Page 31 - GANDHI A Biography for Children and Beginners

GANDHI – A Biography for children and beginners

biting cold, on the dark and deserted platform, far away from home, bereft of

all succor, facing the biggest challenge of his life. He had been insulted and

humiliated. What was being violated was his dignity as a human being. What
was being asked of him was to acquiesce in the denial of his human dignity, to

cooperate in the conspiracy (and effort) to down grade him into a slave or

lesser human. Was he to cooperate in his own undoing? Was he to let cowardice

or greed snuff out his inherent birthright to be a human being? Or was he to
stand up and resist? If he does not fight for himself, who will fight for him ? Was

he to accept the dictum "discretion is the better part of valour", and return to

India, leaving the field of battle? Will he save his self-respect and dignity by
doing so? Or will he lose respect in his own eyes? The answer became clear to

Gandhi. He would not be the cause of his own undoing. He would not cooperate

in his own undoing. He would fight, not flee or acquiesce. The forces ranged

against him may be mighty. But he had his own strength; the strength of his
spirit, of his will; of his ability to non-cooperate with his 'enemy'. That night

Gandhi discovered himself. That night Gandhi shed his fear. He discovered a

way that • anyone who could overcome fear, and was determined, could use.

That was the night Gandhi emerged from his shell, and came into his own. He
himself recalled it as the most creative experience of his life. The discovery of

the power within one and the power of non-cooperation had set Gandhi free.

Gandhi continued his journey the next day. He had to take a stage-coach from

Charlestown to Standerton. The experience of the train was repeated. He had a

ticket but was asked to sit outside, by the side of the coachman. The 'leader' or

conductor of the coach sat inside, in his place, and when he wanted to smoke
he came out and asked Gandhi to vacate his perch by the coachman, and sit on

a piece of jute matting on the foot rest. Gandhi refused. The burly coachman

pushed him and pummelled him. Gandhi clung on to the railings, but did not

give up his seat. He was being beaten and pushed down when some passengers
felt ashamed at the scene and asked the 'leader' to leave Gandhi alone.

Gandhi arrived in Johannesburg, and went on to Pretoria. At Pretoria he
established contact with the lawyers who were in charge of Abdullah's suit. The

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