want to realize in original. Gandhi was no Gandhian, he was merely Gandhi. The problem which we encounter now were not extant in Gandhi’s life time. We have to resolve these issues in newly devised ways. Sift them one by one and investigate them in the present context. This is what we should be endeavouring at Gandhi Teerth. Delhi is our national capital, Mumbai is our financial capital. But Jalgaon is no capital. May it become the capital of Gandhian thoughts. This is my ardent wish.
Justice C. S. Dharmadhikari
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Committing to the Gandhian ideals
Bhau addressing the august gathering
I rise to deliver the thanks giving speech, ahead of the Presidential address. For, it does not seem proper to speak after the President. It is always possible to request one’s elder sister, but it becomes difficult when she is the President of the country. When she had come to Jalgaon earlier, I had told her that I was planning to establish a Gandhi memorial. And that she should inaugurate it. She then told me that it would be the greatest work of my life. I thought for a while why I was venturing to do this late in my life. I am about to complete seventy five years of my life. Could I have done this earlier? This was a dream, which I could visualize any time and realize any time. But now it’s too late. Whenever 46
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I thought of it, I wondered whether I deserved to establish such a memorial. I have not lived life like Gandhiji did. I approached Chandrasekhar Dharmadhikari and requested that he should accept the Chairmanship because he has seen Gandhiji at close quarters and has been living a similar life. But Dharmadhikariji said that he was leaving all the positions he held one by one. Just because he could not decline my request, he agreed to accept the Chairmanship as the last position he would adorn. That gave me the strength. Perhaps, now I could do it. What I could not have done all alone, I could do in his company.
I am not very conversant with all of Gandhiji’s thought. But now the opportune time has arrived. Therefore, I maintain that this Gandhi memorial is not one which would be seen by people off and on. This is going to be one such, where some program or the other will take place every day. About 250 veteran Gandhians from different parts of the country have assembled here. I could inform them only a few days before. Shri Doraiswami who is ninety four years of age also has come here. Dr. Ariyaratne, who is known as the Sri Sankar
The dignitaries on the dais listening to Bhau in rapt attention.
Gandhi, also has arrived. I was a little ashamed to request these men of repute, because I am one from the corporate world and new to this domain. I am trying to live life their way. I am indebted to all of you on this count. I dedicate and commit myself to live according to Gandhian ideals.
Dr. Bhavarlal Jain
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Keeping the light glowing
Tushar Gandhi, the great grandson of Gandhiji, speaking on the occasion.
The packed gathering. 48
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I propose to remind you only of three quotes relating to Bapu. That may be deeply relevant to Gandhi Teerth. When Bapu was assassinated Pandit Nehru said: “The light has gone out of our lives and there is darkness everywhere. I do not know what to tell you and how to say it. Our beloved leader, Bapu as we called him, the father of the nation, is no more. Perhaps I am wrong to say that. Nevertheless, we will not see him again as we have seen him for these many years. We will not run to him for advice and seek solace from him, and that is a terrible blow, not to me only, but to millions and millions in this country, and it is a little difficult to soften the blow by any other advice that I or anyone else can give you. Yet I was wrong. For the light that shone in this country was no ordinary light. The light that has illumined this country for these many years will illumine this country for many more years, and a thousand years later that light will still be seen in this country, and the world will see it and it will give solace to innumerable hearts. For that light represented the living truth… the eternal truths, reminding us of the right path, drawing us from error, taking this ancient country to freedom.
Remember Albert Einstein’s comments – “Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this walked the earth in flesh and blood.” The third one is by Bapu himself; he said, “Truth alone will endure, all the rest will be swept away before the tide of time. I must continue to bear testimony to truth even if I am forsaken by all. Mine may today be a voice in the wilderness, but it will be heard when all other voices are silenced, if it is the voice of Truth.” It seems to me that Gandhi Teerth will come in handy to keep the light glowing and to dispel the doubts from people’s minds. For this is no physical memorial to Gandhiji but a knowledge memorial. A memorial which will further enlighten people on Gandhian thoughts. This is what I count as the greatness of Gandhi Teerth. May the future generations utilize this knowledge memorial!
Tushar Gandhi
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A cross section of the audience. 50
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Students of Anubhuti School attending the function.
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‘Bhau, you will be known not by the industries you nurtured, but by the Gandhi Teerth’!
The President addressing the gathering. 52
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I am indeed very happy to be present here on the occasion of the inauguration of Gandhi Teerth. It is matter of pride that a Gandhi memorial is being established in the city of Jalgaon. Gandhiji first came to Jalgaon in 1927. He came again in 1936 to attend the Faizpur congress. I was a baby girl an year and a half old then. My parents took me to the Faizpur congress. That was when I saw Gandhi. Of course, I was too small to understand anything. But the fact that he had come to Jalgaon, my place of birth and the centre of all my activities, makes me very glad. May I also congratulate the people behind this initiative! Gandhi Research Foundation aspires to bring anything and everything related to Gandhiji under one roof. It may not be possible to do that. Nevertheless this extremely beautiful, expansive memorial can hold many such things. I understand that Gandhian literature in Gujarati, Hindi, English, Marathi and other Indian / foreign languages has been made available here. These are the physical depositories of Gandhian thought. This is a very laudable effort and I wish that this will go a long way in introducing the younger generation to Gandhiji. As you know, October 2nd, Gandhiji’s birthday, is celebrated by the United Nations as the International day of Non-violence. This is of course honouring the Mahatma. But is it not an honour to India as well? In my capacity as the President of India, I have visited many foreign countries. There are Gandhi statues all over. There is one in Ariana Park, Geneva, Switzerland. I have garlanded that statue and paid
The audience listening to the President’s moving speech.
my respects to Gandhiji. But I wondered, can I pay my respects to Gandhiji by garlanding his statue? To deserve to garland the statue, we need to do a great deal more. I also reminisce my trip to the United Kingdom. Usually visiting heads of states are housed in the Buckingham palace. But in my case, the Queen arranged for my accommodation in the Windsor Palace, which is her own place of residence. The Queen herself came to receive me and I travelled in her car. She took me around and showed everything. There was the usual parade too, in honour of the President. There was also an exhibition. The Queen again showed me around. She showed me a shawl saying this was woven by Gandhiji, presented to her at the time of her wedding. While she was saying this with great respect, I was choked within. Would I have received all this respect, if Gandhiji had not procured independence for us? I will conclude by thanking Shri Bhavarlal Bhau, the prime mover behind this project. That a corporate leader thought of such a project is unique in itself. I would wish to tell Bhau that he will not be known by the many industries he established, but by the Gandhi Teerth. I also pay my respects to the veteran Gandhians and freedom fighters, who have assembled here despite their advanced age, on account of their reverence to Gandhiji.
Pratibha Devisingh Patil
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The President and other VVIPs having lunch.
The President gifting a Khadi Shawl to Bhau.
Atul Jain proudly talking about his son to the President.
Senior Gandhians relishing a hearty lunch.
Bhau, Dr. Shekhawat and Justice Dharmadhikari having lunch, Ajit Jain talking to them.
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Tushar Gandhi and his wife Sonal in conversation with the President.
The President in conversation with the ladies of The Jain family.
The President unveiling a historical book documenting the family tree of Dr. Bhau, Dr. Shekhawat looks on.
The President and Dr. Shekhawat leaving the venue.
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Group Photo of Bhavarlalji’s family and close friends with the President - (left to right) Dr. Subhash Chaudhari, Kantilal Jain, Ashok Jain, Atul Jain.
Group Photo of the Jain family with the President - (first row, from left) Shakuntala Jain, Sunanda Jain, Tarabai Bansilal Jain, Tarabai Shivraj Jain, Subhash Chaudhari, Ashok Jain, (from right) Ajit Jain, Atul Jain, Snehal Jain, Sangeeta Jain, Sarla Jain, Sapna Jain, Aarohi, Aayushi, Anita Jain, Darshana Jain, Anshu Oswal, Nirmala Jain, Anita Jain, Anita Lalwani. 56
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Ajit Jain, Mrs. & Mr. K. Shankaranarayanan, The President Pratibha Devisingh Patil, Dr. Devisingh Shekhawat, Bhau, Dalichand Jain and
Mrs. & Mr. K. Sankaranarayanan, The President Pratibha DeviSingh Patil, Dr. Devisingh Shekhawat, Bhau, Dalichand Jain, Kantilal Jain, Dr. Amoli, Nisha Jain, Devbala Jain, Bhavna Jain, Anmay, Aaryam, Aashuli, Abhang, Shobhana Jain, Abhedya, Aatman, Jyoti Jain, Athang, August 2012| Exploring Gandhiji
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A panoramic view of Gandhi Teerth facing the west 58
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The Museum
An exterior of ‘Khoj Gandhi Ki’ Museum
The “Khoj Gandhiji Ki” Museum housed at Gandhi Teerth is equipped with the latest, state-of-theart audio-video and other electronic technologies. These technologies bring to vivid life Gandhiji’s thought, life and work in social, political and other areas. The museum is divided into various sections. The first section depicts Gandhiji’s childhood, while the second section highlights his mistakes and wrongdoings during childhood. The third section is dedicated to his stay in London for higher studies, while the fourth section shows Gandhiji’s memorable experiences with his mother. The latter sections unfold Gandhiji’s life and experiences in South Africa and all momentous phases of his life thereafter. The museum also displays Gandhiji’s paintings, statues, etc. at various places. It has a special section for showcasing the works of various Gandhians and their methodologies of work. The Mahatma had given particular importance to Khadi in his life and philosophy. He promoted Khadi not merely as a fabric but as an economic concept. He used it as a means for eradicating unemployment in the country and aligning the youth with the 60
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mainstream of the economy through various activities associated with Khadi. Gandhiji had used various types of “Charkha” at different places that he had visited. The museum has displayed replicas of these Charkhas. It has also arranged to impart training on spinning Khadi. The last section of the museum houses a Khadi and Book Store. Various cottage industry items are also on sale at the store at reasonable prices. Refreshing juice is served to the visitors at the end of the museum tour. The museum remains open between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. The visitors are divided into groups of eight and each group is led by a museum guide for the tour. Wheel chairs and an assistant are provided to the elderly and physically challenged visitors. Since the museum is located on a hill-top, special batteryoperated vehicles are provided for transportation. Advance booking for the museum tour is available, and its use is encouraged to avoid inconvenience and disappointment.
The First Section
The Childhood Section
The Experiments and Experiences Section
London Section
The Tree Section
The South Africa Experience Section
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Ahimsa (Non-Violence) Section
An unperturbed Gandhi sitting amidst violence and unrest
South Africa Section
The Satyagraha Section 62
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The Champaran Section
The Jallianwala Section
The Chauri-Chaura Section
The Dandi March Section
The section symbolically showing the bonfire of imported clothes and fabrics
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A symbolic depiction of the Indians burdened with callous government taxes
The Quit India Movement Section
The Contemplation Section
The Gram Swaraj Section
A panoramic view of Gandhi Teerth and the surrounding serene Jain Hills 64
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The Creative Programme Section
The Charkha (Spinning Wheel) Section
The Auditorium
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The Library, the Archives and a Brief Overview of the Activities
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Library at GRF Bhau looks forward to making available all the literature, books and periodicals related to Gandhiji, housed under one roof at GRF. Books related to Gandhiji are being collected in the GRF at great speed. Priority is given to first editions. Apart from this, books read by Gandhiji are also being collected. Literature on Gandhiji is scattered throughout the country and lodged especially in institutions like the National Archives, Nehru Memorial Museum, Sabarmati Ashram and Sevagram Ashram, as well as being in the possession of individuals. Hence, anybody wanting to undertake research on Gandhiji has to go from institution to institution to assemble the required information. GRF has decided to collect all Gandhi relevant material originating from various sources, including the above institutions, and to catalogue it systematically for the benefit of the scholars. The total number of books collected so far is 7, 213. Periodicals started by Gandhiji, namely Harijan, Navjeevan, Young India, are also available at the Library. In addition, other periodicals, now out of print and discontinued, like Sarvodaya, Bhudan Yadnya, Indian Social Reformer are available. Being an international research centre, GRF has collected material and books on Gandhiji available in a variety of languages, namely, Marathi, Hindi, English and Gujarati, including some other Indian and foreign languages. Gandhiji’s own authored books are also available in the GRF library. Thematic
Description of books available at GRF on Vinobaji
Description of books available at GRF on Gandhiji Books in Marathi
735
Books in Gujarati
1361
Books in English
3131
Books in Hindi
Books in other Indian languages
Books in other foreign languages
Total no. of books at GRF library 68
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collections are also being edited by GRF. Vinoba Bhave is considered to be the spiritual successor of Gandhiji. With great clarity he has expounded on Gandhiji’s thinking, spirituality and constructive programs. Many books have been written by him and about him many of which have been translated into Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati and English. GRF is intent on preserving Vinobaji’s material due to his closeness to and good understanding of Mahatma Gandhi, and has so far assembled a collection of 666 books related to Vinobaji, 252 of which have been authored by him.
