"Happy Birthday Bapu"
Raleigh, NC - August 2008 (Click to embiggen)
"Happy Birthday Bapu"
Raleigh, NC - August 2008 (Click to embiggen)
I won't apologize for not being wordless today. Some things are more important.For those who didn't know it, 2 October is the birthday of one of the most influential figures of modern times, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. I've posted about this statue at the Marbles museum in Raleigh before, but on this occasion it seems fitting to revisit my old friend Bapu and wish him well. Gandhi puts the lie to the notion that "nice guys finish last". There are very few people in the world who don't have at least a passing familiarity with the man and his work. But how many can name his assassin?1 In the end the man who fired the bullets won the battle, but the war was won by the one who took them in the chest.The irony never escapes me that the man who probably embodies the classically defined Christian ideal better than any of the modern age was in fact... a Hindu.
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19 comments:
Nathuram Ghodse, a Hindu extremist who along with many others thought efforts to bring India's Hindus and Muslims together was a dangerous path, shot Gandhi three times point blank in the chest at 5:17 pm, 30 Jan 1948 at Birla Temple, Delhi. Now you know.
Beautiful and moving, you have inspired me for a blog post, we just photographed a Ghandi ji statue in San Francisco.
Ghandi's message transcends all barriers. Peace to all, even your enemies.
that is one of my favorite sayings ~ you must be the change you wish to see in the world ~ so powerful! such vision!
i know, right???
I love his words, his journey, his heart.... and keep a book of his life on my bedside table. No bullet could ever silence that brilliance.
Great post.
Eloquently stated. Indeed, we must all BE the change.
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beautiful statue
This is a wonderful Post Mojo!
Gandhi was an exemplary pacifist who proved to the world that hate never ends hate, but only multiplies it!
I also wrote a Gandhi post some time ago Here which you can read to understand his way of working things out.
Thank you for posting this on the birthday of the Great Mahatma !
Happy Birthday Bapu!
( Bapu means 'father'. Gandhiji is referred to as "father of the nation" in India)
Mona: Thanks for the link. That's one of the many stories I wasn't really familiar with. But there are so many similar ones from that period of history that I may have heard this one and simply confused it with another.
I think perhaps I'll celebrate the day with a double feature of Maine Gandhi ko Nahin Mara and Lage Raho Munna Bhai.
Totally justified. What a man Gandhi was! I agree with you, one of the most influential of the modern times.
Hope you had a great WW day.
My post...
LOVE this. And I love his "be the change in the world you wish to see" quote.
Awesome tribute you've done. Glad you didnt go wordless. : )
A lovely human being.
Someone once told me that 'its your blog and you can post whatever/however you want' ... so there!
:-Daryl
Oh what a wonderful post, Mojo!
I tell you, the first time I saw a paper note in India with Gandhiji on it, I nerly cried.
I wonder who we could choose to put on our bills in the USA if we were allowed?
I am wokring on answering your question, "WTF is a yurt?" will post later today. Thanks for the blog fodder! :P
Awesome post yo got here! and thanks for dropping by at my site. :)
He lead a life which deserves to be remembered for life :)
I remember him as a peacemaker. During this very trying time for me, I'm reminded to exercise patience and tolerance like he did! thanks for telling us that it's his birthday today.
this is such a moving post, mojo. no need to apologize for not being wordless!
have a good weekend.
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