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Mahatma Gandhi probation years in India after South

African days
Dr G.B.Harisha harishagb@gmail.com
Cultural Analyst
M.K.Gandhi(1869-1948) better known as Mahatma
Gandhi is a subject for various kinds of studies in the past
100 years. This paper focuses on his years of life, when
he returned to India permanently from South Africa which
became pivotal in shaping his ideas about Satyagraha,
Ahimsa and people of India. This paper draws attention to
the forgotten writings Dharampal who reconstructed
Gandhian in an integral way. It also uses this opportunity
to introduce the insights given by a wonderful scholar
Dharampal on Mahatma Gandhi for enhancing future
studies on Gandhiji.
Key words: Mahatma, Dharmapal, mythification,
ramarajya, Gokhale, Vivekananda, Tilak, Hind Swaraj,
Benaras Hindu University
I
Introduction:
Indian mind respects the word and concept of Mahatma, it
is widely used in all the classical and modern languages
and their literatures of Bharatha (India).Therefore when in
Haridwar for the first time Gandhi was given the name
(upadhi) mahatma people began to relate his personality
him with ancient Vedic, Buddhist, Jain and folk saints,
sages, sadhus. Because in India such people who lead a
life of sacrifice for higher ideals in life are refered by the
word mahatma. In this way M.K.Gandhi the barrister
became MAHTMA GANDHI and got more and more
reverence by the masses in the growing years.
It is also interesting to note that the Indian mind, which is
immersed in purana (crude translation mythology) has the
natural habit of accommodating new historical
personalities as the contemporary continuation of
characters of Ramayana, Mahabharatha and different
mythological stories, characters. During Indian
renaissance such instances occur in great number. To
illustrate this point one can see the titles offered to various
social and political leaders of Indian public life in the 19-
20th centuries by indian masses and sometimes elite class.