2129 145
42
7543
Books in Marathi
Books in Gujarati Books in Hindi
Books in English
Books in other Indian languages
Total no. of books at GRF library
63 17
571 94 19
764
Details of periodicals available at GRF Harijan (English)
787
Harijan Sevak (Urdu)
145
Harijan Sevak (Hindi)
744
Harijan Bandhu (Gujarati)
939
Harijan (Marathi)
67
Harijan Patrika (Assamese)
150
Navjeevan (Hindi)
312
Navjeevan (Gujarati)
Acharya Vinobaji Bhave
623
Young India (English)
156
Sarvodaya (Hindi)
60
Maharashtra Khadi (Hindi)
57
Katai Mandal (Hindi)
112
Khadi Jagat (Hindi) Ambar (Hindi)
24
Maharashtra Dharma (Marathi) Total
Library at GRF
52
140
4368
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Archives This division has been started with the objective of preserving for posterity material related to Gandhiji and Vinobaji. Initially, an inventory of all the material is being made. In a second stage, the material is being studied carefully to decide what course of preservation technology should be applied. The Archives comprise published and unpublished literature, audio-visual media, photographs, documents as well as a stamp collection. Hand-written material: GRF has been able to scan 33,327 handwritten pages of Gandhiji’s documentation. The diaries of Mahadevbhai Desai and Manubehn, scanned in colour, are available for researchers and interested persons. 28,000 pages of Vinobaji’s writings have also been collected and made available to researchers. 40,000 pages of the Gandhian historian, Shri Dharampal’s documents have been scanned. All the material is available in high quality digitally printable form.
Photographs: GRF has 4019 photographs of Gandhiji in its collection, along with 3500 photographs of Vinobaji. These rare photographs have been collected from various sources, and are catalogued at GRF in an easily searchable mode (using key words). Films: GRF has in its collection 70 films on Gandhiji’s life and his teachings. These films are available on DVDs. The collection includes 44 English titles on Gandhiji made by the Film Division, 25 titles in Hindi, one in Marathi and one in Korean. Audios: GRF has stored 47 audio files of Gandhiji’s speeches in MP3 format. Memorabilia: The 1936 Congress session took place at Faizpur, in the Khandesh region, and, was attended by Gandhiji. A hand-spun cotton garland, chappals and a bathing stone used by Gandhiji have been collected and preserved in GRF archives. Philately: GRF has been able to collect stamps, envelopes, post-cards, etc. related to Gandhiji from 114 countries.
Memorabilia: Objects used by Gandhiji during the 1936 Congress session at Faizpur in the Khandesh region 70
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Notes and Coins: GRF has succeeded in collecting all coins and notes printed by the Government of India on Mahatma Gandhi. Notes of denominations from one rupee to one thousand rupees are available.
Description of Audio-Visual material available at GRF on Gandhiji Films in Marathi
01
Films in Hindi
25
Films in Korean
Films in English
Audio files of Gandhiji’s original voice Photographs
01 44
152
4019
Gandhiji’s handwriting
Material related to Gandhiji displayed at GRF
Material related to Gandhiji displayed at GRF
Material related to Gandhiji displayed at GRF
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Educational Activities Gandhi Research Foundation is being developed as an international hub for education and research. It is being equipped according to international standards. Academic collaborations have already been signed with the Gujarat Vidyapeeth, Ahmedabad, North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon and Cetys University, Mexico for the purpose of conducting joint teaching and research activities from the next academic session. Scholarships provided for needy students.
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u u u u u u u u
Certificate Diploma Degree Masters M. Phil Ph.D. Post-doctoral Part-time research
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Publications Gandhi Diary: On the occasion of the first ‘World Non Violence Day’, Gandhiji’s birth anniversary, Gandhi Research Foundation published a ‘Gandhi Diary’ on 2nd October 2007. This diary was inaugurated by Dr. K. B. Patil, Vice Chancellor of North Maharashtra University. On this occasion, the registrar, Dr. M. V. Baride, Prof. Narendra Sharma, and other professors and the non-teaching staff of the University graced the occasion. A B C of Gandhi: This book was published in 2008. It is written by the late Prof. Narendra Sharma. Gandhian thoughts, arranged alphabetically, are explained extensively in this book. This book is available in English. Gandhi Ganga: Gandhi Research Foundation published the first edition of this book in 2008. It is edited by Dr. M. B. Shah. The second edition of this book was published in 2010. The book includes
articles written by Mahatma Gandhi, Vinoba, Lallubhai Patel, Milli Graham Polak, Uma Shankar Joshi, Kaka Kalelkar, Jugatram Dave, Shahanavaz Khan, Ravishankar Maharaj, Ram Narayan Pathak, Shankarlal Bainkar, Narhari Parekh, Ghanashyamdas Birla, etc. Aaple Gandhi: This book was originally written by the noted Gandhian and story-teller, Shri Narayanbhai Desai. It has been translated into Marathi by Dr. M. B. Shah and Dr. Vishwasrao Patil. Gandhi Research Foundation published it in 2009. Sadhak Gandhi: Gandhi Research Foundation published this book written by Dr. Vishwasrao Patil, a reputed Gandhian, in January 2011. In this book the author has described Gandhiji as a spiritual leader. Satyagrahi Gandhi: This book is also written by the Gandhian thinker, Dr. Vishwasrao Patil. The author portrays Gandhiji’s life as a Satyagrahi.
Release of the book ‘Aaple Gandhi’ Dignitaries present are Shri Narayanbhai Desai, freedom fighter Shri Lele Kaka, Shri Dalubhau Jain, Bhau, Shri N. D. Mahanor, Dr. Vishwasrao Patil, and writer Dr. M. B. Shah. 74
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Gandhi Research Foundation published it in January 2011. Samarpit Gandhi: This book is likewise authored by Dr. Vishwasrao Patil. The author describes Gandhiji as a leader dedicated to nation building. Gandhi Research Foundation published it in January 2011. The above-mentioned books written by Dr. Vishwasrao Patil were released at the inauguration ceremony of the Ahimsa Sadbhavna Padayatra, started on 30th January 2011. The books were released by Dr. Sugan Baranth, former President, Sarva Seva Sangh, and Shri Ashok Jain, Trustee, GRF. Books to be published : Gandhi Research Foundation intends to publish a book ‘Sant Sangati’, Part 1 and Part 2, describing people associated with Gandhiji, as well as his thoughts. This book, in Marathi, is being written by Dr. Vishwasrao Patil. Another book in the Gandhi Research Foundations’ publishing program is based on the ‘Gandhi Katha’ by Shri Narayanbhai Desai. The stories narrated by Shri Narayanbhai are converted
into a dialogue form to make them more accessible for readers. This book is edited by Dr. Yogendra Yadav. Publications in collaboration: An agreement has been reached between GRF and Sarva Seva Sangh to publish 26 books by Gandhiji and to distribute them to the general public as well as to students at a special discount of 50%. These include books like Hind Swaraj, Sankshipt Atmakatha, India of my Dream, Gandhi ki Drishti, Bapu ke Charno Me, Day to Day with Gandhiji A sum of ten lakh rupees has been granted to Sarva Seva Sangh for publication of books as well as for conducting Gandhi Vichar Sanskar Pariksha in 20 districts of UP; other sponsored activities include the provision of a mobile van with LCD facility in order to take Gandhiji’s message to colleges and schools; establishing Gandhi sale counters, guest houses, workers’ quarters, dining facilities and street lighting. The above money will also be used for generating solar energy as well as for providing waterharvesting and water-recycling facilities.
Release of the books ‘Sadhak Gandhi’, ‘Satyagrahi Gandhi’ and ‘Samarpit Gandhi’ at the hands of Dr. Sugan Baranth, Shri Ashok Jain and other dignitaries. August 2012| Exploring Gandhiji
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Collaboration with other Institutions Gandhi Research Foundation has collaborated with many universities for conducting courses on Gandhian thoughts. An MoU was signed with Gujarat Vidyapeeth, Ahmedabad on 13th March, 2010. Shri Rajendra Khimani, Registrar, Gujarat Vidyapeeth and Shri Ashok Jain, Trustee GRF, signed the MoU in the presence of Shri Narayanbhai Desai, Chancellor, Gujarat Vidyapeeth. The MoU comprises an exchange of books related to Gandhiji, organizing collective programs for the dissemination of Gandhian thoughts, mutual assistance in designing the syllabus of diploma and degree courses on Gandhian thoughts. An MoU was signed with Cetys University, Mexico in February, 2010. Cetys University was founded in 1961. The MoU was signed by Mr. Fernando Leon, Chairman of Cetys University and Shri C. S. Dharmadhikari, Chairman of GRF and Dr. Bhavarlal Jain, Founder - Trustee, GRF. The MoU makes provision for providing support in organizing
programs related to Gandhiji. This also includes the dissemination of Gandhian principles (namely nonviolence, satyagraha, savodaya, etc.), organizing workshops on the principles and philosophy of Gandhiji. Many programs will be organised in Mexico by Cetys University, in accordance with the MoU. Collaboration with North Maharashtra University: The Hon. Shri Bhairaon Singh Shekhawat, then Vice President of India, laid the foundation stone for a Gandhi Study Centre on the premises of North Maharastra University on 17th September, 2004. Justice C. S. Dharmadhikari unveiled a statue of Mahatma Gandhi, sculpted by the famous sculptor, Sadashivrao Sathe, on 2nd October 2006. Present at this occasion were Dr. Bhavarlal Jain, senior freedom fighter, Lele Kaka, Shri Suresh Dada Jain, MLA, Shri Ramesh Dada Jain, Deputy Mayor and other dignitaries.
Signing of MoU with Gujarat Vidyapeeth : Shri Ashok Jain, Trustee GRF, Shri Narayanbhai Desai, Chancellor, Gujarat Vidyapeeth Shri Rajendra Khimani, Registrar, Gujarat Vidyapeeth. 76
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Dr. Scott Venezia of Cetys University with Bhau
Unveiling ceremony of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue at Gandhi Hills, North Maharashtra University. Present on the occasion are Shri Ashok Jain, Shri Vasant Koregaonkar, (SP), Dr. K. B. Patil, Shri Lele Kaka (freedom fighter), Prof. Narendra Sharma, Dr. N. K. Thakre, Bhau Justice C. S. Dharmadhikari, Shri Sadashivrao Sathe (sculptor), Shri Suresh Dada Jain, Shri Dalubhau Jain, Shri Chittaranjan Kaul, Dr. J. K. Doshi and Shri Ramesh Jain. August 2012| Exploring Gandhiji
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Gandhi Vichar Sanskar Pariksha Gandhi Research Foundation is endeavouring to disseminate the teachings of Gandhiji. This project has been conceived, as the GRF has realised the need to orient society towards Gandhiji’s teachings in order to provide solutions to social problems faced in the contemporary world. In urban and semi urban areas there are many issues which can be solved by applying a Gandhian approach, defined by his philosophy. Increased dissatisfaction with personal and family life, resorting to violence for minor reasons, a self centered life style, and ignoring moral values are some of the problems confronting modern society. In order to provide an amelioration to deteriorating values, the value system followed in contemporary society needs to be refurbished. To achieve this goal,
Students participating in the Gandhi Vichar Sanskar Pariksha 78
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Gandhiji’s teachings are of pre-eminent relevance. GRF conducts Gandhi Sanskar Pariksha every year. The objective of conducting this examination is to familiarize school and college students with Gandhian thoughts. Students of the examination are provided with literature and books on Gandhiji at a concessional rate. Question papers are set on the material provided. GRF started organising the examination in Jalgaon District in 2007. It extended its scope to Jalgaon, Dhule, Nandurbar districts in 2008, and to Aurangabad District in 2009. In 2010 the Gandhi Vichar Sanskar Pariksha was organised at 346 centers in 22 districts. 31,354 students participated in the examination.
The Districts included Jalgaon, Dhule, Nandurbar, Aurangabad, Nashik, Ahmednagar, Buldhana, Akola, Pune, Amravati, Raigarh, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Satara, Washim, Yavatmal, Parbhani, Kolhapur, Solapur, Osmanabad, Belgaon (in Karnataka State) and Thane. The students from class fifth to tenth and from junior colleges are divided into three categories in line with the syllabus for this examination. Each category receives a separate question paper. The student scoring highest marks in each category from every district is awarded a special prize. 339 such excellent students were honoured in 2010. In 2011, students from English medium schools also participated in the exam. A total of 1296 students from nine schools from Jalgaon, three schools from Dhule and four schools from Nandurbar participated in the exam. In 2011, collaborative efforts were made by GRF and Maharashtra Sarvodaya Mandal. Shri Matkar
Kaka and Dr. Sugan Baranth were instrumental in appointing a representative for each district in the State. Dr. Bhavarlal Jain motivated the team to achieve the target of enlisting one lakh students for the examination. Finally the team successfully enlisted 79,741 students. In addition, the exam was conducted in the Belgaon District of Karnataka State. A prize distribution ceremony was organised in each district of Maharashtra at which GRF awarded certificates to students for participation, trophies to schools for conducting the exams and special prizes to meritorious students who topped in the first three categories. This examination has also helped to disseminate Gandhian thoughts to the participating students’ families through the books provided to the students at a nominal charge.
