Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Sabarmati Ashram - Gandhiji's Home at Ahmedabad








The one above is Gandhiji's room.  It was highly guarded with an iron mesh.  Found it ironical - he lived most of his life behind bars and continues even today at his own home.  Maybe a strong glass would be better if the idea is security. One way it is better - he wouldn't be able to understand the goings on in our country.  Have we lived up to his ideas and ideals ?

It is a small house as seen in the pictures with a small courtyard inside.  There is a kitchen, facing outside.  Kasturba Gandhi's room and a guest room look into the courtyard.  Gandhiji's room is outside.

Going there felt like a  pilgrimage.  I sat there and felt peace - tears rolled down.  I wondered what kind of men lived in India at that time.  What were they made of ? Being a leader is one thing, but having people see you and follow your ideals not questioning them and adhering to them is another.  Giving up all material wealth hearing one person's call, ready to give up your life without fear, without thinking of whether your will reap the benefits - how did we Indians loose that ?  How did we turn away from what our forefathers lived and died for ?  How did we become such big cowards ?  When did greed get coded into our DNA ?  I wonder !!!

We all follow the flow of things today, accepting it.  Fighting it makes you a loner many a time and people think you are trouble.  So, you keep quiet accepting that things have changed.  How did things change ?

The small house had a large heart - you will feel that when you go there.  When I came out, there was a man offering namaz just outside.  I saw that Gandhiji's as well as that of a generations ideals are very much alive - in the common man in India.     

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