Dadabhai Naoroji (1825-1917) was known as grand old


man of India, Gandhijis political mentor, Gopal Krishna
Gokhale (1866-1915) leader of Servants of India Society
wasmknown as his political guru, Dr Rajendra Prasad the
first president of independent India (1884-1963) was
known as ajata shatru (one without an enemy).Socialist
leader Narendradev(1889-1956) as acharya ( great
teacher).The same thumb rule applies to Gandhi the
mahatma.
Indi’s national epic namely Ramayana influenced Gandhiji
and the idea of state mentioned in poet Valmiki’s epic
Ramayana, ie., ramarajya caught the imagination of
Gandhi. Ramarajya is Indian concept of welfare state
according to its own ethos.
Rama, the hero of the Ramayana, after abducting the
empire by the orders of his father goes to forest by giving
up everything including royal clothe, ornaments. A prince
abducting the throne became an eternal image and
symbol to Indian mind since ages.Gandhi’s life after
returning to the Indian soil from South Africa is a re-
enactment of some aspects of Rama’s character. But a
barrister coming back to India from a foreign land and
decided to live a simple life, generated huge impact in the
minds of both the Indians and the colonial rulers.
Understanding every move of Gandhi from contemporary
socio-political reality and epic perspective became a full
time job for his serious analysts. How much Gandhi
succeeded in this endeavor is a matter of subjective
opinions but mythification of contemporary politics by
applying age old folk and traditional wisdom of India is a
hallmark of Gandhi.
To continue with the parallel walk of Gandhi with Rama of
Ramayana,
Gandhi was in Santiniketan of Gurudev Tagore. The
experimental days of Gandhi and his colleagues are
picturesquely described by an author:
“ Gandhi spent a week in Santiniketan, but it was an
eventful week…During his brief stay, Gandhi inspired an
experiment in self-help at Santiniketan: he persuaded the
students and the teachers to run their own kitchen, and to
sack the thirty Brahmin cooks who combined orthodoxy
and uncleanliness in a concentrated mixture. Tagore was
pleased and amused at the sight of teachers and students
scrubbing floors and washing utensils. The experiment
lasted exactly forty days, after which it was abandoned…’’
(Mahatma Gandhi, B.R.Nanada, ibd, 132).
Then suddenly came the news of demise of Gandhis
political mentor, Gokhale. Gandhi cut short his stay in
Santiniketan when received the telegram from Poona,
about the death of guru Gokhale. Then onwards, for one
year he decided and practiced walking without Indian
shoes with bare foot. This was to show his respect to his
departed teacher. A person walking bare foot is
symbolizes and reminds the Indian mind, the spiritual life
of ascetics and monks. In many of the sculptures,
photographs one can see Indian great personalities
without shoes. Such personalities are revered as elevated
souls in traditional Indian families. Gandhi followed the
way of saintly personalities and therefore people
respected him as a saint.
One cannot describe these acts of Gandhi as tactful but it
was natural genius in him which blended political thinking
and social action with an aura of dharmic (religious)
things. It also becomes difficult for the completely modern
mind to assess the inner depths of Gandhi’s personality
merely by analyzing his political and social philosophy as
they cannot be understood in isolation.
II
During the same period in the second decade of 20th
century, Gandhi changed his attire. If one could see
Gandhi in his forties still wore western formals in South
Africa and as he entered the scene of India he slowly but
consciously decided to change his dress. This is a
transformation in itself if one compares and studies the
attire of world leaders of the past century. It also
interesting to note that wherever Mahatma Gandhi’s wife
Kasturba went with him, she ALWAYS USED HER Indian
sarees. Coming back to Gandhi’s dress, he changed his
western/ European look completely and adopted Indian
way which is more near to farmers and laborers. He
started wearing the Indian Dhoti and turban during this
transitions period. This change sent subtle messages to
the masses that ‘our man has come.’
Gandhi’s genius lies in understanding the pulse of the
common masses of India and this aspect is effectively
narrated in the writings of Gandhian scholar Dharampal.
He has described very interesting aspects of Gandhiji in
his seminal book Understanding Gandhi.
This transformation of Gandhi can only be compared in
India’s recent past with Vidishananda’s metamorphosis
into Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902). Vivekananda
disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (1836-1886) of
19th century Bengal and was a wandering monk with many
names until Ajit Singh (1861-1901) came into his life. Ajit
Singh, the king of Khetri, an Indian princely state in
Rajastan gave him the title, Vivekananda and also
provided an orange turban to Vivekananda. Orange or
saffron color represents the ideal of sacrifice in Indian
culture from the ancient times. A monk well versed in
Indian darshana and western philosophy and equally in
modern science with orange coat in America attracted the
attention of people. After he made his historical speech in
September 1893 at Chicago, Vivekananda and orange
turban became indistinguishable. The personality of
Gandhi trod the same path in the realm of India’s colonial
struggle by creating his own style sheet.
When Gandhi arrived to India he was welcomed by the
uncrowned king of Bombay, moderate Indian leader Sir
Pherozeshah Mehta (1845-1915), who was little, skeptical
about Gandhian way in the following words: ‘a hero in the
cause of Indian independence.’ Gandhi was received in a
gathering organized for him by the official class and the
business men who were elitists and westernized in their
outlook and inner world. It was an interesting intersection
where Gandhi and his wife who arrived from a foreign
country, namely South Africa were in in Indian villagers
dress. Gandhi was in his Gujarathi style of turban and
cloak whereas his wife Kasturba Gandhi was in her simple
sari. On the contrary the elite gathered were in the best
possible European attire. Essentially for Gandhi freedom
movement was both practical and symbolic. It was to use
the the words of mythologist of 20th century Joseph
Campbell(1904-1987) who used the phrases in a different
context both ‘myth and ritual.’
Gandhiji did not to fight with the British are their Indian
counterparts in the regular sense of the term struggle, but
Gandhiji struggled to change them to his way which was
the path of truth (satya) and non-violence (ahimsa).
Therefore it is not strange that Gandhi was seen by his
contemporaries as ‘rather an eccentric specimen of an
England-returned-educated –Indian’i a biographer
describes.
Gandhi was at home from the beginning or he tried to be.
This was his way to win over the confidence of Indian
masses. He was aware of the fact that India was need of
leader after Lokamanya Tilak (1956-1920) who himself
was a thinker, journalist, social reformer and who inspired
the revolutionary movement both in Maharashtra and
Bengal. Gandhi took many hints of public leadership both
from Gokhale and Tilak but developed his own. He always
tried to connect with the masses and the elite at the same
time. Therefore when he wrote in Gujrathi his style,
subject was more local and when he wrote in English the
language of the then rulers it was more sophisticated and
catered to different audience. He wrote in a very simple
Gujrathi and a lucid English compared to the elitist and
Victorian English used by many writers and thinkers of his
time. Gandhi adopted the art and craft of taking best
things from his immediate past and assimilated them to his
way of satyagraha and non-violence mass movement.
During his post South Africa days in India one Parsi
journalist asked Gandhi in English to which it is reported
that Gandhi gave the following reply: “ I have not forgotten
my native tongue during my stay in South Africa.’’ii It is
very much true as he wrote Hind Swaraj book in Gujrathi
language.
Indigenous wisdom became his main motto to organize his
way of social-political-spiritual movement in India. His way
was to address the masses in front of elite in a powerful
way this rewarded two fold purposes. Let us examine.
III
The world of Gandhi scholarship is vast and varied. The
entire discourses on Gandhi mainly draws its source from
the original writings, speeches, newpaper editorials, press
releases of Gandhi. They were meticulously collected and
arranged by Swaminathan.The works Mahadev Desai,
D.G.Tendulkar occupies their own important place. Rest
of the literature related to Gandhi is based on these
primary sources. Many scholars from history to sociology
to political studies to religion and culture have greatly
drawn from these sources fort their studies. However, the
scholarly world is not very much aware of the fact that
even after these primary sources were edited another kind
of Gandhi study emerged in London during 60’s and 70’s
of last century. It was by Dharmpal who never claimed that
he was a scholar , but did yeomen service to the world of
knowledge, especially India’s recent past 300 years of
colonial encounter studies which is known as post-colonial
studies in some universities.
About Dharmapal(1922-2006):