Prize distribution ceremony at Hingoli
Prize distribution ceremony at Akola
Prize distribution ceremony at Kankawali
Prize distribution ceremony at Nashik
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Details of Gandhi Vichar Sanskar Pariksha conducted by GRF Year Participating Districts 2007 Jalgaon
Centres 73
Participating Students (number)
Schools
Colleges
3375
501
Total
3876
2008 Jalgaon, Dhule, Nandurbar
141
6,642
2,598
9,240
2010 Jalgaon, Dhule, Nandurbar, Aurangabad, Nashik, Ahmednagar, Buldhana, Akola, Washim, Amavati, Raigarh, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Kolhapur, Satara, Pune and Thane.
369
25635
5719
31354
961
61393
18348
79741
2009 Jalgaon, Dhule, Nandurbar, Aurangabad
2011 All Districts of Maharashtra State and Belgaon District in Karnataka State
135
7,072
1,998
Meritorious students of Gandhi Vichar Pariksha with Shri Lele Kaka, freedom fighter and Shri Ashok Jain, Trustee, GRF 80
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9,070
Activities Undertaken at Prisons We believe that nobody is a criminal by birth. Unfavorable circumstances and bad social influence may often lead individuals to commit crimes. Once a crime is committed, the consequences of punishment must be borne. Yet, even after completing the sentence, society does not consider ex-convicts to be normal citizens. The stigma of punishment, thus, haunts them for the rest of their life. GRF has undertaken the responsibility of educating prisoners with Gandhian values which have contributed to a better self-understanding so that prisoners are enabled to lead a normal life. The GRF associates conduct Gandhi Vichar Sanskar Pariksha in the jails of Maharashtra for which free educational material is distributed. Certificates are awarded to all participants and special prizes to exceptional candidates.
GRF team with Jailor Dr. Dhole in a program at Jalgaon Central Jail
Prisoners participating in a program at Jalgaon Jail
Prisoners attending Gandhi Vichar Sanskar Pariksha August 2012| Exploring Gandhiji
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Rural Development Program GRF has identified five villages near the JISL company campus in Jalgaon for implementing various rural development activities. The Rural Development Programs undertaken in these villages cover sectors like soil and water conservation, agriculture, education, health, sanitation & women and youth development.
Gramshilpi Training Program at Wakod:
Forty young people from five selected villages (namely Wakod, Jambhol, Mohadi, Takarkheda, Shirsoli) were identified as prospective ‘Gramshilpies’, or village facilitators. From 10th to 16th January 2009 a training program on developmental issues was organised for them at
Training on vermi composting
A youth group participating in training program 82
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Wakod. The topics discussed included environmental conservation, water harvesting, empowerment of self-help groups, and information was provided on various Government programs. The young villagers were sensitized about important issues like communal harmony, the duties of citizens, the need for people’s participation, etc.
Gramshilpi Training Program- Phase II at Jain Hills:
20 young people from the initial team of forty, who were provided training at Wakod, were selected for this training, which was organised on 10th and 11th February 2010 at Jain Hills.
The topics included information on types of soils, sub-soils, the quality of water and requirement of water for each crop, the need for arranging gully-plugs in the water canals of the villages, the importance and process of vermi-composting for soil-enrichment, nursery preparation for plants, various aspects of village development and conflict resolution.
The team included eight Gramshilpis and three associates of GRF. They visited remote tribal places and observed the changes brought about by implementing Dairy activity. They also visited M.G. Patel Sarvodaya Kendra based at Banaskatha district. The Kendra has organised 25,000 tribal people. As a result, the tribals have adopted drip irrigation, cooperative marketing and have facilitated the economic and agricultural development of their tribal society. This desert area is located near the Pakistan border. The farmers here have constructed small tanks to conserve rain water. As a result, the socioeconomic conditions of the farmers in this area are improving mainly due to the water conservation measures adopted.
Gramshilpi Camp, Wakod
Gramshilpi Camp, Jalgaon
Study tour of Gramshilpis to North Gujarat
Study tour of Gramshilpis to North Gujarat
Study tour of Gramshilpis to North Gujarat:
A study tour of Gramshilpis was organised from 10th to 22nd March 2010 to important places in North Gujarat. The tour was organised to expose the participants to the developmental work that is being conducted in this area along Gandhian lines. The tour proved to be a very good opportunity to learn about topics related to Improved Agriculture, Village Cleanliness, Community Health, and Child Development, spheres which are important for village development.
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Exposure visit of Gramshilpis to Nanded : Gandhi Research Foundation provides training and development opportunities to the Gramshilpis (village facilitators) of GRF. For this purpose they visited ‘Marathwada Khadi Gramodyog Samiti’, Nanded on 12th June 2010 to observe the work of the organisation. Through the activities of the Samiti, 5,000 people in the surrounding villages are obtaining employment. Eighty young people work at this centre on Khadi Charkhas, having 2 spindles, 8 spindles and 12 spindles. The Gramshilpis collected valuable information about the Khadi Industry by visiting the Samiti.
Exposure Visit of Gramshilpis to Nanded
Other projects by GRF for rural development: Village Kadholi: GRF provided educational material worth Rs. 14,916 to Zilla Parishad Marathi High School at village Kadholi. Village Takarkheda: GRF provided play material worth Rs. 5,223 to the Nursery school. It also provided educational material worth Rs. 940 to the Primary School. Village Shirsoli: GRF provided furniture worth Rs. 2,100 to Z. P. Primary School. It also provided educational material worth Rs. 1,143. At Bari Samaj High School at Shirsoli (PN), sports and gymnasium material worth Rs. 11,000/- was provided. Toilets for girls were constructed; under ground tank-work, plumbing and tile work as well as external flooring in class rooms was completed. A laboratory hall costing Rs. 7 Lakhs, measuring 42 ft x 20 ft with terrace water-proofing, electrification, plumbing, wiring and colour washing was completed. Z. P. School Urdu School at Shirsoli was provided with educational and sports material worth Rs. 11,573/-. The construction costs for the school building, kitchen, the stage amounted to Rs. 2,56,950/-.
Z. P. Primary School at Shirsoli PN is provided with a borewell by investing Rs. 20,000/-. An amount of Rs. 2,70,000/- was invested in the same school for activities like repairing the roof of eight classrooms and applying paint. Z. P. School Urdu School at Shirsoli was provided with educational and sports material worth Rs. 11,573/-. Construction cost for the school building, kitchen room, stage comes to Rs. 2,56,950/-. Z. P. Primary School at Shirsoli PN is provided with a borewell by investing Rs. 20,000/-. An amount of Rs. 2,70,000/-. is invested in the same school for activities like repairing the roof of eight classrooms and applying paint. Sanitation: Thirteen families from Shirsoli, Mohadi were provided a loan amount of Rs. 4,800/. each for the construction of individual toilets through financial assistance from Shri. Mahaveer Bank, Jalgaon. These families have greatly benefitted from this developmental work and have started adapting better health practices.
The Headmaster and Teachers receiving teaching its and Musical Instruments.
Workman laying the pipeline at Shirsoli.
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Value Education Program for School Children: GRF in collaboration with Akhil Bhartiya Jain Sanghatana, Pune, is implementing a value education program in five selected villages from the academic year 2011. Trained persons take sessions in the schools of these villages to improve the mental abilities of the children. In addition an effort is made to inculcate good moral behaviour in the students. The sessions are conducted during stipulated periods in the school timetable. Around 1,500 students benefit from this activity.
Tree Plantation : GRF has undertaken tree plantation in order to protect the environment. Fifty trees were planted at Shirsoli (PB) on 31st July 2010 with the help of the students from Z. P. Primary School. Students, teachers, Gramshilpis and villagers participated in this activity.
Head Master Shri Khamkar planting a tree at Takarkheda
Students participating in the Village Cleanliness Drive
Village Cleanliness Drive : On 1st May 2010 GRF associates undertook cleaning work at village Shirsoli (PB) with the help of Gramshilpis and some villagers.
Villagers and Gramshilpis participating in the Village Cleanliness Drive at village Shirsoli
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Water Conservation Activities : Considering the importance of water conservation and management, Gandhi Research Foundation with the help of farmers has developed check dams in the villages Takarkheda and Kadholi. As a result free flowing water has percolated into the ground, thereby increasing the ground water level in the nearby wells as well as tube wells.
Padayatra for creating awareness : For the integrated development of five selected villages, GRF decided to organise a foot-march from 20th to 30th April, 2011. GRF associates, Gramshilpis and villagers participated in it. The Yatra included programs and activities such as group meetings, awareness sessions, sports, cleanliness drives, etc. A stall of Khadi and Gandhi literature was set up in each village which was well received by the villagers. The participants of the Yatra halted for two days in each of the villages. A demonstration-cum-exhibition of equipment relating to solar energy as well as drip-irrigation technology was organised at each village. The aim was also to encourage people to think seriously about the management of natural resources, involving integrated village development.
A check dam constructed with the help of villagers 86
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Training for students : A one day training course for students of J. U. Thakre Institute (Sakri, District Dhule) was organised on 20th January 2009. Different programs for further developing their abilities were organised. The activities included a photo exhibition on Gandhiji, the production of mud toys, and the organisation of an informative session on water management. 96 students from 9 schools participated in it.
Training of self-help groups : A training program for strengthening the SHGs was organised on 31st July 2010 at Jain Hills as part of the rural development program. Four hundred women from the villages Wakod, Shirsoli and Takarkheda benefited from the program. Training program for girls in art and culture: A training program was organised for girls from the villages Shirsoli (PN) & (PB), Mohadi and Kadholi from 26th to 30th May 2011 at Wakod. 99 girls participated in this program. Participants were taught about the art and culture of our country, such as rangoli, as well as being introduced to new games, etc. A film show was also organised. At the end, the girls were given Gandhian literature, such as books entitled ‘Bapu mazi Aai’ and ‘Atmakatha’, along with a certificate for participation in the program.
Women participants in a training program
Girls participating in the cultural program during a training program.
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Sports activities of GRF : Gandhi Research Foundation organises sports training in collaboration with Jain Sports Academy. A carrom competition was organised from 17th July to 19th July 2011 at Chhatrapati Shivaji Stadium, Jalgaon, through the joint efforts of both these institutions. Youth from places nearby Jalgaon took part in the carrom competition. Shri Sayyed Mohsin
Khan, a national level carrom player, and other sports experts guided the participants. Similarly, a Kabbadi tournament was organised from 28th July 2011 to 30th July 2011. Young girls from villages Shirsoli PB (11), Shirsoli PN (4), Mohadi (9) and Kadholi (8) participated in it. The participants benefitted from the guidance of Sweta Sonavane, a national level trainer in Kabbadi.
Girls practising Kabbadi during the sports training
Girls practising Carom during the sports training 88
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A girls training programme
Gandhi Adhayan Shibir : A study program for all the associates of GRF was organised from 20th to 24th June 2011 at village Wakod. The main objective of the study program was to stimulate the desire to study and understand Gandhiji in greater depth. Every associate read and discussed selected Gandhian literature. The Founder of GRF, Dr. Bhavarlal Jain, is keen on developing the capabilities of the associates. He insists that one should study the chosen subjects thoroughly to be in a better position to communicate
the acquired knowledge to others. Hence, the study program provided the GRF associates an opportunity to understand Gandhian thoughts in more depth and then to ascertain the extent to which their goals had been achieved. In addition, they conducted sessions for the other associates as well as students of Rani Danji School at Wakod. Wakod, being the birth place of Bhau, the Jain farm is well equipped with basic amenities for boarding and lodging.
Dr. Yogendra Yadav conducting a session on Gandhian thoughts for school children
GRF associates playing Kabbadi
GRF associates at the Wakod Farm reading
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Meeting with senior citizens: Gandhi Research Foundation in collaboration with Mahatma Gandhi Jeshtha Seva Mandal organised a meeting on 15th July 2011 at Wakod. The objective of this meeting was to honour the senior citizens. Sixteen citizens were honoured by giving them a bouquet of flowers and copies of holy books belonging to different religions. The teachers of Rani Danji School were also honoured for their contribution towards guiding the students in developing their personalities.
