" Mohandas Gandhi - part II :- His life was his monument , he now belongs to the humanity "

This is part-II and continuation of the article titled as ' Mahatma Gandhi, the friend of the poorest, loneliest and the lost ' which I wrote on 29th June 2007.

Gandhi wrote from prison to Mrs Naidu, " I hope you haven't missed the woman in me ". Mohandas Gandhi had the might of a dictator but the mind of a democrat.He preferred to conquer with affection rather than power. Intuition was the alley of his intellect and guided him in his works. The combination of masculine and feminine qualities seamlessly and harmoniously welded together what made Mohandas intricate and attractive. It is the clue for his success in public work and personal life.

Gandhi's NON-VIOLENCE is almost like a creed of his personal ethics. Truth, love, service dominated as contents while scrupulous methods and means guided his temperament. Desirelessness and tolerance ruled his sentiments and portrayed his core of non-violence. Gandhi resorted to non-violence techniques for prevention of conflicts between races, communities and countries. He told his audience to turn the search light inwards and " see perhaps the fault is partly yours ". Violence is self perpetuating element where as non-violence seeks to adjudicate, negotiate arbitrate to prevent occurrences of disputes.

" This was not Gandhi speaking, but General Omar N Bradley, Joint Chiefs of Staff of US Armed Forces ". He went on address on Nov 10, 1948 in Boston, ' Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants, we know more about war than we know about peace, more about killing than we know about living. Gandhi knew nothing about killing but had found the secret of happy, useful living. GANDHI WAS A NUCLEAR INFANT AND ETHICAL GIANT. He had rejected the atom because he had accepted Christ's sermon on the Mount. He was a Christian, Jew, Moslem and the Hindu at the same time. who else is ? Perhaps that is why it was the Hindu who became the spokesman for the conscience of mankind."

Mahadev Desai, Gandhi's friend, adviser, chronicler whom he treasured as more than a son, died by his side in prison of a heart attack. And on Feb 22, 1944, Kasturbai, her head resting on her husband's lap breathed her last. Mahatma was disconsolate. He mourned the dead. 22nd of every month, Gandhi conducted memorial service for ' Ba ', this is how he called her affectionately. Gita was sung.

Jinnah is a Hindu name and he was born in Kathiawar and spoke Gujarati at his parent's house. But Mohamadali Jinnah became the biggest trouble for Gandhi. After partition of Pakistan, Gandhi asked Nehru Govt. to pay a sum of $125,000,000 as its share of assets of the then United India. Dr. John Mathai, the finance minister, Nehru and Sardar Patel met Gandhi and explained why they didn't concur with Gandhi. Tagore's words came in Gandhi's vision, " If no one responds to your call, walk alone, walk alone ". Gandhi remarked to Sardar Patel, " Sardar, you are not the Sardar I knew ". Gandhi's reaction was followed up by a subsequent cabinet meeting and it was agreed and a sum of $125,000,000 was paid to Pakistan.

Gandhi lived 78 years but about 2310 days he had spent in prison in India and 214 days in S.Africa.

Hindu-Moslem riots spread over Bihar, Bengal and Punjab was tormenting Mahatma. He commenced his fast on the morning of Jan 13, 1948 " all-in-fast ' to death if need be, directed at the conscience of all'. He told his friends ' not to worry, I am in god's hands.' This action paid dividend. When Hindu-moslem riots stopped, he announced he would break the fast. Prayers were sung, in Parsi, Moslem, Japanese and then the Hindu Verse was read:-

LEAD ME FROM UN-TRUTH TO TRUTH
FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT
FROM DEATH TO IMMORTALITY

Gandhi went on to say he wished to live up to 125 years.

It was Madanlal, refugee from Punjab, who first plotted to kill Gandhi. Later Nathuram Vinayak Godse joined as fellow conspirator.

At 4.30 p.m. on Jan 30, 1948, Gandhi's last supper was brought in, consisting of goat's milk, cooked and raw vegetables, oranges and a concoction of ginger,sour lemons, and strained butter with a juice of aloe. Knowing Gandhi's devotion to punctuality, Abha held up his nickel plated watch to show the time was 5p.m. and he was getting late to the prayer meeting. Gandhi was leaning on the shoulders of Abha and Manu and cleared five steps to the level of the prayer ground. Gandhi lifted his arms, smiled, and touched his palms together-in a traditional greeting-blessing.

Godse had moved into the front row, his hand on the pistol in his pocket. He stood in the path of Mahatma and bowed in reverence. Godse pushed Manu and planting himself two feet in front of the Mahatma, fired three times. The smile faded away from Gandhi's face and his arms descended to his sides, " He Ram !, Oh God ", he murmured, and was instantly dead.

His legacy is courage, lesson truth, weapon love.
His life is his monument.
He now belongs to the mankind.