“Dharampal was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi throughout


his life; he received his first glimpse of Gandhiji at the age
of seven, when he accompanied his father to attend the
1929 Lahore Congress. In March 1931, when Sardar
Bhagat Singh and his colleagues were sentenced to death
and executed by the British colonial authorities,
Dharampal recalls that many of his friends took to the
streets of Lahore, shouting slogans in protest. Yet
remaining critical of this rebellious assertion, and despite
the influence of his semi-westernized education at school
and college, he was drawn towards the movement led by
Mahatma Gandhi: soon he started wearing khadi, a
practice he followed all his life.
Mahatma Gandhi’s call for Individual Satyagraha in
October 1940 marked the beginning of his involvement in
national politics and the subsequent abandonment of his
B.Sc. in Physics. In August 1942, he was present as a
fervent spectator at the Quit India session of the Congress
in Bombay, whereupon he joined the movement and was
active as an under-ground member of the AICC group run
by Sucheta Kriplani until his arrest in April 1943. After 2
months in police detention, he was released, but debarred
from Delhi. A year later in August 1944, being interested in
village community work, he was introduced to Mirabehn
(the British born disciple of Mahatma Gandhi) and joined
her soon after at the Kisan Ashram, situated midway
between Roorkee and Haridwar.”iii
Dharampal worked in various British archives in London
for many decades without any financial support and did
the spadework on India’s colonial history. His works can
only be compared to Edward Saids Orientalism and Franz
Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth, established classics
on post-colonial studies.
Major works of Dharampal are listed for the benefit of
future study on Gandhi and allied subject:
1. Rediscovering India - Collection of more than 20
articles, notes, organised into three themes, (1) Indian
Society at the Beginning of European Dominance and the
Process of Impoverishment, (2) Problems Faced by India
after the End of European Dominance, (3) Some
European Characteristics and Their Worldwide
Manifestation - Published by SIDH, Mussoorie, 2003.

2. Understanding Gandhi - A collection of 7 essays


including growing up in the Gandhian Era and the future of
Sevagram as he envisaged it. Other India Press, Goa
2003.

3. The British Origin of Cow-Slaughter in India, with some


British Documents on the Anti-Kine-Killing movement,
1880-1894 along with T.M. Mukundan. Published by
SIDH, Mussoorie, 2002.

4. Dharampal Collected Writings in 5 Volumes was


brought out in 2000 by Other India Press. This compilation
consisted of the following:
(Courtesy Multiversity; Permissions from Other India
Press)
Vol 1: Indian Science and Technology in the Eighteenth
Century
Vol 2: Civil Disobedience in the Indian Tradition
Vol 3: The Beautiful Tree Indigenous Indian Education in
the Eighteenth Century
Vol 4: Panchayat Raj and India's polity
Vol 5: Essays on Tradition, Recovery and Freedom (which
included the Bharatiya Chit, Manas and Kaal)
5. Despoliation and Defaming of India - The Early
Nineteenth Century British Crusade, Bharat Peetam,
Warda, 1999.

6. The Beautiful Tree: Indigenous India Education in the


Eighteenth Century, Biblia Impex, New Delhi, 1983.
Reprinted by Keerthi Publishing House Pvt Ltd.,
Coimbatore, 1995.

