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Today when violence all over the world has become so common, that the world recalls on the Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi - his creed of non-violence that made it possible through non-violent, non-cooperation methods to oust British power from India.

Mahatma Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869 at Porbander, a small seaside town in Kaathiawar peninsula in the State of Gujarat. He appeared in the Indian political scene in 1915, adoringly and reverentially hailed as the "Father of the Nation". He played a very important and crucial role in India for the attainment of Independence in August 1947. The briefless Barrister as he was called at the time of his journey to South Africa, he had a special role to play in the country.

The weapon adopted by Gandhi was satyagraha and through civil obedience and peaceful non-cooperation, he completely unsettled the mighty British Empire which was ruling the country for more than a century. The peaceful non-violent methods adopted by Gandhi disarmed the rulers. They were unnerved, baffled and stultified.

As Loius Fisher rightly pointed out "India had great men before Gandhi who dreamt and worked for national regeneration. They were luminous planets in a remote firmament brilliant stars shedding light on a few satellites, Gandhi was planted solidly in the earth. He took sustenance from the people who walked on it and in turn fructified them. He was of the people, by the people and for the people.

Gandhi's weapon of non-violence and peaceful satyagraha was mightier and more powerful than the conventional lethal weapons utilised in a war. Unfortunately today the human mind being confirmed in its belief that violence in some form or the other is essential for winning the race of life. Nowhere do we find love or non-violence taught or accepted as the law of life on an organised all world basis.

Mahatma Gandhi had the nobility to acknowledge the virtues of those who differed from him. He never forgot that his detractors were made of the same flesh and blood and endowed with the same instincts, passions, hopes and aspirations. He knew the art of differing without bitterness.

In 1931, talks between Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin, the viceroy took place in New Delhi. But Winston Churchill did not like it at all. He was revolted by the nonseating and humiliating spectacle of this one time. Inner Temple lawyer, now a seditions Fakir, striding half naked up the steps of the viceroy's palace there to negotiate and parley on equal terms with the Representative of the King Emperor. Gandhi wrote a delightful letter "you are reported to have expressed the desire to crush" the naked Fakir" as you are said to have described me. I have been long trying to be a Fakir and that too naked - a more difficult task. I therefore regard the expression as a "compliment" though unintentioned.

On another occasion there was a debate between Rabindranath Tagore and Gandhi on the meaning of culture. Tagore expressed his joy and satisfaction he derived from the beauty of nature and art - the glories of dawn, dusk, the procession of seasons the freshness of trees and flowers.

In reply Gandhi said that "it is good enough to talk of God, the beauties of nature and art while we are sitting here after a nice breakfast and looking forward to a nicer lunch. But how am I to talk of God to millions who have to go without two meals a day.

In February 1947, an Independence plan for India was declared by the Attlee's Government. Lord Wavell relinquished charge and he was succeeded by Lord Mountbatten. The latter came with his own plan of action in 1947 under which there was to be partitioning of the country into India and Pakistan. On June 15, 1947, the All India Congress Party gave the Mountbatten plan, its seal of approval.

Communal virus took such deep roots that Gandhiji was considered more a hindrance to one section of the people. A fanatic took an unusual course. A plot was hatched and it was carried out.

At the last prayer meeting to be addressed by him on Friday January 30, 1948, one Nathu Ram Vinayah Godse came very close to Gandhi, greeted him with folded hands and then pulled out a revolver and shot at him from close and point blank range. The smile faded from Gandhiji's face, his arms came down to his side. He uttered in a feeble and sinking voice "Hey Ram".

Gandhiji's assassination caused dismay and pain throughout India. It was only three bullets that entered his body but had pierced the flesh by tens of millions. The nation was baffled, stunned and hurt by the sudden news that this man of peace who loved his enemies and would not have killed an insect had been shot dead by his own countryman and co-religionist.

Never in modern history has any man been mourned more deeply and more widely. The news was conveyed to the country by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. He was shaken, shocked and cramped with sorrow. Yet, he went on the National Radio shortly after the bullets struck and speaking extemporaneously, driving back tears and choking with emotion he said: "The light has gone out of our lives and there is darkness everywhere and I do not quite know what to tell you and how to say it.

Our beloved leader, Bapu as we call him, the father of the Nation is no more. He further said: 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.

In this period of moral and spiritual decadence, Gandhiji was the only statesman to stand for a higher human relationship in the political sphere.

- Chelvathamby Maniccavasagar

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