Hail Bapu.

On Gandhi Jayanti, resting on my haunches & penning down the random thoughts fluttering between my ears. I sometimes wonder in utter amazement, the power a frail, bespectacled, gangly looking man wielded during the tumultuous times of this country. The ability to invoke intense emotions , to metamorphose rigid mindsets, to neutralize hatred by preaching love & non-violence at times of great distress & discord were some of the few magical powers the ‘Great’ man possessed . He showed the masses that glimmer of hope that they forever yearned for, he gave them a vision. Come what may, he never wilted, never flinched, was never fazed, he never ceased. But I am troubled today, for a quite a substantial reason that too. The tokenism that is manifested by people (which would include myself) would make him turn, jump and do acrobatics in his grave. Gandhiji would never have in his remotest dreams wanted there to be a day-off on his birthday so that every other dim-wit could relinquish themselves of their duties head off to the nearest hotspot for a long weekend. He believed in igniting minds, stoking the desire to change and altruism. The tokenism of cuddling up and watching a documentary on him on his birthday (which too some find rather dull) has to be uprooted. On this day, we have to vow to make a sincere effort to make a significant difference to somebody else’s life. That could mean anybody from your professor, grandfather, the street urchin to your maid, milkman or even your pet. Even something as simple as keeping a sublime smile as you open the door for your milkman or helping a lady with her luggage or having an engrossing conversation with your grandfather about his past trial and tribulations or just showering attention on your pet could make a telling difference. Every person can make that difference in his/her personalized way.

If we have even had the slightest of respect for that man or valued our democratic, secular status which we blithely enjoy due to him, we would not think twice before becoming agents of change.

Cheers!