7. Bharat ka Svadharma, Itihas Vartaman aur Bhavishya


ka Sandarbha (Hindi), Vagdevi Prakashan, Bikenar, 1994.

8. Bharatiya Cit Manas Kala (Hindi), 1991. Also in English


translation with an introduction and glossary by J.K. Bajaj.
Centre for Policy Studies, Madras. 1993. Also published in
Kannada from Rashtrothan, Bangalore.

9. Some Aspects of Early Indian Society and Polity and


their Relevance to the Present, Indian Association for
Cultural Freedom, Pune, 1988.

10. Angrazon se Pehale ka Bharat (Hindi) Reprinted,


Shatabdi Prakashan, Vidisha - Calcutta, 1988. Marathi
translation published as Paramparik Bharatiya Samajik va
Rajakiya Vyavasta ani Navabharathi Ubharani,
Navabharata Masik, 1987. Also published in Tamil.

11. Some Reflections on Mahatma Gandhi, October-


Novermber 1985, 20 pages.
12. Indian Science and Technology in the Eighteenth
century: Some Contemporary European Accounts, Impex
India, Delhi, 1971. Reprint, Academy of Gandhian Studies,
Hyderabad, 1983.

13. Towards a Reappraisal of the Gandhian Era. An


Approach, July-September 1982, 18 pages (Ref.1-24).

14. Structuring Hind Swaraj: Mahatma gandhi in Action


1932-1940, February 1982, 10 pages (Ref. 1-17).

15. The Madras Panchayat System, Vol II: A General


Assessment, Impex India, Delhi, 1971. The Madras
Panchayat System was later published by Balwantray
Mehta Panchayati Raj Foundation, 1972.

16. Civil Disobedience and Indian Tradition: with some


early nineteenth century documents. Sarva Seva Sangh
Prakashan, Varanasi, 1971. Foreword by Sri. Jayaprakash
Narayan.

17. Panchayat Raj as the Basis of Indian Polity: An


exploration into the Proceedings of the Constituent
Assembly, AVARD, New Delhi, April 1962. Foreword by
Sri. Jayaprakash Narayan.iv
IV
In Understanding Gandhi he draws our attention to
Gandhis famous speech made during the inauguration of
Benaras Hindu University(BHU),Uttar Pradesh. On
February 4th, 1916 Gandhi was invited by Pandit Madan
Mohan Malaviya (1861-1946) founder of BHU. Gandhi
The mass leader in him came out in full colors during this
speech. Gandhi meticulously made a mental note of many
things before gave his speech.
Lord Hardinge, the Viceroy, had come specially to lay the
foundation-stone of the University. To protect his life extra
precautions were taken by the police. They were
omnipresent and all houses along the route were guarded.
Banaras was, so to say, in a state of siege.
Many Indians who were rich came in rich dresses and
everyone was inclined to exhibit their eloquence in English
before the Viceroy and others. These things made Gandhi
unhappy. He clearly mentioned his remarks:
“But this is only by way of preface. I wanted to say it is a
matter of deep humiliation and shame for us that I am
compelled this evening under the shadow of this great
college, in this sacred city, to address my countrymen in a
language that is foreign to me. I know that if I was
appointed an examiner, to examine all those who have
been attending during these two days this series of
lectures, most of those who might be examined upon
these lectures would fail. And why? Because they have
not been touched’’.v
Freedom was not merely the abolition of foreign rule for
Gandhi, it meant bringing the dignity, culture, language
back to its original glory, respect to him. He challenged the
very notion of imparting education to the people in an alien
language. This was his move towards self-rule (Swaraj).
He also gave a mathematical calculation of the national
loss through wrong education. He said, “I had the privilege
of a close conversation with some Poona professors. They
assured me that every Indian youth, because he reached
his knowledge through the English language, lost at least
six precious years of life. Multiply that by the numbers of
students turned out by our schools and colleges, and find
out for yourselves how many thousand years have been
lost to the nation.’’vi
Now most spectacular words came from Gandhi which
moved India once again back to its simple Indian native
way in public discourses and etiquettes. With his distilled
wisdom Gandhi said:
“I now introduce you to another scene. His Highness the
Maharaja who presided yesterday over our deliberations
spoke about the poverty of India. Other speakers laid
great stress upon it. But what did we witness in the great
pandal in which the foundation ceremony was performed
by the Viceroy? Certain it a most gorgeous show, an
exhibition of jewellery, which made a splendid feast for the
eyes of the greatest jeweller who chose to come from
Paris. I compare with the richly bedecked noble men the
millions of the poor. And I feel like saying to these noble
men, “There is no salvation for India unless you strip
yourselves of this jewellery and hold it in trust for your
countrymen in India.”vii
Perhaps these words were in continuation of his classic
text Hind Swaraj (1908). Gandhi was not against anybody
he was opposing shameless showoff before poor. He “
turned the searchlight all over’’ to give a comprehensive
representation about India’s past achievements, its
present condition, challenges and ways to build a self-
reliant India.
This famous speech he couldn’t complete as there were
oppositions from many guests including the author and
thinker Annie Besant. He tried to continue the talk till it
became impossible to conclude his speech. In the last
paragraph of the speech recorded in the collected works
of Mahatma Gandhi volume 6, he made one point very
clear to all:
“If we are to receive self-government, we shall have to
take it. We shall never be granted self-government. Look
at the history of the British Empire and the British nation;
freedom loving as it is, it will not be a party to give freedom
to a people who will not take it themselves.’’viii After this he
has to end his speech abruptly. He was 47 years when he
made BHU speech. Mass movement, empire, common
masses, elites, education system, role and limits of an
anarchist were the highlights of his thought. If one studies
Gandhi’s Hind Swaraj and BHU speech in totality it
becomes clearer about his way. What later scholars have
labeled as Gandhian way came from these seed thoughts.
Gokhale, political guru of Gandhi successfully took an oath
from Gandhi, that after his arrival from South Africa he will
not express his opinions on public opinions. Gandhi who
trusted the guru shishya tradition (parampara) followed his
Guru’s words like an obedient disciple. This one years is
known in Gandhian studies as ‘a year of probation.’ix
After probationary period he changed the socio-cultural
arena which naturally paved way towards Swaraj in its
own way. Gandhi learnt many good practices from various
parts of India which were kept in a state of amnesia due to
colonial slumber. He also learnt the lessons of public life
from Tilak, Gokhale and Swami Vivekanda.
For him means were equally important as ends. He cut
short many of the movements by himself when he felt they
are not on proper moral grounds. He absorbed all the finer
points of polity from his mentor Gokhale but alloyed it with
the native genius of India. Gandhi made travels throughout
India like a pilgrimage to understand the life of common
people.
After his study of India in one letter records his opinion
about India as follows:

