Gandhi's untouchables promote peace

By Monicca Shanthanelson
Chart Reporter

The Sabarmati Ashram for the "sons of Hari": Gandhi's Untouchables.

The motto is complete "Swaraj," which can be translated into freedom and independence that will lead to a peaceful way of life free of all violence.

"Providing employment was one of the chief ways of ensuring peace,  Gandhi said. "Think globally, act locally, and the peace work established in one house leads to a peaceful village, which leads to a peaceful taluk and ultimately a peaceful country," said Amrut Modi, secretary of Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust and the director of Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalaya in Ahmedabad.

The ashram was founded by Gandhiji in 1917 when an epidemic of plague broke out in the city. He liked the place because it had in its north a British prison house, and on the south, the burning grounds for the dead. Gandhi used to remark, "This is the right place for our activities to carry on the search for Truth and develop Fearlessness for on one side are the iron bolts of the foreigners and on the other, thunderbolts of mother nature."

The Satyagraha ashram, later named Harijan Ashram or Sabarmati Ashram, was started with a two-fold purpose - one, to carry on the search for Truth, and the other to create a nonviolent group of workers who would organize themselves in such activities which would help secure freedom for the country.

The idea was to build a new social township, which would go a long way to revolutionizing the existing pattern of life.

Later, it was devoted exclusively to the development of the untouchables of India, people of society s bottom of economic and social hierarchy who were inhumanly discriminated against, people who later came to be called by Gandhi as Harijans (the sons of the Lord Hari).

Gandhiji loved even those who were unwanted and unloved by society - the untouchables. He lived his own teaching.

The ashram began humming with activities that are still actively carried out. A school was built where a "value education" based on manual labor was stressed. Education was the hope for a better future, and Gandhi was determined to improve individuals  future prospects.

Agriculture was practiced and spinning was encouraged. The idea was to make the individual less dependent and more self-supporting. The nine objectives of the ashram given by Gandhiji were education, speaking the truth, celibacy, control of the palate, non-stealing, non-possession, use of homemade articles, conquering fear, and eradicating untouchability.

The ashram stands witness to many historical events. The famous Salt Satyagraha was initiated from this ashram. Here in this ashram, ethics of Satyagraha, principles of nonviolence, ways and means to achieve freedom, were not only determined but were also put into practice. The spirit of Gandhiji still remains.

The ashram consists of  My life is my message  gallery - with more than 400 photo enlargements of historic events in Gandhi's life, a library of 29,270 books dealing with Gandhi's life and teachings, archives consisting of letters to and from Gandhi.

The ashram -run school offers classes from first to 12th grades. Also, there is a training college for primary teachers.

A two-year training experience is offered in some local villages. People are admitted regardless of their caste and religion because this was education for the individual not a sect of the society. The ashram also has a division involved with the production of khadi, which generates almost 10 crore rupees every year. Handmade paper products, spinning wheels, furniture, edible oil and soap are some of the other products manufactured.

In keeping with its sense of dignity of labor, the ashram has branches to help local villagers with agriculture and dairy farms. Research is being conducted in these fields, and the production has increased.

The ashram also seeks to keep alive the message of Gandhi's life through collection, display, and preservation of Gandhi's writings, undertaking study and research in Gandhian thought, and publishing literature, arranging exhibitions, and observing occasions connected with Gandhi's life.