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Gandhi resurgence, thanks to latest Bollywood hit

Monday, 02 October 2006, 00:00 Hrs

NEWDELHI: With Bollywood blockbuster "Lage Raho Munnabhai" spawning a new enthusiasm about Mahatma Gandhi, hundreds of youngsters, many below 10 years, joined politicians and diplomats to pay homage to the father of the nation on his 137th birth anniversary Monday.

The scene at the Rajghat, the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, was different this year with the large presence of youngsters. The super success of Rajkumar Hirani's "Lage Raho Munnabhai" on the everyday relevance of Gandhi and his teachings of ahimsa and satyagraha - non-violence and passive resistance to fight injustice - has enthused people all over the country to a new awakening on the man whom India calls the father of the nation.

"After watching the movie, I had resolved to visit Rajghat on Gandhi Jayanti. Gandhi was always there as a beacon but this film brought a renewed interest in me. Many youngsters have started relating to him," said 22-year-old Santosh Bhargava, who had come from Meerut.

"I think where books failed to attract the modern Indian youth, the movie has certainly charmed the masses to think of Gandhi and his teachings," added Madhu Tripathi, a college student, who was standing in queue at the memorial.

"The number of youth is much higher than of elders this year. Look at the number of women and children," said Tripathi, pointing to the crowds waiting to enter the mausoleum.

Many school-going children also took time out to visit the memorial.

"My mother told us to visit Rajghat. Along with my five friends, I am waiting till we are allowed by police to enter the place," said Monalisa, a 12-year-old girl.

'Gandhigiri' - a colloquial for Gandhian ideals - of the movie seems to have spun its magic around the psyche of youngsters.

In the morning, President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam led the nation in paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. Kalam paid floral tributes at Raj Ghat. He later paid tributes to former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri at his nearby mausoleum 'Vijayghat' on his 102nd birth anniversary.

Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Information and Broadcasting Minister S. Jaipal Reddy, opposition leader L.K. Advani, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and veteran Gandhian Nirmala Deshpande were among the many to pay tributes to Gandhi Monday morning.

With devotional songs playing in the background, several Gandhians and other people joined school children in paying tributes to Gandhi. Next to the flower-decorated memorial, many people, including children, were participating in a 24-hour spinning event.

Gandhi popularized the charkha, or the spinning wheel, as a symbol of national self-reliance that Indians can make their own cloth and not depend on yarn imported from the textile mills of Britain.

"There is no other figure whom people can adore like Gandhi. India today should follow non-violence and equal opportunity for all as Gandhi taught to fight corruption, terrorism and other social malaise," said veteran Gandhian Y.P. Anand.

Anand, also a former director of National Gandhi Museum, said people today should introspect on the teachings of Gandhi and take lessons from them. "Gandhi is no more but it's up to the people of India to take lessons from him to build a vibrant country," he said.

Representatives of nine religions - Buddhism, Baha'i, Christian, Hindu,Islam, Jain, Judaism, Zoroastrianism and Sikhism - took part in an all-religion prayer meeting at Rajghat.

The hundreds who arrived at Rajghat had to brave the stringent three rounds of security checks as well as the hot sun.

"Even 58 years after his death, the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi have acquired greater importance.

From educational institutes to the film industry, everyone is drawing inspiration from him," said Rajiv Rajasekharan, who has come all the way from Jaipur to pay homage.
Source: IANS

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