“[…] around 1911 he wrote to his eldest son, Harilal


Gandhi on fagun sud 5 (March 5, 1911) that it was
because of the punya accumulated by our immediate
ancestors that we are functioning today. He added, “the
practical knowledge boys in India possess is not due to
the education they receive in schools, but is due to the
unique Indian way of life. It is due to the meritorious deeds
of our ancestors that we find healthy standards of
behaviour, thrift, etc., around us.”x

Back to the soil was the principle on which one has to


study Gandhi. He is the latest edition of Indian wisdom
which stood the test of time because of the uncommon
wisdom present in common man. Again common man is
the Man who is common is all in the words of Ananda
Coomaraswamy.
The author of the article ‘Mahatma’ once refered to
Gandhi:
“Gandhi despite all his errors, is the man of the age-our
age. Gandhi is great because he has dared to speak of
non-violence in a time of violence, of peace and
brotherhood in a time of degradation. He has spoken of
man’s highest inner quality, and we cannot refrain from
admiring and even worshipping him- a man who is
showing us a way which cannot perhaps be followed until
mankind is tamed…The greatest tribute I pay the
Mahatma is the only unpurchseable man in the world.’’xi
Gandhi’s life and Gandhian way of thought and action are
inseparable. India always trusted the thinker, reformers
who practiced what they taught and revered them as
mahatmas.

References:
i B.R.Nanda, Mahatma Gandhi A biography complete and
unabridged, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, eleventh
edition 2008 (1958), 129.
ii Nanda,, ibid, 130.
iii http://www.polyeyes.com/Article/Dr-Dharam-Pal-The-
Forbidden-Gandhian-Thinker
iv http://www.samanvaya.com/dharampal/
v
http://www.gandhi-
manibhavan.org/gandhicomesalive/speech2.htm

vi ibid
vii ibid
viii ibid
ix Nanda, 131.
x http://www.samanvaya.com/dharampal/
xi Jag Mohan, Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, Builders of
Modern India, Publication Division, Ministry of Information
and Broadcasting, Government of India,November 1979
(Kartika 1901 Saka), 95.

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