Review: An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth
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My rating: 5 of 5 stars
An Autobiography: The Story of my Experiments with truth, as penned by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, is something that everyone, Indians in particular, and people in general should read, in order to gain an insight into the life, thoughts and convictions of the one of the most influential and relevant personalities of the 20th Century, perhaps of modern history.
In a time of wars, conflict, and colonial oppressions taking place on a global scale, Gandhi was one of few who appealed to the better qualities of humanity and advocated a form of resistance which bore neither violence, hatred nor bloodshed.
Gandhi told an entire nation the meaning of nonviolence and peace, but by no means did this make him a pacifist, ergo in the sense of someone who washed their hands of any affairs of the world. Gandhi was an active force for good, and chose to upload his ideals even when faced with imprisonment and death. Indeed, he made his life & death his teachings, bearing no hatred for his murderer in his final moments, choosing to end it with the Lord’s name in his lips.
So what caused a man born in a middle class orthodox family in Gujarat, to become the champion of nonviolence, universal camaraderie and brotherhood; to inspire a nation to demand for independence and to led them every step of the way, all the while, never hating or inflicting violence upon their oppressors?
His autobiography, written over four years on a weekly basis, for the magazine Navajivan, gives us a glimpse. Of the man from the time of his birth, childhood, all too early marriage, overseas education, South African legal practice, and how he came into the social service and independence stage over these years.
First of all, you can surmise, as someone who upholds truth and righteousness as the central tenets of their existence, Gandhi has a penchant for laying bare his life to the world. No aspect is too private, too embarrassing, or conscientious. He speaks freely of his marriage at a young age, as well as his relations with his wife, when desires clouded over him and caused him unspoken grief.
As far as his childhood days, Gandhi was an individual who was bound by rules, customs and promises, and would never betray his covenant, with others as well as himself. A characteristic which would define his interactions till death. Gandhi never shies away from the parts of his life, where he had committed, as per his own rigid moral standard, unforgivable offenses, and seeks penance to them, through his life.
One trait which is clear from his youth, was his himalayan will, which while was instrumental in him directing several nationwide campaigns of civil disobedience, made him quite obstinate when it comes to his own family and health. Gandhi was set in his ways of refusing to consume any food which were not fruits, nuts or vegetables, rejecting even milk as something which was derived from the suffering of lactating animals. Even when his health failed, and he was close to death’s door, he refused to consider the word of his doctors, and was pig-headed in following his self imposed regimen.
Which ties into his over enthusiastic indulgence in Dietetics. His experiments with food went as early as his education in London, where he had to cope with an overwhelming meat based cuisine, as well as his later employment in South Africa. Gandhi is quite spirited when sharing what he believes to be the novel insights he came across in his readings and research, regarding diet, as well as traditional lifestyle and medical practices.
One would imagine that someone who, at this point, was a practicing lawyer and hardworking social worker would find it hard pressed to find time for personal projects and pursuits. Not Gandhi. Alongside his public activities, he was also involved in several pursuits such as Dietetics, Hydropathy, Earth treatment, building a self sufficient ascetic community, as well as promoting the Swadeshi movement with Khadi & spinning charkas taking forefront.
Another aspect which shines in his writings is how much of a personable man Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was. He was able to establish close relationships across the length and breadth of India, so far North as Kashmir, as South as Madras, beyond the seas in London and S. Africa. And not just passing acquaintances, but dedicated well wishers, who were ready to assist Gandhi in many of his endeavors. The list contained fellow lawyers, merchants, military & law enforcement officers, heads of state, and a couple of viceroys to boot. Not mentioning the support he had in congress as well as the independent movement. Gandhi made sure that his actions, even those opposing the government, would not be viewed with enmity, so much so that even his opponents would know of his character, long before they met him.
Other than being a successful lawyer and shrewd leader of men, Gandhi liked to consider himself as a man of the people. Who took great efforts to meet and understand those from every walks of life, understand their lives, their struggles and what he can do to alleviate them. Be it the migrant Indian populace of S. Africa, or the oppressed farmers of Champaran, or the peasants in Kheda, he was amongst them, for them.
Gandhi believed that the social worker should be a civil servant in all intentions of the word. His obstinacy shined here in organizing nationwide movements with mass cooperation of the masses, while ensuring that not one anna of the funds collected for this purpose was wasted or misused. He wanted to not just teach people to resist their oppressors, but also to be self-sufficient in their own rights, and to embrace the same principles of simple lifestyle and universal brotherhood which he had learned over his life.
To this effect he established communes such as the Sabarmati Ashram, to teach his followers the values which he embodied and to train a future generation which can make the nation prosper. In many aspects, with his penchant for public service, and his spiritual teachings, Gandhi would fit right in amongst the ancient Stoics, amongst Marcus Aurelius and other Philosophical Kings.
The Saga ends abruptly up until his activities during 1921, which might as well be. Covering the further three decades or so of his life, up to his death, would cover entire volumes, tomes, which would take a much longer indulgence.
Despite his shortcomings, we should all be lucky to have the opportunity to have known the man who has taught so many the value of peace and non-violence, and one who yearned for a better world, appealing to the angels in us all.
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