Senior citizens present on this occasion included Mr. Bhavarlal Sharma, Chila Motiram Askar, Sheikh Gambhir Shaikh Kasam, Shaikh Rajjak Shaikh, Abbas Shaikh, Abdul Chirag Shaikh, Mehmood, Eknath Namdeo Bhosle, Uttamramji Pawar, Sardar Khan Baldakhan, Gulshanbi Shaikh Gambhir, Vatsalabai Kisan Deshmukh, Dr. R. L. Zawar, Madanlal Laxmilal Jain and Sahebrao Godecha. The program was concluded by screening a film on Gandhiji’s life, watched by the children as well as the villagers of Wakod.
Senior citizens participating in a prayer
Students handing over walking sticks to senior citizens 90
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Students paying obeisance to senior citizens
Dissemination of Gandhiji’s Teachings Lecture series and seminars Gandhi Research Foundation organises lecture series and seminars on contemporary social issues in line with Gandhi’s vision . Mahatma Gandhi observed his first Satyagraha in South Africa on 11th Sept. 1906. GRF celebrated the centenary of Satyagraha on 11th Sept. 2006 at a program organised at Gandhe Hall, Jalgaon. Within the framework of this GRF initiative, many speakers delivered lectures some of which were as follows: Shri Yamaji Malkar delivered a speech on ‘Ten Secrets of Modern Life ‘ at a program organised at Bendale Woman’s College, Jalgaon on 8th October 2007. Shri Shantaram Pandhere delivered a lecture on the topic ‘Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Ambedkar in 21st Century Context’ at a program organised at Samajkarya College, Jalgaon on 9th Oct. 2007. Shri Ramesh Ojha delivered a lecture on the topic ‘Mahatma Gandhi’s Society contrasted with Conventional Society’ at North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon on 10th Oct. 2007 . Shri Sanjay M. G. from Mumbai delivered a speech on the topic of ‘Globalization and Present Education’ at M. J. College, Jalgaon on 11th Oct. 2007. Ms. Sushma Sharma, Chief Coordinator of Nai Talim Vidyalaya, Sevagram, delivered a speech on
the topic ‘Mahatma Gandhi’s Nai Talim and Today’s Educational System’. This program was organised at North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon on 2nd Dec. 2007. On 19th December 2007 in the Gramshilpi Training Program organised at Wakod, Shri Kalanand Mani, Secretary, Gandhi Peaceful Society, Goa, delivered a speech on Gramshilpi’s Personality Development. Dr. Sugan Baranth, former President, Sarva Seva Sangh, delivered a speech on the subject ‘Gram Sabha’s Rights according to the Maharashtra Gramdan Act 1964’ at Wakod, on 20th Dec. 2007. Shri Anil Farsole from Wardha delivered a lecture on the concept of Gramdaan on 21st December 2007 at a workshop organised for Gramshilpis. GRF organised a workshop on the subject ‘Gandhian Thought and Science Teaching’ at North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon on 28th January 2008. There is a misconception that Gandhiji and science are not related to one another, despite the fact that Gandhiji supported the application of science for the larger public good. A training program on operating Ambar Charkha was organised on 8th and 9th June 2010 at Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan, Jalgaon. The training was organised as part of a joint initiative of GRF and Zilla Sarva Seva Samiti.
Shri Lele Kaka lighting the traditional lamp in the Satyagraha centenary celebration on 11th September 2006. August 2012| Exploring Gandhiji
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Freedom fighter Namdeorao Choudhari Lecture Series In 18th century, the British came to India with the East India Company, primarily to do business. Soon they started interfering in the internal affairs of Indian rulers and their people. Subsequently, there was extended resistance in various regions of India which culminated in the Great Uprising of 1857. After its merciless subjugation, the British crown was able to consolidate its dominion over two-thirds of the sub-continent, whereby a third of India, formally governed by Indian rulers, was brought under the indirect rule of the British Raj. Political control was accompanied by economic exploitation (exaction of exorbitant land revenue, extraction of raw material and cash crops to boost the burgeoning British industrialization, and the subsequent flooding of the Indian market with British finished goods) along with intensive cultural and educational indoctrination. Several Indian leaders opposed this three dimensional onslaught, but it was Mahatma Gandhi who was to transform the resistance into a full-fledged freedom struggle which ultimately succeeded in gaining independence from British rule in August 1947. Among the ranks of freedom fighters were many valiant men and women from Maharashtra.
Gandhi Research Foundation in association with Sarvodaya Mandal Jalgaon organized a lecture series at Bhusaval in memory of the eminent freedom fighter Namdeorao Choudhari from 7th to 11th October 2007. In doing this, GRF’s intention was to commemorate all those freedom fighters, originating from Khandesh, who sacrificed their lives to attain the freedom of their country. This lecture series was inaugurated by Shri Ashok Jain, trustee of GRF, by lighting the traditional lamp. On this occasion, S/Shri Yamaji Malkar, Ramesh Ozha, Shantaram Pandhere, Chandrakant Choudhari and several associates of GRF and Sarvodaya Mandal were present. In his inaugural address, Shri Ashok Jain declared that GRF would be developed into an international institute, being equipped with all the necessary facilities. He mentioned that it was GRF’s responsibility to remind the younger generation about the immense sacrifices made by the valiant freedom fighters of Khandesh among whom Shri Namdeo Choudhari ranked pre-eminently. Other speakers narrated details from the life of Shri Namdeo Choudhari, including descriptions about several other freedom fighters.
Shri Ashok Jain Trustee GRF lighting the traditional lamp. Shri Yamaji Malkar, Bhausaheb Pandhere, Ramesh Oza and Chandrakant Choudhari were also present at the occasion 92
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Some of the eminent speakers
Shri Kalanand Mani, Goa
Dr. Sugan Baranth, Malegaon
Shri Shantaram Pandhere, Aurangabad
Shri Yamaji Malkar, Pune
Shri Ramesh Oza, Mumbai
Shri Sanjay M.G., Mumbai
Shri Pannalal Surana, Osmanabad
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The First GRF Lecture The first GRF lecture was conducted on March 25, 2012, the day Gandhi Teerth was dedicated to humanity. Its subject was “Buddhism: The Source of Inspiration for Gandhians.” Renowned gandhian Dr. Ariyaratne from Sri Lanka, delivered the lecture Bhau and Justice Dharmadhikariji were present on the occasion. Bhau welcomed the lecturers by garlanding them with a Khadi garland. The coordinator, Mr. B. Krishnakumar highlighted Dr. Ariyaratne’s work and achievements. Next, Dr. Ariyaratne gave his lecture. He opined that in order to gain and retain power, the politicians thrust the country in the throes of violence. Blind greed led the bureaucrats and officers to unabated corruption. Due to this, our social values deteriorated. In turn, our age-old practice of integrating social values with spirituality got eroded. “I took up the experiment of implementing the “Sarvodaya model” through Buddhist philosophy in 15000 villages in my
country. The political leaders also got impressed with this work. I am of the view that Buddhist ideals are an ideal medium for Gandhians to implement social schemes.” Justice Dharmadhikariji, who chaired the event, said that today we read many books but do not reflect on them or implement their messages. Nonviolence is at the roots of all religious philosophies. Great visionaries like Buddha and Gandhi showed us through practice rather than preaching that only nonviolence can lead to all-round social upliftment. The renowned Gandhian from Rajasthan delved upon the “Middle Way” as professed by Buddha. Vandana Mule gave the vote of thanks and Mangala Khadilkar conducted the function.
The dais with the banner
The coordinator B. Krishnakumar
Bhau honoring Dr. Ariyaratne with a Khadi garland
The audience
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The dais occupied by Dr. D. R. Mehta, Justice Dharmadhikariji, Bhau and Tushar Gandhi.
Dr. Ariyaratne addressing the audience
Justice Dharmadhikariji
Dr. D. R. Mehta
Dr. S. N. Subbarao singing before the audience
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Gandhi Birth Anniversary Programs Gandhi Research Foundation observed ‘Ahimsa Week’ in 2007 on the occasion of Gandhi‘s Birth Anniversary. Several programs are organised every year on this occasion. The program comprises a photo exhibition, rally, film show, drawing competition and other interesting activities. On 2nd October 2008, GRF organised a program at Gandhi Hill, North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon where Dr. K. B. Patil, VC, North Maharashtra University administered the oath of Ahimsa. On this occasion a photo exhibition on Gandhi was displayed and a film was shown. On 2nd October, 2009 at the same place, Shri Satish More, Chief Coordinator, GRF administered the oath of Ahimsa to all participants.
On 2nd October 2010 a drawing competition was organised at Gandhi Hill, North Maharashtra University Jalgaon, in which 1,100 students participated. In the beginning an Ahimsa oath was administered. On 2nd October 2011, a Padayatra (foot march or rally) was organised at Jalgaon in which school children from the city and nearby villages participated. The Yatra was inaugurated by Justice Chandrashekhar Dharmadhikari and Padmashree Dr. Bhavarlal Jain (Bhau), and at Gandhi Garden a public gathering assembled which Dharmadhikariji addressed. He urged the audience to wear Khadi so that the rural economy could be strengthened. This suggestion was taken up favourably by his enthusiastic listeners. At the end of the program the oath of Ahimsa was administered.
Shri Dalubhau Jain, Justice Dharmadhikari, District Collector Shri Rajurkar and Commissioner Shri Prakash Bokhad at Gandhi Birth anniversary program, 2011
Students taking the Ahimsa oath 96
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Students at the drawing competition
Citizens and GRF associates at the Padayatra on 2nd October 2011
Gandhi Birth anniversary program, 2011: another scene
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Remembering Mahatma : 30th January is observed as Martyrs’ day in India at the national level, for on 30th January 1948 Mahatma Gandhiji was assassinated. In commemoration of this event, a program was organised on 30th January 2009 at Gandhi Hills on the campus of North Maharashtra University. Shri D. R. Mehta (former Chairman, SEBI), Mr. Bhavarlal Jain, Dr. K. B. Patil, Chancellor of the University, Mr. Dalubhau Jain, Mr. Ashok Jain, Prof. Narendra Sharma and others were present. 150 students from central schools also participated in this program. On 30th January 2010, to mark the 62nd death anniversary of Gandhiji, the winners of the essay competition on Gandhian thoughts for the years 2008 and 2009 were felicitated at Jain Hills. In this program Shri Lele Kaka, senior freedom fighter
Shri Ashok Jain (Trustee GRF) garlanding the monument
Shri Ashok Jain addressing the participants 98
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was the chief guest, accompanied by Shri Ashok Jain; 115 students and their parents participated enthusiastically in the event. On 30th January 2011, in order to pay tribute to Gandhiji on his death anniversary, a rally - Ahimsa Sadhbhavana Padayatra - was organized from Faizpur to Prakasha.
Martyrs’ Day Program :
On 9th September 2008, GRF participated in the program at Lokmanya Tilak Library, Nanurbar to commemorate the Martyrs’ contribution to the freedom struggle. Shri Ashok Jain, Trustee of Gandhi Research Foundation was the chief guest. He placed a flower garland on the martyrs’ monument, followed by a speech in which he underscored the significance of the martyrs’ great sacrifice. A photo exhibition ‘Mohan se Mahatma’ was displayed at the program venue.
Participants at Martyrs’ Day Program
Mobile Photo Exhibitions Gandhi Research Foundation makes a special effort to reach out to the student community by setting up, on a regular basis, a mobile photo exhibition on subjects such as ‘Satyagraha’ and ‘Mohan Se Mahatma’. Through these photographs, the meaning of the word ‘Satyagraha’ and its connotations are explained. According to Gandhiji, ‘Satyagraha’ means grappling with or holding on to truth which involves self-purification. The principle came into being before the name was invented in 1907 in order to replace the term ‘passive resistance’ which was considered to be a weapon of the weak. To explain the real nature of the movement led by the Indian community in South Africa, there was a need to coin a new word to
designate the specificity of the Indian struggle. A nominal prize was announced in ‘Indian Opinion’ to the readers who made the best suggestion on the subject. In response, Maganlal Gandhi coined the word ’Sadagraha’ and won the prize. In order to make it clearer Gandhiji changed the word ‘Sadagraha’ to ‘Satyagraha’. The photo exhibition displays all the ‘Satyagraha’ movements undertaken by Gandhiji. The other exhibition ‘Mohan Se Mahatma’ shows the photographs of Gandhiji in order to highlight the way in which his personality was transformed into that of a Mahatma. On request, the exhibition has been organized in many schools and colleges as well as at venues of public importance. Lakhs of students have been benefitted from this exhibition.
