Honoring Mahatma Gandhi as 150th birth anniversary nears

Mahatma Gandhi, the great spiritual, social and political leader of India, is considered the most revered figure of our time. He will remain so because of his eternal message of peace, love and the universal relevance of the principle of nonviolence. Recognizing his immense contribution to freedom struggles across the world, human rights and the novel method of mass mobilization (Satyagraha) to fight oppression, in 2007 the United Nations General Assembly designated Oct. 2nd, Gandhi’s birthday, as International Day of Nonviolence. This occasion is now observed by 193 member nations.

Gandhi influenced and inspired many world leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Dalai Lama, Cesar E. Chavez, Lech Walesa, Aung San Su Kyi, President Barack Obama and others who carried their struggles based on the philosophy of nonviolence. His moral and novel methods of nonviolent resistance, civil disobedience, fasts, boycotts, non-cooperation and strikes brought down colonialism, imperialism, and dictatorships and strengthened the roots of popular sovereignty of civil, political and economic rights. He is regarded as the father of the human rights movement of the 20th century and the patron saint of peace and environmental justice-oriented struggles of the modern era. Indeed, the original phase of Arab Spring and the Occupy movement in the U.S. got inspiration from Gandhi and used nonviolent tactics in their overall approach.

Though born in India in 1869 in a coastal city of Porbandar, Gujarat, and popularly known as Bapu, the Father of the Indian nation, Gandhi really belongs to the whole of humanity because of the universality of his message and teachings that have special significance and relevance in today’s troubled world which is mired in religious hatred, political division, racial prejudice and human exploitation. Dr. King spoke of Gandhi: “Gandhi was inevitable. If humanity is to progress, Gandhi is inescapable. He lived, thought and acted, inspired by the vision of humanity evolving toward a world of peace and harmony. We may ignore him at our own risk.” Thomas Merton, a renowned Trappist monk, singled out Gandhi as a “great leader, one of the noblest men of our century, because he was truly and sincerely committed to peace politics. Gandhi’s life was marked by wholeness and wisdom, an integrity and spiritual consistency.” Gandhi was a bridge between humanity and spirituality.

Gandhi was known for his devout Hindu faith. He advocated reverence for all faiths. He believed in the essential unity of all peoples and religions. He led a very simple lifestyle. “Live simply so that others may simply live,” he would say. His commitment was shown in many ways. He fasted 17 times for Hindu-Muslim unity and to protest against the oppression of poor people, untouchability, and violence. The longest fast lasted 21 days.

He was imprisoned several times. Six times in South Africa and seven times in India. He served approximately five years in prison. All for freedom, human rights and justice.

Go learn more about Gandhi – in almost every written language, you can find information about him. Gandhi once said, “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”

Let us celebrate Gandhi’s 150th birthday. The year-long celebration from October 2, 2019, to October 2, 2020, will be observed in California. In India, plans are under way to celebrate the anniversary starting on October 2, 2018, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In California, many individual groups, organizations, colleges and universities are considering celebrations by having conferences, seminars, and exhibitions on the life and works of Mahatma Gandhi. Fresno State is considering a number of activities in collaboration with community groups during the year of celebration. Fresno Center for Nonviolence is planning to hold a Peace Conference in collaboration with various peace centers in California and some peace organizations. Interfaith Scholar Weekend, Fresno has decided to invite a Gandhian Scholar for its 2020 Commemoration. The celebration will be on a global scale according to sources available from Government of India and Gandhian institutions in India. Development of a master calendar of celebration activities in California is under consideration.

For further information and suggestions call at 559-435-2212 or write to skapoor@csufresno.edu.

This story was originally published July 20, 2018 at 9:06 AM.