Today. India salutes and pays homage to the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi.
UN observes 2 October as the International Day of Non-Violence . Yes, today is the first World Non-Violence Day declared by the United nations to mark Gandhi’s birth anniversary., a public holiday here in India named as Gandhi Jayanti.. The idea of promoting the resolution originated from the Declaration adopted at the International Conference on “Peace, Non-violence and Empowerment – Gandhian Philosophy in the 21st Century” convened in New Delhi n January 2007 to commemorate the centenary of Satyagraha.
Greenviewans, if you are reading this, this is history for you. If you need to know more about Gandhi, go to the internet and googlle on Gandhi. I am sure some of you have seen the movie of the same name. It really is a great movie you all must watch.
Here’s a little bit on the great Indian leader…Gandhi was born in October, 1869 in a town called Porbandar. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi would go on to make history, rewrite geography and inspire philosophy among many other things. So today, the people of India thank the world for honouring the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi. Indians rededicate themselves to carry forward his message towards creating a better world. The Times of India, one of the major newspapers here, carried a full page article “Why India Needs a Second October” on its front page today. If history can repeat itself, India is asking why can’t they have a second October, that is, why India can’t have another Gandhi? Read what Gandhi had dreamt for India and changed the world:
India of my dreams
“I shall work for an India in which the poorest shall feel that it is their country, in whose making they have an effective voice, an India in which there shall be no high class and low class of people; an india in which all communities shall live in perfect harmony. There can be no room in such an India for the curse of untouchability, or the curse of intoxicating drinks and drugs. Women will enjoy equal rights as men. We shall be at peace with all the rest of the world. This is the india of my dreams.” – Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
Major leaders and movements have been inspired by the Mahatma’s philosophy and practice:
- Martin Luther King Jr : main leader of the American cilvil rights movement;
- Dalai Lama : in the forefront of a struggle to liberate Tibet from China using non-violent
means;
- Aung San Suu Kyi : worked for democratisation of her country, Burma. Won an absolute
majority in 1990 elections but instead of becoming prime minister, has been placed under house arrest since then by a military junta.
- Nelson Mandela : the first South African president to be elected democratically in 1990 whose political approach was influenced by Gandhi;
- Adolfo Perez Esquivel : an Argentinian who was among the founders of Peace and Justice who adopted non-violence as its credo at a time when the country was gripped by violent conflict.
UN observes 2 October as the International Day of Non-Violence . Yes, today is the first World Non-Violence Day declared by the United nations to mark Gandhi’s birth anniversary., a public holiday here in India named as Gandhi Jayanti.. The idea of promoting the resolution originated from the Declaration adopted at the International Conference on “Peace, Non-violence and Empowerment – Gandhian Philosophy in the 21st Century” convened in New Delhi n January 2007 to commemorate the centenary of Satyagraha.
Greenviewans, if you are reading this, this is history for you. If you need to know more about Gandhi, go to the internet and googlle on Gandhi. I am sure some of you have seen the movie of the same name. It really is a great movie you all must watch.
Here’s a little bit on the great Indian leader…Gandhi was born in October, 1869 in a town called Porbandar. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi would go on to make history, rewrite geography and inspire philosophy among many other things. So today, the people of India thank the world for honouring the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi. Indians rededicate themselves to carry forward his message towards creating a better world. The Times of India, one of the major newspapers here, carried a full page article “Why India Needs a Second October” on its front page today. If history can repeat itself, India is asking why can’t they have a second October, that is, why India can’t have another Gandhi? Read what Gandhi had dreamt for India and changed the world:
India of my dreams
“I shall work for an India in which the poorest shall feel that it is their country, in whose making they have an effective voice, an India in which there shall be no high class and low class of people; an india in which all communities shall live in perfect harmony. There can be no room in such an India for the curse of untouchability, or the curse of intoxicating drinks and drugs. Women will enjoy equal rights as men. We shall be at peace with all the rest of the world. This is the india of my dreams.” – Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
Major leaders and movements have been inspired by the Mahatma’s philosophy and practice:
- Martin Luther King Jr : main leader of the American cilvil rights movement;
- Dalai Lama : in the forefront of a struggle to liberate Tibet from China using non-violent
means;
- Aung San Suu Kyi : worked for democratisation of her country, Burma. Won an absolute
majority in 1990 elections but instead of becoming prime minister, has been placed under house arrest since then by a military junta.
- Nelson Mandela : the first South African president to be elected democratically in 1990 whose political approach was influenced by Gandhi;
- Adolfo Perez Esquivel : an Argentinian who was among the founders of Peace and Justice who adopted non-violence as its credo at a time when the country was gripped by violent conflict.
Ironically, all the above leaders won the Nobel Peace Prize, something that Gandhi himself was never awarded.
OK, so much for a History lesson on India. This afternoon I took a walk again to Thakur Mall. Again, it reminded me of Singapore more than 50 years ago. I remember clearly when as a child I had walked from Beo Lane (my first kampong) to River Valley Road (my uncle's house) amid scenes of dirty tracks and shacks. Yes I was literary walking through my life as a child here! And the feeling was really one of nostalgia, a Singapore that was as carefree as Mumbai. I couldn't help feeling sad lah....the really poor people going about their businesses and dirtied old vehicles plying the roads.
In the late afternoon, I took my first walk along the approach road to the school entrance. I was pleasantly surprised when the security guards recognised me instantly with a "Good Afternoon, Sir!" Another surprise was in store when in the school building, the admin staff was celebrating Sukriti's (the HR Manager) birthday! What a vast difference it was last Saturday when only we three Singaporeans were in school. They were in school because the boarders stayed back in school as it was not a weekend. I was invited to join in the celebrations, small though it was but very thoughtful on the part of the staff, a true lesson on relationship building and bonding.
OK, so much for a History lesson on India. This afternoon I took a walk again to Thakur Mall. Again, it reminded me of Singapore more than 50 years ago. I remember clearly when as a child I had walked from Beo Lane (my first kampong) to River Valley Road (my uncle's house) amid scenes of dirty tracks and shacks. Yes I was literary walking through my life as a child here! And the feeling was really one of nostalgia, a Singapore that was as carefree as Mumbai. I couldn't help feeling sad lah....the really poor people going about their businesses and dirtied old vehicles plying the roads.
In the late afternoon, I took my first walk along the approach road to the school entrance. I was pleasantly surprised when the security guards recognised me instantly with a "Good Afternoon, Sir!" Another surprise was in store when in the school building, the admin staff was celebrating Sukriti's (the HR Manager) birthday! What a vast difference it was last Saturday when only we three Singaporeans were in school. They were in school because the boarders stayed back in school as it was not a weekend. I was invited to join in the celebrations, small though it was but very thoughtful on the part of the staff, a true lesson on relationship building and bonding.
3 comments:
im just curious....
is it counted as a national holiday?
and i guess india really does relive your childhood...
Yes, Gerald, it is a national holiday..
Ya...remember Singapore developed from a Malay fishing village to what it is today....so we were once as run-down as this part of India today..
So how did you fare in yor exams?
Henry ???? Very wonderful diary We feel very jealous and still want to meet you at Gvss Now we are on vacation walking around Pakkred Ha Ha Our students are screening their Tshirts for Sing. trip It seems they are very excited to meet their buddies.
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