Students and parents at by the photo exhibition ‘Mohan se Mahatma’
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Gandhi Katha Gandhi Research Foundation in joint collaboration with Bhavarlal and Kantabai Multipurpose Foundation and Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd organised ‘Gandhi Katha’, a recitation by senior Gandhian Shri Narayanbhai Desai. The program was organized from 4th to 8th October 2009 at JDCC Hall, Jalgaon. The recitation, taking place every evening from 6 pm to 8 pm, was attended by people not only from Jalgaon city but also from the surrounding villages in Jalgaon district. In his childhood, Shri Narayanbhai Desai spent a considerable time with Gandhiji, and this experience has greatly influenced his life. Even at the age of 87, through his oratorical skills and the inspirational content of his narration, he is able to enthrall any audience and cast a spell over receptive minds. Having composed several songs about Gandhi’s life, these were sung in between the narration.
People were delighted by this performance and felt that such a program had never taken place in Jalgaon. Due to this enthusiastic reception, GRF has already published ‘Gandhi Katha’ in book form to facilitate a wider circulation.
Shri Narayanbhai reciting Gandhi Katha
The Gandhi Katha inauguration by Shri Lele Kaka, Bhau, Shri Narayanbhai and Dr. K. B. Patil 100
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On the stage performing Gandhi Katha; Shri Narayanbhai and singers
Honouring Shri Narayanbhai Desai, Bhau, Shri Dalubhau Jain and Shri Ashok Jain.
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Audience at the program ‘Gandhi Katha’ by Shri Narayanbhai Desai 102
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‘Jagadamba’-a drama about the life of Kasturba Gandhi Research Foundation organised a play enacted by the famous actress, Mrs. Rohini Hattangady (known for her role as ‘Baa’ in Richard Attenborough film ‘Gandhi’). The play in Marathi, entitled ‘Jagdamba’ meaning ‘Mother of the world’ was organised in association with Anubhuti School on the evening of 28th March 2010 in the Anubhuti school amphitheatre, Jalgaon. Kasturba’s untiring support and self-sacrifice was crucial in transforming young ‘Mohan’ into a ‘Mahatma’. Kasturba also accepted and internalized the values such as Ahimsa, non-violence, empathy and compassion. Thus, as her inner strength developed, she herself turned into ‘Jagdamba’, Mother of the world’. The drama ‘Jagadamba’ is based on the life of Kasturba. It is authored by Mr. Ramdas Bhatkal and directed by Ms. Pratima Kulkarni. The role of Harilal, the eldest son of Gandhiji, was played by Mr. Aseem Hattangady. Citizens of Jalgaon, Anubhuti students, teachers and associates of JISL attended this memorable performance which provided a very good opportunity for the audience to understand the personality of Kasturba in detail as well as to appreciate her contribution in relation to contemporary events.
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Ms. Rohini Hattangady as Baa
Mr. Aseem Hattangady as Harilal
Mrs. Nisha Anil Jain, Director, Anubhuti School, felicitating the team of artists
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Ahimsa Sadbhavana Padayatra An Ahimsa Sadbhavana Padayatra from Faizpur to Prakasha was conducted on 30th January 2011. The Padayatra commenced from the DNC Mahavidyalaya to commemorate Shri Dhanaji Nana Chowdhary who participated in the Faizpur Congress session, attended by Gandhiji. Shri Ashok Jain, Vice-Chairman, JISL and Trustee, Gandhi Research Foundation, Dr. Sugan Baranth, former President, Sarva Seva Sangh, Dr. Viswas Rao Patil, Professor, Shahada College, Shri SS Patil, Principal, DNMV, Faizpur, Shri Jagdish Patil, Coordinator, Gandhi Centre, Faizpur, Shri Dayadhan Rane, Coordinator, NSS, DNMV College, Faizpur, and Shri Jhumbarlal Sharma were all present on the occasion. The Padayatra, starting in Faizpur, passed through Bhusaval, Nashirabad, Jalgaon, Dharangaon, Ammalner, Naval Nagar, Dhulia, Songir, Chimthana, Dondaicha, Nandurbar, and finally it culminated at Prakasha on 12th February 2011, to mark the place where Gandhiji’s ashes had been immersed on 12th February 1948. The Padayatra covered a distance of 310 kms. At every place the local students, teachers, residents and social workers welcomed the Padayatries, provided hospitality and arranged meetings which
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were well attended. In order to further disseminate the message of Gandhiji a special discount on Khadi and Gandhian literature was provided during the Padayatra. 15 important books on Gandhiji were sold at a 50% discount; these included the following titles: My Experiments with Truth (English, Hindi and Marathi versions) Brief Autobiography of Gandhiji (English, Hindi and Marathi versions) Geeta Pravachane (Marathi) Talks on Geeta (English) Geetai (Hindi, Marathi), Hind Swaraj (English, Hindi and Marathi versions) and Aaple Gandhi (Marathi). A film show on Gandhiji was organised at almost every village at which the Yatra halted.
Rejina Holms from Denmark in the Padayatra
Khadi Sale Counter at the Padayatra
Sadbhavana Padayatra in progress
Concluding ceremony of Padayatra
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Ahimsa Shanti Sadbhavana Cycle Yatra Like on previous years Gandhi Research Foundation organised a Ahimsa Shanti Sadbhavana Cycle Yatra from Jalgaon to Prakasha covering 232 kms on the eve of the 64th Death Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The Yatra started at Jalgaon on 30th January 2012 and travelled through Mahmurabad, Damboorni, Vidgaon, Yaval, Dhanora, Chopra, Hathed, Babhalaj, Shirpur, Tarhadi, Arthe, Vikran, Varul, Bamkheda, Torkheda, Sarangkheda, Kalambhu and culminated at Shahada on 12th February, 2012, the day on which Gandhiji’s ashes were immersed at Shahada. Shri Satish More, Chief Coordinator and Shri Abdul Bhai, senior Gandhian, team leader of Yatra, led the yatries. Dr. Bhavarlal Jain, Founder Trustee of GRF garlanded Gandhiji’s statue with a hand-spun cotton mala. This occasion was graced by the presence of the chief guests Shri KB Patil, ex-VC of NMU, Shri Ashok Jain, Shri Dalubhau Jain, Prof. Shekhar Sonalkar, Prof. Gita Dharampal of Heidelberg University, Germany, whilst members of the GRF and school children formed part of the audience. When flagging off the cycle Yatra, Bhau said that,
since it was our responsibility to disseminate Gandhian values in society, this Yatra would be a good opportunity for interacting with rural people and school children en route. Moreover, he stressed the importance of Gandhian thoughts contributing to the maintenance of social harmony. He concluded by underscoring that, as a result of interactions facilitated by the cycle yatra, the implementation of the GRF’s rural development activities would be further enhanced in the future. The Yatries, visiting all the schools and meeting most of the villagers on the way, were able to successfully propagate Gandhiji’s values. Besides, Khadi and Gandhiji’s books were sold to the villagers. Shri PK Anna Patil, Prof. Pitambar Sarodei, Prof. Viswasrao Patil, Shri Ramesh Dane, Prof. Jaspal Sisodia, Shri Bhattu Patil and Shri Mohan Bhai Patil participated in the concluding session of the Yatra at Shahada. The chief organisers of the Yatra, S/Shri Satish More and Abdul Bhai, as well as S/Shri Nilesh Patil, Chandrashekhar Patil, Raju Bagul, Viswajit Patil, Yatin Sonar and Iqbal Tadwi were felicitated.
Prof Sonalkar, Shri Dalubhau, Bhau, Dr. K. B. Patil and Dr. Gita Dharmapal
Bhau flagging off Ahimsa Shanti Sadbhavana Cycle Yatra
Ahimsa Shanti Sadbhavana Cycle Yatra in progress
Students purchasing Gandhi material during the Cycle Yatra
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Documenting thoughts of senior Gandhians Gandhi Research Foundation documents the thoughts of senior Gandhian personalities so that the next generation can benefit from them. The GRF associates participated whole-heartedly in the 42nd Sarvodaya Samaj Sammelan at Pune from 6th to 8th November 2008 and recorded interviews of senior Gandhians who were present at the occasion. GRF also had set up a book stall and a photo exhibition on ‘Mohan Se Mahatma’. Dr. Narayanbhai Desai, Chancellor of Gujarat Vidyapeeth, inaugurated the sammelan which was convened by Dr. Kumar Saptarshi. Interviews of high-profile participants were recorded including those of Shri Dashrath Bhai Shah (Gujarat Vidyapeeth), Shri Subba Rao, President, National Youth Project, Ahri Ramji Singh (Bihar), Gangaprasad Agraval (Vasmat), H.H. Dalai Lama, the Prime Minister of Tibetan Government in Exile, Shri S. Rimpoche, Dr. Sachhitanand (UP)and Lavanamji Gora (Vijaywada).
Interviews were also recorded at the annual conference of the Akhil Bhartiya Sarva Seva Sangh at Gauhati (Assam), held on 17th February 2010. In addition, Shri Chunnilal Vaidya (Ahmedabad), Hembhai (Assam), Ravindrabhai Upadhya, Shakuntala Chaudhari, Yogendrabhai Parikh, P. Gopinathan Nair (Kerala), Lavanamji (Vijaywada), Prof. Sadanand Singh (Manipur), and Fernando Fararawa (Mexico) were also kind enough to give their interviews. Veteran Gandhians, such as the freedom fighter from Wardha, Shri Babarao Salve, Bapurao Sakharkar, Meera Shah, Sundardas Shah, Shantabai Jaju, Narayan Jaju and Thakurdas Bang were also interviewed with great success. Last but not least, Dr. Yogendra Yadav and Shri Tushar Bunde of GRF interviewed the senior Gandhian, Shri Lele Kaka from Jalgaon. And to complete the list of interviewees, Shri V Kalyanam who acted as stenographer to Gandhiji after September 1944, was given special attention.
Gangaprasad Agraval, Vasmat, Hingoli
P. Gopinathan Nair, Kerala
Shakuntala Chaudhari, Guwahati
Ravindrabhai Upadhya, Guwahati
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Lele Kaka, Jalgaon
Lavanam, Vijaywada
Chunibhai Vaidya, Ahmedabad
Dr. Dattatray Shinde, Mumbai
Hemdatta (Hembhai), Guwahati
Prof. Sadanand Singh, Imphal, Manipur
Yogendrabhai Parikh, Balsad
V. Kalyanam, Chennai
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Participation in Seminars and Workshops Gandhi Research Foundation representatives participate at state-level, national and international seminars and workshops organised on themes related to its mandate. So far the associates of GRF have participated at events organised at Ahmedabad, Pune, Mumbai, Delhi, Guwahati, Wardha, Jodhpur etc. Some of the important themes discussed and events were as follows:
• The Ideal Global Order, Conflict Resolution Conference, Ahmedabad • Yuva Prashikshan Shibir, Wardha • United Education Program, New Delhi • Gandhi Vichar Katha Mala, Brahmanpur • Charkha Yadyna, New Delhi • A Visit to Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedbad • Gandhi Tatvadnyan Opening ceremony, Akola.
• Vanasthali Vidyapeeth Gandhi Vichar Katha Mala, Jaipur • Sarvodaya Karyakarta Palak Prashikshan Shibir, Mahabaleshwar • Maharashtra Pradesh Sarvodaya Samaj Sammelan, Dhule • Rashtriya Rachanatmak Karyakarta Sammelan, Pune • Govansha Bachao, Ahimsa Sammelan, Mumbai
GRF associates taking part in the workshop on ‘The Current Global Order: Conflict and Resolution’ at Gujarat Vidyapeeth
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Book Sale Counter
Gramodyog Products Sale Counter
We are keen on disseminating the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. They believe that making available books and literature on Gandhiji will help in this endeavour. Therefore a book sale counter was set up at GRF in 2009 to make available Gandhian literature to visitors and students at a special discount. In this way readers would be motivated to read and understand Gandhian values. From January 2009 to February 2012, a total 116,444 books (110,268 books in Marathi, 1,539 books in Hindi and 4,637 books in English) were sold. This figure also includes books distributed for Gandhi Vichar Sanskar Pariksha.
As is well known, Gandhiji strongly supported the production of Khadi during the Indian freedom struggle, for he believed that Khadi, on the one hand, would provide people with a livelihood, and, on the other, its use would be instrumental in countering the British textile imports. Given the historical significance and continued relevance of Khadi, GRF has established a Khadi Gramodyog products sale counter to support the rural economy. Ready-to-wear khadi garments like shirts and trousers, including towels, handkerchieves, sitting-mats, Khadi cloth and honey-are all available at a special discount for visitors.
Book sale counter
Khadi sale counter 112
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Adopted daughter of GRF Ms. Pushpa from Kadauli participated in ‘Yuvati Kala Sanskriti Shibir’ at Wakod from 26th to 30th May, 2011. During this program, her sad plight was brought to the notice of Shri Abdul Bhai. Ms. Pushpa had become an orphan at the age of five after her father had committed suicide and her mother, not able to bear the pain, had passed away soon after. Though she was taken care of by her grandparents, however, they, too, passed away shortly after
Bhau with Pushpa, adopted daughter of GRF
leaving virtually nobody to look after her, for her uncles refused to take care of her. It was only her maternal aunt who, taking pity on her, looked after her alongside her own two children. When hearing this story, Bhau decided that GRF should adopt her; naming her ‘GRF Kanya’, he said the GRF would meet all her expenses. Ms. Pushpa is now in VII standard at Kadauli New English school.
