We shall soon be celebrating Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary in 2019 but which version of Gandhi you choose to know and interpret is vital. Today, in the minds of people around the world, Gandhi represents three different and contradictory characters according to me.

The first Gandhi is the one who was a political Leader who fought for the nation against the British rule and is now known and considered to be the Father of modern India. In the words of Great Albert Einstein, he is “a leader of his people, unsupported by any outward authority, a politician whose success rests not upon craft nor the mastery of technical devices, but simply on the convincing power of his personality”.

The second Gandhi we all admire as he is more of an Ashramic Guru. Someone who is a mystic than a politician as he used fasting and non-violence as a means of struggle against the dominant force. This very personality and thought process made Rabindranath Tagore consider him a “Great Soul”.

The third one is very negative and dark. His ideologies about the progress in economic as well as technological aspects are said to be confusing and unrealistic. He is remembered as someone who was very conservative by nature. Also, he is referred to as “perverted purity” because of his rumored sex life and incidents of domestic violence for immoral purposes.

I don’t wish to talk about the negatives. Not because I can’t but I choose not to. Everybody has his/her account of good and bad deeds. No one is perfect enough to evaluate others and hence it’s better we start learning from the positives that each mind and soul brings into this toppled world.

The chief advocate of ahimsa and satyagraha had many teachings that he put forth. I have admired this man’s simplicity and logic in the way he approaches life and this is what I have understood from his communication.

• He believed that cribbing about things that go around you is not going to help you fetch solutions to the problems or make the circumstances any better and hence he always said that one has to become the change he wishes to see around him.

• He always demanded people to have patience and see the magic of time as it heals. He always believed that there is no shortcut or a quick fix if one wants a long-term result.

• He always said that be humble and kind to people around you and that is how you will end up creating change and influencing masses.

• We all are progressing rapidly without caring for ecological balance and hence Gandhiji was right when he said that the greatness of a nation and its moral progress can only be judged by the ways its animals are treated.

• He gave a lot of personal advice through his quotes. He commented that a person is nothing but a product of his thoughts and if what he says and what he does are in harmony then he shall be happy.

• He said that it takes a lot to forgive someone and it’s the power of forgiveness that will ultimately help you retain relationships. One of the most important things to learn from his sayings is that he always respected humanity and stressed upon the fact that only the belief in humanity will take one forward in doing great deeds.

With all that “gyaan” in place. It’s time to chill and walk the path of life the way you want but do have your own belief system in place and get your values and virtues right for yourself and not for anyone else.

I would like to end by quoting these famous lines of one of the most memorable songs which are associated with him…

“Vaishnava Jana To, Tene Kahiye Je
Peed Paraayi Jaane Re,
Para Duhkhe Upakāra Kare To Ye
Mana Abhimāna Na Āne Re”