Page 6 - GANDHI A Biography for Children and Beginners

GANDHI – A Biography for children and beginners

different. Much suffering and bloodshed could have been avoided. But

Mountbatten wanted to be the hero, who solved the Indian problem, and the

result was the dead line of 15th August 1947. Partition of India became a
reality, and the creation of Pakistan with mass migration led to bloody riots and

terrible suffering for millions on both sides.

Gandhiji stood like a beacon light bringing peace and sanity wherever he went.

Instances of his work in Calcutta, Noakhali and Bihar illustrated his ability to

bring about change of heart among the fighting Hindus and Muslims through his

own self-suffering, and establishment of peace between the two communities.

His effectiveness, and total dedication to peace and non-violence to bring

about sanity and change of heart among the fighting Hindus and Muslims
through his own self-suffering, was not acceptable to certain communal-minded

Hindu sections, and as a result of that Gandhiji became the victim of the three

bullets of Godse while on his way to prayers on 30th January 1948. With God's
name on his lips he made a perfect exit and thus ended a perfect life.

The youth of India will greatly benefit by reading Ravindra Varma's book which
is in three parts — Part-I gives the narrative of Gandhiji's life. Part-II consists of

a series of anecdotes from Gandhiji's life. Part-Ill concentrates on his

philosophy of life, the development of his concept of Satyagraha based on truth
and non-violence as the law of life. The discovery of Satyagraha provided the

remedy to the weak and strong alike to fight injustice and get back their

legitimate rights from the oppressor without causing bitterness or enmity.

Satyagraha he showed, leads to winning over the opponent so that he willingly
gives up the path of injustice, and mutual differences are settled by change of

heart.

Gandhiji's death of January 30th, 1948, shocked the whole world and sanity

prevailed in India for quite some time. There were no reprisals or killings by

Hindus or Muslims of one another as was feared. His martyrdom made India and

Pakistan to turn the search light inward at that time.

Gandhiji's teachings, however, are still to become a part and parcel of India's
way of thinking and solving the problems of communalism, poverty and

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