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Founder’s visit to Gandhian Institutions Bhau, in spite of his busy schedule, tries to find time to spend with Gandhians, whenever possible. On one such occasion, he visited Sabarmati Ashram, Kochrab Ashram and Gujarat Vidyapeeth where from Shri Amritbhai Modi he learnt about the current activities of Sabarmati Ashram. During his visit, he also met Dr. Sudarshan Iyengar, Vice Chancellor of Gujarat Vidyapeeth, and Ms. Deena Behn with whom he discussed the ongoing project to reprint and bring out a new DVD, based on an authentic version of the Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, as well as to set up a virtual Gandhi internet portal.
Discussion with Amrutbhai- President, Sabarmati Ashram
Bhau at Mahatma Gandhi Ashram
With a group of tribal women
Bhau and Atul Jain at Sabarmati Ashram
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A Unique Gift In line with the belief that cultural values and traditions are passed on from one generation to the next, this was exemplified recently in the family of Bhau on the eve of his 75th birthday when Ku. Atman gifted a statue of Gandhiji spinning on a charkha as a unique present to his beloved grandfather. But there is a story behind this: Bhau goes for morning walks everyday, accompanied by his grand-children whenever they are at home. One day during their morning walk, Atman told Bhau that he wanted to present him with a gift on his birthday. Bhau declined the offer, saying that he did not wish to give a return gift. Then Atman reflected for a while, and proclaimed that Bhau did not have to make a return gift as he had already given “Anubhuti School” to all his grand-children. This answer stunned Bhau. On the same night,
Atman approached his father, Shri Ashok Jain, with his proposal to present his grand-father Gandhiji’s statue. Since Atman persisted, Ashok Bhau finally agreed and requested Shri Prashant Tiwari to make a statue within ten days, to be presented to Bhau on his 75th birthday. Delighted, Shri Prasant Tiwari complied with the request and made a beautiful statue of Gandhiji spinning the charkha. Atman, along with other family members, gifted this statue of Gandhiji to Bhau on his birthday; Bhau was extremely touched by this gesture. It should be mentioned that Atman is only eight years old and Shri Ashok Jain is the Trustee of the Gandhi Research Foundation. Thus, the traditional values of Bhau and his interest in Gandhiji have percolated down to the third generation!
On his 75th birthday, Bhau was presented with a beautiful Gandhi statue by his grandson, Atman; here the three generations are assembled: Jyothi-Ashok, Shobhana-Ajit, Nisha-Anil, Bhavana-Atul, Amoli, Atman, Abhang, Abhedya, Athang (Photo inset), Arohi and Ashuli. August 2012| Exploring Gandhiji
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Appreciation of support Gandhi Research Foundation receives kind support from other institutions in carrying out its activities. GRF wishes to acknowledge the following institutions for their help and support: • Rashtriya Gandhi Sangrahalaya, New Delhi • Gandhi Pustakalay, Jalgaon • Navjeevan Prakashan, Ahmedabad • Gandhi Tatvadnyan Mandir, Dhule • Gujarat Vidyapeeth, Ahmedabad • Gandhi Study Centre, Chennai • Hindustani Sahitya Sabha, New Delhi • Nagar Wachanalaya, Ahmednagar
• Sarva Seva Sangh Prakashan, Varanasi • Sampurna Kranti Vidyalaya, Vedchi, Gujarat • Sevagram Ashram, Wardha • National Archives, New Delhi • Gandhi Vichar Parishad, Wardha • Gandhi Museum, Madurai • Sarva Seva Sangh, Wardha • Brahma Vidya Mandir, Pawnar, Wardha
Homage Life and death are beyond the comprehension of human beings. One may speculate, but the mystery of death has always eluded the best minds. Therefore, all that is left for human beings, is to spend their life-time meaningfully. Prof. Narendra Sharma is such a person who lived his life in the service of society with the understanding and inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi. He passed away in a road accident on 14th July, 2009 while travelling to Gujarat on official work. His untimely demise saddened all who knew and respected him.
We, at Gandhi
Research Foundation, pay respectful homage to the departed soul.
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Late Prof. Narendra Sharma
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Take my life, and let it be
Rock of ages, cleft for me,
Consecrated, Lord! to Thee;
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Take my hands, and let them move
Let the Water and the Blood
At the impulse of Thy Love .
From Thy riven Side which flowed,
Take my moments and my days.
Be of sin the double cure,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Cleanse me from its guilt and power.
Take my feet, and let them be
Not the labour of my hands
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
Can fulfil Thy law’s demands;
Take my voice, and let me sing
Could my zeal no respite know,
Always, only for my King;
Could my tears for ever flow,
Take my lips, and let them be
All for sin could not atone,
Filled with messages from Thee.
Thou must save, and thou alone.
Take my silver and my gold;
Mothering in my hand I bring,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Simply to Thy Cross I cling;
Take my intellect, and use
Naked, come to Thee for dress,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Take my will, and make it Thine;
Foul, I to the Fountain fly;
It shall be no longer mine.
Wash me, Saviour, or I die.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
While I draw this fleeting breath,
It shall be The Royal Throne.
When my eyelids close in death,
Take my love; My Lord, I pour
When I soar through tracts, unknown,
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
See Thee on Thy Judgement Throne;
Take myself, and I will be
Rock of ages, cleft for me,
Ever, only, all for thee.
Let me hide myself in Thee.
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Remarks of Guests and Visitors
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Remarks by Eminent Visitors
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We thank you for this opportunity to see and learn about the efforts and activities enacted by this school and library. Gandhiji’s philosophy and life teachings are for the world to know and this is a good example of what we can enact in Mexico.
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Dr. Scott Venezia Cetys University, Mexico, Jan 05, 2010
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For a Gandhian like me, any visual pilgrimage into Gandhiji’s mementos is an inspiring occasion. I found this collection at the Jain Hills equally enlightening and contemplative. Tears rush in viewer’s eyes, reminding him of the great moments of our history and of making of ourselves as a people of India. This is a very rich space for a person like me.
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Right from the moment I entered the Jain Hill, I have experienced a wonderful feeling and wondered how much work an individual person can do in one life! I am full of appreciation for Bhau’s vision. He has not only built an agriculture center but based all his achievements on human values. I am particularly happy that he has established a Gandhi Research Center at Jalgaon, I convey my best wishes for its success in carrying Gandhiji’s message of providing happiness to all. Dr. S. N. Subba Rao Sarvoday Samaj, Feb., 13, 2011
Bhalchandra Nemade Mumbai, Oct. 23, 2010
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I am with GRF, The most precious wisdom that can guide and provide the foundation of human kind. It is a great honour to have the first branch Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which is the capital of Africa. Thank you for your co-operation and support. Dr. Getachew Tikube, Ethiopia, June 12, 2011.
There are few great people in History, Gandhi is one of them! With Gandhian philosophy, history will be never same. Congratulation to Jain Irrigation Systems for initialing Gandhi Research Foundation-Ten miles journey start with the first step - A Chinese saying Daniel Mulle. Kenya. August 31, 2011
We are extremely impressed by the detail on the life of the Gandhiji. Dr. Yogendra Yadav explained in details about the behind facts that we are unaware of. In the present world which ridden with violence and terror, I sincerely wish and hope. Gandhi Research Foundation imbibe the message to the world. About the techniques of Gandhiji I hopefully will see a change for the better. Dr. Ravi Kankaria Palacios, USA, July 21, 2011
This short visit has made a stormy impact on me. I have privilege to facilitate. For the first time I was able to see a great vision of connection before ideology, corporate business and corporate responsibility implemented. I hope that we will be able to develop some kind of collaboration with your organization, that will allow to disseminate knowledge about Gandhi's idea of communities and the accomplishments of jain irrigation system limited. Prof. Marek Wosinski U.S.A. January 23, 2012
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So wrote Her Excellency...
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An unparalleled creation born out of intense devotion and noblest aspirations. It is indeed an excellent blend of high label of creativity and technology. Natwar Thakkar Nagaland, Gandhi Ashram, March 26, 2012
It is an excellent museum set up on Mahatma Gandhi. It breaks new ground and can reach younger generation of today much better than the Gandhi museum already in existence. This museum of its associated research centre have an excellent potential for study and spread of the message of the life and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi. I sincerely compliment all these who have conceived of set up of the museum. Dr. Y. P. Anand New Delhi March 26, 2012
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Excellent attempt. The objective of the foundation is to educate the masses and develop individual in the Gandhian life style. I think, through the exhibition, it may create an ‘why not we live differently’ approach in the mind of the visitors. A. Annamalai Gandhi Study Centre, Chennai March 26, 2012
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Very impressive - a moving experience to see such a interactive place to way a spiritual. It took me back in history and felt I now a integral part of it. Its a great combination done by the Jain family to keep up and save values of good teachings to the next generation. Best wishes.
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I was overwhelmed by what I see here. What an integration of technology and non-technology! I wish that every Indian and indeed non-Indian get an opportunity to see unique presentation. My heartily congratulation to everyone associated with this project and the activities of the centre.
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Exploring Gandhiji |August 2012
Supriya Sule Member of Parliament, Baramati, M.S. June 20, 2012
P. Jayarajan Member of Raja Rammohan Roy library Foundation, Kerala July 3, 2012
Eminent Personalities who visited GRF
Manohar Joshi, Ratnagiri
Master Mansaramji, Punjab
Trilkochand Golechha, Jodhpur
Ms Nirmala Deshpande and Dr. Bhavarlal Jain
Somayya Kaka Sarvodaya Mandal, Mumbai
Narayanbhai Desai, Vedchi, Gujarat
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Niranjan Kumar Sudhanshu, Collector - Jalgaon
Babubhai Thakkar, Mumbai
Rambhau Mhaskar, Pawnar Ashram, Wardha
Hasmukhbhai Patel, Virampur, Gujarat
Shishir Bajaj, Mumbai
Mahasadhavi Preetisudhaji
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Gautambhai Bajaj, Pawnar Ashram, Wardha
Vitthal Vagh Poet, Akola
T. Karunakaran, Tamilnadu
Abhijeet Pawar, Pune
Anad Patil, Maharashtra
Arup Patnaik, D I G Traffic Dept.
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Team of Sakal newspaper - Jalgaon
Rajudada Pawar, Baramati
Prakash Heda, Kenia
Students of Rustamji school
Prakash Bokhad, Commissioner, Jalgaon
Students of Gujarat Vidyapeeth
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Prof. Dr. M. P.Mathai, Kerala
Students of R.A. Podar College
Mahesh Chaudhary, I.A.S., Indore
Students of Ideal M.S.W. College
Students of D.Ed college, Shirsoli
Associates of Nandan Jain, Israel
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Ms. Varsha Satpalkar, Maitreya Group
Students of M.D. Palesha College, Dhule
Mr. & Mrs. Aanand Gupte, Mumbai
Vipul Shah & Delegation from Daw Chemicals
Ramesh Agrawal, Chairman, Dainik Bhaskar Group
Vandan & Suhas Potnis, Daily Gavkari
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Dinabehn (Ahmedabad) & Dr. Bhavarlal Jain
Anil Jain, Atul Jain & Athang Jain, JISL
Delegation from Kenya
Military Officers from Ordnance Factory, Varangaon
Professor and Students of Shivaji College, Akola
Atul Pethe, Shriniwas Sathe, Shirish Barve, Dr. Nimbalkar, Mumbai August 2012| Exploring Gandhiji
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Tushar Gandhi, Mumbai
Ghanashyam Das and R.C. A. Jain, Director JISL
Devisingh Shekhawat, Amravati and Les Ochin Clos, Ireland
Nalin Jain, Rajesh Malhar, Harshal Baldev, Yogesh Meher and Dhapal Bhandari
Sudhakar Asabe, Hirachand Vikamsi, Sahebrao Satarkar, Ramesh Dane
Mr. Ari Masson, Iceland.
