Another Gandhi

Nothing more entertaining for me than a very good movie. Black Friday was OK. Its more like a documentary (Pardon my limited knowledge in categorizing the films) What caught my attention the most is the Gandhi's words from the movies punch line.... "An eye for eye would make the whole world blind"

I was trying recall the incidents of the day of bomb blast. Everything is like very faint.... 1993 .. I was in my graduations. Everyone just recovered from riots and mess surrounding it. The blast I thought was really the biggest thing ever could happen to India. Well I was very immature then (I mean more than what I am now) I thought this might start of a war or something.

From last couple of months I have been hearing about the Bombay blasts case and the results of its trial. The trial documents seems to be hundreds of pages. Its one of the biggest running case in the legal history.

Frankly before watching this movie all I was aware that few people got together and sought revenge on something that happened to them earlier. Few names were thrown around in newspapers. I never believed that was the complete story. Nor today I believe that the movie or the book covers truth from all sides.

Now, years after that happened I saw this movie I feel a bit annoyed and confused. Annoyed from the angle that chief perpetrators of this crime still fly free. Confused from emotional angle. Thirteen years from what actually happened our legal system is finally is able to conclude who did it. Means why does it takes so long?

I always think of Gandhi as someone who is worthy of copying of, following in his principals. "An eye for an eye.." really is one of his most valued teachings. It basically teaches you that revenge is no solution. I have derived solace from this teaching on many occasions in my life. Its very hard to follow. It is very hard to forgive a responsible person or group if they cause you inconsolable damages. It does not ask you forgive it asks you disown harmful ways. You have a right to protest against an event or individual or group if you do not find your self on right side of it but it asks you not use violent means to protest.

How useful is his teaching is today's world? First there was babary and then riots and then Bombay riots and then Godhara and then July 2006 Mumbai train blasts ..... This is like never ending carnaige. Some side has to wisen up.... We have to learn to live together.

In this group of billion people there is strong desires between groups of making each other submit to their wills. Tolerance is losing value very quickly...... That's basically what Gandhi always tried to ask... Tolerate ! It might not be beneficial to you but it would be the best policy in long term. Make no mistake... tolerance and cowardice are two different things. How many of us actually tried to talk through this problem? Always these problems are discussed on philosophical level and conclusions are drawn. Not many of us actually lived through the Ailes of these people and tried to understand their lifestyle. Mutual respect comes from mutual understanding. Mutual understanding comes from mutual knowledge..... In this society there is silos of people who does not talk about each others lifes and issues. They do not tell each other what do they expect of each other. This has become a society of survival.

Its not always the survivors who tell you the story of life. Did Gandhi had to survive to make a great nation? The ones who survived are always assumed right. Those who died are never there to tell their story. I must tell you story of any society lies in the way people died to make this society survive and not in the way survivors thoght the society should run. All our freedom fighters wanted this to be great nation. In our story survivors are people who took tough stands against one another. Leaders who did wrong things... They will always sing songs of mayhem for coming generations. What should we expect of them or ourselves? What should we be doing? Its the Godse and likes of him have survived to tell us the right things. Where are the likes of Gandhi to teach us how he was and is right? People always asks relevance of his teaching... I always think that is very silly of them.

We all will have to answer this question some day or other... Not One group is not ready to move from its position. One who moves makes other a winner. Losers and dead have no values in this society. You will have to live and win to tell the story.

There are many black weekdays are to come if we do not understand what Gandhi was trying to say. Thankfully we had someone who could leave us this value when we see what other people did when they had to undergo similar situations. They killed thousands... destroyed countries.... imprisoned hundreds.... It all sounded right at that time.... Today they are in even bigger mess than we are. Situation is really dire for all of us. We need another Gandhi !!!