Recently there has been a trend of
putting on auction the items belonging to the great persons of world history. Mahatma
Gandhi’s personal belongings were recently put on auction by Antiquorum
Auctioneers in New York. There was hue and cry in India over the auction, the
government swung into action to stop this auction and was even ready to bid on
the auction, but was prevented from doing so by restraining order from the
Delhi High court. Finally Vijay Mallaya bought all the items and declared he
bid for his country at the auction.
I have read few times Mahatma
Gandhi’s autobiography “The Story of My Experiment with Truth” and I ‘m
inclined toward Gandhijee’s philosophy of life. I personally feel that Mahatma
Gandhi is Buddha of Modern age. The place which Buddha has in religion, Gandhi
holds same position in Politics.
My views on all this drama of auction
is as follow:
Firstly Gandhijee does not belong to
India alone but to the entire Humanity and that’s why he was shot dead. So
Indian should not make public outcry if a foreigner possess any of the Gandhijee’s
belonging. Indian should not be that much possessive about the man who belongs
to entire humanity. My only advice to such possessive Indian in this matter is “Grow
up Kiddo”, you are yet to fully understood Mahatma.
Secondly Gandhijee is not known for a
pair of glasses, a watch etc, etc. This giant is known for universal Idea of
Truth and Non-violence. So if someone buys Gandhijee’s belonging that does not
means he posses Gandhijee’s Ideas too. Look around the world, the people who
posses Gandhijee’s idea does not have even a single material belonging to
Gandhijee, what they have is his thought in their head and this very thought is
driving their entire life. Martin Luther King Jr., Baba Ampte, Dalai Lama, Aung
san suu kyi, Nelson Mandela and Anna Hazare are few peoples who are possessing
what was ones Gandhijee’s belonging: His Principles. Gandhijee is not a pair material but Ideal for
human life, which cannot be confined within the material boundary. So people
should not make such hue and cry on the auction of the Material of a man who
never ever cared for any material and spend his life half-naked.
Thirdly all those who bought
Gandhijee’s belonging are the one who doesn’t even have the slightest idea
about the life and Philosophy of Mahatma, for them he was like a Rockstar, so
all they want is his clothes and sandals. Look at the life of Mahatma Gandhi
and those who posses his belonging and you will see they are on extreme
opposite side of Curve of Humanity. Gandhijee lived simplest possible life,
while buyer of his belonging lives most luxurious life. I leave other
comparisons to reader’s curiosity.
Finally, if anyone wants to posses
anything belonging to Gandhijee, they should read his Autobiography and other
works, and shape their life according to Mahatma’s Idea. In this manner they
will posses more wealth belonging to Gandhijee than any of his belonging.
like..:)
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