Gandhi vs Gandhigiri

Albert Einstein famously quoted about Gandhi that "Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth". Back home in India, Gandhi is revered as a demigod if not God. Nobody needs an introduction to the person himself or the kind of value and respect he has been commanding for a century. Gandhian principles (or the more massy Gandhigiri, thanks to Lage Raho Munnabhai) have created a kind of sect with people devoted to those values.

But there is no dearth of people who fume at the very name of MK Gandhi and they have their own reasons. It can't be denied that Gandhi's contribution to Indian independence struggle was overrated and over marketed by vested historians and post independent regimes to push their own envelopes and surnames further. There were countless martyrs who forsook their personal lives for the cause and who suffered or sacrificed much more than him like Bhagat Singh or SC Bose who were systematically pushed into oblivion.

Like every mortal, Gandhi too was vulnerable to some follies and eccentricities. His passiveness in saving martyrs like Bhagat Singh received widespread flak. His political decisions were confusing to his own disciples and his minority appeasement, in a way, catalyzed a fundamentalism in Hindus, which gave a way to "Godsegiri" and muslims always treated him as anti-muslim congressman. Nathuram Godse and Md Jinnah are considered more patriotic by most Gandhi haters. Gandhi was not clearly the shrewdest politician.

Bypassing the political discussions about Gandhi, there is much more. But the younger generation quickly takes their stance without analyzing the difference between Gandhi the politician and Gandhi the inspiration / philosophy.

Agree or not, Gandhi is the best leader the world has ever produced till now and more likely forever. No other man born on this planet could shake the whole nation as much as he did. In the era of limited media and communications, the entire country swayed to the words of the single frail man. He created ripples in the empire where its said that sun never sets. The demigod status or mass hysteria he created among masses is unparalleled and I'm not sure if that kind of aura can be enjoyed by anybody in the future too.

While his leadership and winning the unconditional love and confidence of his subjects is one aspect, another being the philosophy and way of life he introduced; that philosophy surrounding extremities of truth, courage, simplicity and non-violence.

It takes a lion heart to face the anger and aggression of the mighty with non-cooperation and non-violence. It takes a hero to stand by determination and not get bogged over by threat, might, power, hunger and still not retaliate. It takes a legend to influence the nation to follow his ideals and it takes an icon to be remembered for his lifestyle and philosophy for centuries to come.

Simply put Gandhi is an embodiment of simplicity, self-restraint, humility, truth, determination, selflessness, will-power that only a sage of his wisdom can attain. Gandhism was/is a way of life that can never go wrong.

We can never become Gandhi, but we can definitely show some respect to the person who spent the whole life pleading the world, not to hate. Gandhi the politician may or may not be perfect, but Gandhigiri is !