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Sharad Pawar, Minister of Agriculture, GOI
P.S. Deodhar, Ex. Advisor - PM - GOI
Arun Shelgikar, Mumbai
Madan Shreshthi (MLA - Kathmandu), Padma Jyoti, Prem Katuwal, Harishchandra Acharya
Pavan Gupta, Mussoorie; Dr. Gita Dharampal, Germany
Nancy Barry, Founder Director Enterprise solution to poverty with Anil Jain August 2012| Exploring Gandhiji
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Justice C.S. Dharmadhikari, Jayvant Matkar, Dr. Sugan Baranth
Students from Bendale Womens College, Jalgaon
Rajeshkumar Za., New Delhi
Dr. Marek, America & Virendrakumar, Champaran, Bihar
V. Kalyanam and Bhau
Dr. Manimala, New Delhi
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Exploring Gandhiji |August 2012
Dinkar Deshnukh, Pralhad Nemade, Dharmendra Rajput and Haribhau Verulkar
Ramkrishna Digraskar and Prabhakar Vaikar
Sundar Desai
Manohar Joshi
T.R.K. Somaiyya, Mumbai and Suresh Pillai, Sanbarmati
Ramnikbhai G. Turkhiya and Hasmukhbhai Patel
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Shankarrao Bagade with Zumbarlal Sharma
Zumbarlal Sharma, Madhikar Shirsath and Gandhian from Dhulia
Somnath Shende
Dinkar Bhosale
Babulal Gandhi
Yashvant Joshi
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Exploring Gandhiji |August 2012
Subhash Patil
Kisan Jadhav
Rambhau Mahajan
Jagdishbhai Shah
S. Dorai Swami with Dr. Yogendra Yadav
Bhudan Subbarao, B.Y. Parit, Deepak Kayasth
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Vasantrao Bagade
Guruji Narayan Javare
Haribhau Talele, Vasantrao Gade and Haridas Javre
M.M. Gadkari, President, Sevagram Aashram
Dinaben, Ahmedabad and Gita Dharampal, Germany
Dr. Ariyaratne and Mr. Mariappan
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Exploring Gandhiji |August 2012
JayvantMatkar and Dr. Sugan Baranth
Sangita Malik and Gautam Bajaj
Ramsing Thakur and Anna Malai
Shivsharan Thakur, Pralhad Nemade
Ramesh Dane, Sanjay Joshi, Madhikar Shirsath
Vasatrao Kedar
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Haridas Javre, Babulal Gandhi, Bhudan Subbarao, Husain Jamadar
Shashi Kumar, Hyderabad and Somayya Kaka, Mumbai
Prashant Gujar, Eknath Hirudkar, Dadarao Shinde and others
Dr. Sudarshan Iyengar, Vice Chancellor, Gujrat Vidyapeeth
Amrutbhai Modi, Sabarmati Ashram
Rajendran, Gandhi Museum, Madurai
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Varsha Das, New Delhi
Murugan, Tamilnadu
Adv. Jaykumar Kasliwal, Nandgaon
Bhudan Subbarao and Adv. Ram Sing Rajput
V. Kalyanam, Stenographer of Mahatma Gandhi
Kanu Gandhi, Grandson of Mahatma Gandhi
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Senior Gandhians at the Inaugural Ceremony Smt. Kusumtai Pande
Shri. M. S. Raghwan
Shri. S. S. Kulkarni
Sushmatai
Dadamaharaj Manmadkar and family
Prof. Sanjay Patil
Maltitai
Smt. Vimal Pande
Shobhana Supekar
Smt. Madhavi Gandhi
Smt. Rajnitai Mathkar
Smt. Shobha Shirdhonkar
Shri. Tamil Rajan and family Smt. Maya Dhande Rajiya Patel
Rajani Bhaskar Deshmukh Dr. Hemlata Patil
Sou. Sangita Mahagan
Ku. Tejaswini Mastabasu
Jagdish Devpurkar and family Smt. Khan Fatima Ismail
Dr. Sugan Baranth and family Smt. Gitananjali Gurav Shri. Anwar Rajan Shri. Ram Jadhav
Shri. Satyajit Jadhav Shri. Subhash Bhai
Shri. Dhirubhai Mehta Shri. Sanjay Tula
Shri. Cheliar Krishnamurti Shri. Ramakant Atre Shri. Bhatu Patil Shri. Ajabe
Shri. Ramakant Pathak
Shri. Dyaneshwar Munde
Shri. Vijay Prabhakar Deewan Shri. Meghshyam Ajgaonkar Shri. Eknath Hirudkar Shri. Eknath Dagwar Shri. Kshirsagar 144
Exploring Gandhiji |August 2012
Shri. Ram Sutar and family Shri. Bharat Mahoday Shri. Ram Gayake
Shri. Vasant Handalikar Shri. Bhavesh Bhai
Shri. Mangala Khadilkar Shri. Anand Gupte
Shri. Ramdas Borle Shri. Subhash Patil
Shri. Dipak Srivastav
Shri. Rudrappa Sugadi
Shri. Dhondubhai Patil Shri. Amol Patil
Shri. Vasantrao Kedar
Shri. Keshavrao Kothale
Shri. Sahdevshwar Aagale Shri. Rajaram Karade
Shri. Prabhakar Dhogare Shri. Aatmaram Shelke Shri. Dyaram Tayde
Shri. Ambadas Vasu
Shri. Gurucharan Thakur Shri. Nana Mahajan Shri. Sanjay Jadhav Shri. Vitthal Bagul Shri. Dilip Purkar
Shri. Savliram Ahire Dr. Yashwant Devre Shri. Sunil devre
Shri. Lahanu Vidkar
Shri. Ratnakar Lingayat Shri. Babulal Mahajan
Shri. Sakharam Pawar
Shri. Yugandhar Guruji Shri. Ghode Sahab Shri. Ingole
Shri. Vitthal Bhuidhar
Dr. Dharmendra Rajput
Shri. Prabhakar Vadibhasme Shri. Mahesh Aadhe
Shri. Haribhau Telang
Shri. Shambhurao Patil
Shri. Suresh Asandas Bhasvani Shri. Mukund Dikshit Adv. Santosh Mhaske
Shri. Jayvant Bhaskar Deshmukh Shri. Rajendra Mumbarkar Prof. Naresh Vadnere Dr. Tarak Kate
Shri. Prashant Nagoshe Shri. Avinash Kakde
Shri. Bhimrao Bhoyad Shri. Dharmendra Shri. Pravin
Shri. Sanip Kutkutwar Shri. Moreshwar Shri. Khade
Shri. Dyaneshwar Jhade Shri. Jalandhar Bhai Shri. Devendra
Shri. Hanuman Hulke
Shri. Shrikrushna Degiste Shri. Sanjay Kumar
Shri. Papalal Pawar Shri. N. T. Gujar
Shri. Kailash patil
Shri. Madhikar Shirsath
Shri. Vishal Kardak
Shri. Arun Narkhede
Shri. Om Prakash Verma
Shri. Shriram Khairnar
Shri. Vinod Verulkar
Adv. Ram Singh Rajput
Adv. Gajendra Bhosale Shri. Anil Sonawane Dr. Nimba Nandre
Shri. Rajabhau Mahajan
Shri. Kiran Randhir and family Shri. Nilesh Kelarkar Shri. Manoj Chobe
Shri. Keshavrao Patil
Shri. Ram Deshmukh Shri. Ram Gayde
Shri. Vasant Hudlike Shri. Abhay Tripathi
Shri. Himmat Salunkhe Shri. Sambhaji Pethe
Shri. Nachiket Kolapkar
Shri. Sharadchandra Bakhaliwal
Shri. Dyan Prakash Modani Shri. Yashwant Joshi Shri. Sanjay Joshi
Shri. Subhash Pardeshi Shri. Rajendra Bhosale Shri. Hiraman Jadhav
Shri. Maruti Khairkar
Associates of GRF
From Left: Archana Chaudhari, Pooja Varulkar, Nirmala Parmar, Shrinivas Mahabal, Tushar Bunde, Aitbar Tadvi, Irfan Shaikh, Anilesh Jagdale, Chandan Singh, Chandrashekhar Wagh, Nilesh Patil, Basu, Pramod Jain, Uday Mahajan, Director Jain IrrigationAtul Jain, Director- Ashok Jain, Balu Sable, Satish More, Shriram Khalse, Dr. Yogendra Yadav, Ashok Sonar, Rajesh Bagul, Yatin Sonar, Chandrashekhar Patil, Prashant Katole, Gansing Patil, Ashwin Zala, Sonu Devale, Narendra Chaudhari.
Bottom from Right: Santosh Bhintade, Ashok Chaudhari, Govind Patil, Gababhau Sonawane, Bhujangrao Bobade, Pradip Marathe, Amit Jadhav, Luneshwar Bhalerao, Vishwajit Patil, Sagar Patil, Virendra Kumar Soni, Mo. Aarif Shah, Jagan Singh Rajput, Sanjay Dusane, Nivrutti Wagh. August 2012| Exploring Gandhiji
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My Life is My Message
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Birth Place of Mahatma Gandhi
At the age of Seven
At the age of Fourteen
In the western dress
The Law Student
Lawyer in South Africa
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Member of Indian Ambulance Corps
With the associates of Indian Ambulance Corps
At the age of 39
With Gopal Krishna Gokhale in South Africa
Mahatma as a Satyagrahi
Along with friend Kallenbach and Secretary Sonia Sheldon August 2012| Exploring Gandhiji
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Wife - Kasturba in Mumbai
Wife - Kasturba in Kathiawadi costume
Donning the Kashmiri Cap
Donning the Gandhi Cap
Posing for a photo
in contemplation
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A Comic moment at the party of Mr. Shri Niwas Ayyangar
Writing at Juhu, Mumbai
With Priyadarshini Indira
Presidential Speech at Belgaum Congress
With the family members of Bhopal Nawab
Spinning on the Charkha at Sabarmati Ashram
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Writing a condolence message in Calcutta
In a pensive mood
A Chancellor of Gujrat Vidyapeeth, Ahmedabad
Greeting the public of Colombo, Sri Lanka
From Gujrat Vidyapeeth to Ashram on the Cycle
That hearty smile!
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Inauguration of construction for Bhangi Seva Mandir
Stepping down at Gujrat Vidyapeeth
During a prayer session at Sabarmati Ashram
On the way to the palace of Raja Kalankakar
discussion with Pandit Nehru
With Vallabhbhai Patel August 2012| Exploring Gandhiji
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At Dandi
Writing at Karadi Camp, Gujrat
Speech at the Karachi Congress
On board the ship S.S. Rajputana
On the way is Buckingham Palace with Mahadev Desai and Sarojini Naidu
With Charlie Chaplin
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Exploring Gandhiji |August 2012
Stepping down from S.S. Rajputana
With C.F. Andrews and others in London
Tree plantation: Kingsley Hall
With the goats at London
In a meeting: 1933
During the appendix operation
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During the Faizpur Congress with Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
At a Dalit Wedding
With Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan (Simant Gandhi)
With a calf
Kasturba washing the feet of Mahatma Gandhi in Bardoli
After successful Rajkot Satyagraha
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A tending on leprosy patient Parchure Shastri
Studying the Leprosy virus through microscope
With Kasturba and Pyarelal during a fast
At Thakarser Women University
With Grandson Kanu and Kasturba
Spinning yarn by bow spindle
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With Vinoba Bhave
Boating during the Jabalpur tour
Planting Tulsi plant at Sevagram Ashram
Collecting funds for Harijan at Assam Railway Station
In discussions with Pandit Nehru.
With Prafulla Sen at Khadi Pratishthan, Sodepur
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Highlights of the Life of Gandhi Date 1869, Oct. 2 1883 1883 1888 1891, Jun. 10 1892
1893, Apr.
1893, MayJun.
1893, Aug. 22 1896, Jul. 1896, Nov. 1897 1899
1900 1901 1901, Oct. 1902
1902, Nov. 1903 1904,Apr. 1905 1906 1906
1906, Jul. 1906, Sep. 1907, Jan.
1907, March 1907, Jul.
1908, Jan. 1908 1908
1909, Nov. 1913, Mar. 1913, May 1913, Sep. 1913, Oct. 1914, Jan. 1914
Event Description Birth of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, in Porbandar, the youngest son of a fourth marriage of his father, dewan (prime minister) of a small Kathiawar state in Gujarat Marries Kasturba (both age 13) First child dies Birth of son Harilal, oldest child Called to the Bar; returns to India on SS Oceana, Jun. 12; arrives Bombay, Jul. 7, 1891 Enters law practice at Rajkot and Bombay; not very successful, birth of son Manilal Goes to South Africa as a legal consultant for a Moslem firm Experiences bitter racial discrimination, removed from train in South Africa; at Pietermaritzburg railway station; incident helped to give birth to satyagraha concept Founded Natal Congress Returns to India to organize support for Indians in South Africa Returns to South Africa with family Begins systematic campaign (petitions, letters, calls on British authorities) to end South African racial discrimination laws; birth of son Ramdas Fights for British in the Boer War (organizes Indian Ambulance Corps) Birth of son Devdas, youngest child Begins publishing Indian Opinion newspaper Returns to India Re-enters law practice; seeks further support for Indians in South Africa Returns to South Africa to fight against Asiatic legislation in the Transvaal Enrolls as Attorney of the Supreme Court of the Transvaal Began editing Indian Opinion Opposes Bengal Petition; appeals to British to treat India as a part of the Empire Gandhi as a stretcher-bearer in the Zulu Rebellion Announces for India Home rule; begins practice of disinterest in worldly goods; vow of brahmacharya (celibacy) Founded Phoenix settlement and Tolstoy Farm Organizes Indian opposition to the Transvaal Asiatic Laws; speaks at Indian mass meeting at Johannesburg, takes oath- of satyagraha Writes Ethical Religion; first public rendition of Vande Mataram, Jan. 8, 1907 Holds protest meetings of Indians against Transvaal Asiatic Registration Act (ARA) Led satyagraha against ARA; visits General Smuts in Pretoria Adopts satyagraha in place of passive resistance to describe non-violence philosophy Sentenced to 2-months imprisonment for failure to leave the Transvaal Agrees to volunteer registration if ARA is repealed; attacked by his people who saw this as a betrayal of the Indian cause Carries satyagraha campaign through the Transvaal; journeys to England to influence British opinion Writes Hind Swaraj (Indian Home Rule) Indian marriages in South Africa invalidated by Supreme Court; Gandhi defers plans to return to India Vows satyagraha campaign if South Africa does not repeal Indian marriage law Begins satyagraha campaign; wife Kasturba is arrested Gandhi urges strike by miners, and leads march into the Transvaal Suspends satyagraha after agreement with Gen. Smuts; Indian Relief Bill published Gandhi returns to India via London
Date 1914, May 20
1915 1916, Dec. 26 1917 1917
1917, Nov. 1917 1917 1918
1918, Jan. 1919
1919, Mar. 18 1919, Apr. 6 1919, Apr. 11 1919, Apr. 13 1919, Oct. 1919, Nov. 1920, Jan. 9 1919, Jan. 20 1920, Aug. 8 1920, Aug. 31 1920, Sep. 1920, Dec. 1921, Apr.
1921, July 31 1921, Oct. 2 1921, Nov. 18 1922, Feb.
1922, Mar. 10 1922, Mar. 18 1924, Feb. 5 1924, April 1924, Sep. 18
1924, Dec. 26 1925, Mar.
1925, Nov. 1925, Nov. 29 1925, Dec. 31 1928, Feb. 12
Event Description Founding of Satyagraha Ashram at Kocharab Given the title Mahatma Gandhi (Great Soul in Beggar’s Garb) by 1913 literature Nobel laureate, R. Tagore; agrees to follow advice of Gokhale avoiding to speak on public issues; traveling widely within India to bec me familiar with the people and issues Visits Shantiniketan (The Abode of Peace), an experimental educational community founded by Tagore; awarded Kaiser-i-Hind medal, Jun. 26, 1915 Met Jawaharlal Nehru for the first time at Lucknow Moved Ashramfrom Kochrab to Sabamarti, Ahmedabad Wins fight against the indentured system of Indian emigration Elected president of the Gujarat Sabha, and invited President of a Gujarat Political Conference (bridging gap between India's ordinary and Western well educated people) First Indian satyagraha of Indian Customs Control, Viramgam Railway Station, Gujarat Undertakes Champaran satyagraha for planter raj of the rural indigo farmers of Bihar Works for Hindu-Muslim alliance, as the first all-India issue on behalf of Shaukat and Mohamed Ali brothers, interred for their Pan-Islamic and proTurkish sympathies Gandhi takes up the Kaira Land Revenue satyagraha for the farmers' cause with the patidars in Gujarat Takes up cause of textile workers in industrial Ahmedabad; initiates satyagraha in Bombay district Gandhi supports the British war effort; recruits for national Indian participation as basis for their own swaraj First mass satyagraha pledge as a protest against gagging of the Press Gandhi initiates all-India (Rowlett) satyagraha movement Gandhi arrested in Delhi, taken to Bombay; outbreak of violence in multiple locations throughout India Massacre of Jallianwala Bagh by British troops firing on unarmed Indian crowd resulting in 400 dead; Gandhi suspends satyagraha, enters 3-day penitential fast Gandhi assumes editorship of Young India Gandhi presides over All-India Khilafat Conference, Delhi Gandhi witnessed Hunter Commission Supported Ali brothers and the Khilafat movement Gandhi returns the Kaiser-i-Hind medal Gandhi takes oath to use khadi Indian National Congress, Calcutta accepts Gandhi's program of noncooperation to obtain redress of wrongs in the Punjab and Khailafat Welcomed at the Muslim League Special Congress in Calcutta, speaking on behalf of ahimsa (national unity through non-violence) Gandhi leads campaign of complete boycott of foreign cloth Boycott and bonfire of foreign cloth Gandhi adopted the loincloth as the only clothing 3-day fast against mob violence in Bombay against the visit of the Prince of Wales Gandhi gives notice to Viceroy of intentions to use satyagraha in Bardoli Arrested for sedition Sentenced to six years imprisonment Gandhi released from prison, for his failing health (surgery for appendicitis Jan. 12) at Sasson Hosp. Pune. English version of Young India published 21-day fast for communal unity between Hindus and Moslems Gandhi presides over Indian National Congress, Belgaum Successfully guides Vykom satyagraha for removal of grievance of untouchables Gandhi writing final portions of his autobiography Gujarati version of Young India published The Story of My Experiments with Truth first published in Young India Supported Bardoli satyagraha launched by the peasants and led by Vallabbhai Patel August 2012| Exploring Gandhiji
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Date 1929, Dec. 29 1930, Jan. 26 1930, Feb.
1930, Mar. 12 1930, Apr. 1930, May 4 1931, Jan. 26 1931, Mar. 4
1931, Aug. 29 1931, Sep. 17 1931, Sep. 21 1931, Nov. 5 1931, Nov. 6 1931, Dec.
1931, Dec. 12 1931, Dec. 20 1932,Jan. 4
1932, Sep. 20 1932, Sep. 26 1933, Feb. 11 1933, May 8 1933,Jul.
1933, Aug. 23 1933, Aug. 1933, Nov. 7 1934, Sep. 4
1934, Sep. 17 1934, Oct. 1936, Apr. 30 1937, Oct.
1939, Mar.
1939, Jul. 23
1940, Oct. 17 1941, Dec.
1942, Mar. 27 1942, May
1942, Aug. 8 1942,Aug. 9 1942, Aug. 15 1943, Feb. 10 1944, Feb. 22 1944, May 1944, Sep. 1944, Oct. 2
160
Event Description Lahore Congress declares for Puma Swaraj (complete Indian Independence) on Gandhi's urging and elected leadership; resolution passed on 12-31-29. The first pledge of independence taken by the people of India Gandhi launches Civil Disobedience movement as another form of satyagraha Began the Dandi Salt March to beak the Salt Law On Dandi Salt March, Gandhi breaks the Salt Law on April 6 Gandhi arrested at Karadi Camp, and imprisoned at Yeravda. Civil Disobedience spreads all over India Gandhi released from Yeravda prison Gandhi and Viceroy Irwin reach agreement (signing of the Gandhi - Irwin Pact) Gandhi sails to England for Second Indian Round Table Conference Gandhi addresses the Round Table Conference Gandhi met Charlie Chaplain Gandhi attends the reception held by His Majesty King George Vat Buckingham Palace in his usual informal attire Gandhi met George Bernard Shaw Gandhi visits Romain Rolland with Miraben enroute to India Gandhi met Mussolini Gandhi returned to India empty-handed from the Indian Round Table Conference Arrested 6 days after his return from England at Manibhavan Begins fast unto death in jail, in order to secure abolition of separate electorates for untouchables (Harijans) Gandhi breaks fast as demand is accepted; Yeravda Pact signed with Dr. Ambedkar Weekly newspaper Harijan is founded Gandhi begins self-purification 21-day fast; satyagraha campaign suspended Gandhi arrested after re-activation of Civil Disobedience program Gandhi released unconditionally from imprisonment Gandhi begins fast on being denied facilities to carry on anti-Harijan work Gandhi begins 9-month Harijan-uplift tour from Wardha Gandhi announces his retirement from Congress to develop village industries program, Harijan service, and mass education through basic crafts Suggested the reorganization of Congress Inaugurates All-India Village Industries Association (AIVA) Founded Sevagram Ashram near Wardha, and settled there Presides over Educational Conference seeking education through craft labor Gandhi begins fast unto death to secure promised government reform Sends an open letter to Adolph Hitler regarding World War II Sanctions individual civil disobedience satyagraha in war time with Vinoba Bhave as the first satyagrahi; suspends Harijan and allied weekly rallies Asks to be relieved from leadership in Congress by Working Committee Rejects Cripps proposal as 'postdated check' Appeals to British to Quit India ,as Axis forces reach the Indian border Gave call to "Do or Die" in the Quit India movement Incarcerated in the Aga Khan's Palace Mahadev Desai, his personal secretary, died in the Aga Khan's Palace Fasts for 21days to protest government's propaganda; holds Congress responsible for disturbances during the Quit India movement Kasturba Gandhi, wife of the Mahatma, dies in the Aga Khan's Palace, Pune Gandhi is unconditionally released from prison Gandhi-Jinnah talks on Pakistan 75th birthday celebrated throughout India
Exploring Gandhiji |August 2012
Date 1945, Apr. 1945, Dec. 1946, Jan.
1946, Feb. 1946, Apr. 1946, May 5 1946,June
1946, Aug.
1946, Aug. 1946, August 1946, Sep. 1946, Oct.
1946, Nov. 11
1947, Mar. 22 1947, Mar. 24 1947, Apr. 1 1947, Apr. 10 1947, May 1947, May 3 1947, Jun.
1947, Jul. 1947, Aug. 1 1947, Aug. 9 1947, Aug. 14 1947, Aug. 15
1947, Aug. 26 1947, Sep. 1 1947, Sep. 1947, Sep. 7 1947, Sep. 9 1947, Dec. 1948, Jan. 12-18 1948,Jan. 20
1948, Jan. 29 1948, Jan. 30
1948, Aug. 15 1969, Oct. 2
1994, Oct. 2 1995, Oct. 2 1997, Jan. 30
1997, Aug. 15 1998, Jan. 30 2005, April
Event Description Gandhi argues for equality and freedom for India as a condition of peace; requests a just peace for Japan and Germany Toured Bengal and Assam Gandhi tours Southern India against untouchability and Hindustani propaganda Harijan and allied papers revived Met Cabinet Mission Attended Simla Conference and opposed the partition of India Congress Working Committee decides to accept Interim Government scheme Viceroy of India invites Congress to form Provisional Government Gandhi opposes the partition of India Great Calcutta killing Congress form Interim Government Noakhali massacre; Gandhi visits Dattapara, West Bengal devastated area Initially marched alone to Naokhali; 40 villages visited in 4 monthsÂcommunal harmony Lord Mountbatten arrives in Delhi with daughter Patricia Lord Mountbatten sworn in as last British Viceroy of India Addressed the Asian Relations Conference Gandhi and Jinnah issue joint appeal for peace Congress Working Committee accepts partition of lndia against Gandhi's objections Met and conferred with Lord Mountbatten over the partition of India Indian leaders accept Mountbatten's plan of Indian partition against Gandhi's opposition. Gandhi corresponds with Jinnah over the Frontier Province Independence of India Bill passed Gandhi visits Kashmir (Srinagar, Aug. 1-4) Gandhi arrives at Calcutta Gandhi hails August 15 as a day of rejoicing for the Independence of India, but deplores the birth of Pakistan Partition and Independence declared at midnight; Gandhi opposed the Congress on accepting the partition of India; fasted on Independence Day. End of the British era founded by Robert Clive (1725-1774) ending with King George VI (1895-1951) Mountbatten describes Gandhi as a One Man Boundary Force Gandhi's Calcutta fast (Sep. 1-4) Fighting breaks out in Kashmir Gandhi leaves Calcutta Gandhi arrives in New Delhi, never to leave again; vows to do or die in order to bring peace to the city Kashmir dispute referred to the United Nations Gandhi's last Fast for Communal Peace in Delhi Bomb exploded at prayer meeting at Birla House, New Delhi Suggested the dissolution of the Indian National Congress as a political party, and the formation of Lok Sevak Sangh to serve the people through constructive work Gandhi is assassinated on his way to evening prayer. End of the Gandhian era (1925-1947) Gandhi Memorial stamps issued on First Anniversary of India's Independence Centenary of Gandhi's Birth; national and international commemoration 125th Year of Gandhi’s Birth India-South Africa Co-operation honors Gandhi Urn with remaining ashes of Mahatma Gandhi is immersed in the Ganges at Allahabad, nearly 50 years after his death (removed from a locker of the State Bank of India at Cuttack), under the supervision of Mr. Tushar Arun Gandhi, a great grandson. Gandhi honored in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the independence of India Gandhi honored on the 50th anniversary of his death Gandhi honored on the 75th anniversary of the Dandi Salt March
Spinning on the Charkha