What made a common looking man, walking with wooden stick and draping a loincloth on his thin body, inspire generations to see the world through his glass? Amid the war of liberty when every other patriot was seeking for ways to fight British, he chose the path of non-violence. The great writer Arnold Zweig had once said, “Then rose the star of Gandhi. He showed that a doctrine of non-violence was possible.”  On a land full of riots, killings, blood hence red… he walked in white, he walked in peace.

From Gandhi to Mahatma Gandhi, each step of his journey inspires many to lead a life that is less of desires and more of ideals. His political tactics gave us way to swaraj whereas his personality offered a minimal living. As a political figure, his efforts went extraordinary with one movement to another, but the one that shook the British roots in India was the Salt March and the same movement left a lasting impact on me.

I do not even remember in what standard I was studying when the chapter of Salt March was fetched to my text book. But it never went off my mind since then. It changed my perception for my surrounding and taught me a lesson for lifetime. Today, decades later when I was asked to write about the great soul, I would love to convey what inspire me the most about him… the Salt March & it’s after effects.

At dawn on March 12, 1930, Gandhi started the march from Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad to Arabian Sea at Dandi, a 241 mile march. At that time, British had a salt Monopoly that prohibited Indians to produce salt. Indians were bound to purchase expensive salt. Gandhi, after several unsuccessful attempts to release this ban, finally decided to launch this protest. This was my first lesson, that strikes and fights are not the only way to stand for what is right, a thoughtful approach by Gandhi showed the power of Indians without raising voice.

At the beginning, they were few, but during the march, thousands joined the movement. Gandhi not just concentrated on salt march but also worked against discrimination on the basis of caste. In a village, he took bath in an ‘untouchable’ well and in another, he denied to start speech unless ‘untouchable’ join the arena. Notable fact is that, ‘untouchable’ is the lower Hindu caste. There, I learned my second lesson, any traditions, even if age old, which is harming the dignity of living being, should be forbidden.

They walked 12 miles a day, stopped at villages to make people a part of it and ended being 80,000 together at Dandi. British feared the consequences of facing the mob and stayed away of the march. and what happened at the end is a history. Gandhi broke the law and collected salt form beach side. But not alone that he could perform this. The collective effort of marchers succeeded in protest. Here, another lesson hit me, ocean is infinite, but it needs droplets to be formed.

On April 6, 1930, Gandhi’s words came, “I am shaking the foundations of the British Empire.” But this was not the end. Over weeks, more people joined and harvested mineral. Women were actively participating. They walked the miles, boiled water to make salt and sold salt in market. And no one  assaulted them, raped them or told them to sit home. Another lesson, that women were never weak, they were fearless and were equally responsible as the men were.

The march was not over yet. Gandhi was arrested by British rulers for disobedience, so were the other 80,000s. But the moment did not seem to end. No violence by the officials could make them stop. Even after Gandhi’s arrest people kept on harvesting minerals from sea side. At that age, I could not get that how people kept going when the leader himself was absent. But with time, I got my lesson; it is never a person but an idea that change generations. But yes! There must be a great personality to hold a great ideology.

Gandhi was chosen “Man of the year” by Time Magazine. A man, a simple looking old aged man, who quit his profession and lived in an ashram, an activist who chose non-violence and used the weapon of will not guns or bombs. He shook not just British Empire but the whole world with his principles. The world was talking about him, was following him.

The journey of becoming a great personality is never easy; it takes a lot to reach a greater position. The two principles that may sound two simple words to us gave us father of the nation. They were; simple living and non-violence. It could not be easy for Gandhi to choose nation over profession or a saint living over the glory he could get being a politician. It could not be easy to choose a path where no one was walking.

The pre-independence era was harsh, more than our imaginations. The path of patriotism was the path of sacrificing, sacrificing everything even life. After so many movements and law breaking, British could not dare to harm Gandhi but an Indian assassinated him, ended a life that still gives life lessons to many, including me, a person who was born 45 years post his death.

We still talk, discuss and debate about Gandhi was right or wrong. Many claim his non-violence did not contribute to the freedom we have got and many say he is the sole reason of our independence. But what I believe is that the collaborative efforts of all our patriots gifted us a free India. It was not done by Gandhi alone, but his presence could never be unnoticed, not any time.`

Albert Einstein rightly said:

“Generations to come, it may well be, will scarce believe that such a man as this one ever in flesh and blood walked upon this Earth.” 

After 300 years of cruel rule in India, British Army managed to march out of the country with a shot fire and seven casualties. A shot fire and seven casualties. But! Indians ended up uprooting 15 million of its own population, killing 1 or 2 million of its own people, raping 75,000 women of its own land and partitioning its own country.  1947 was that candle in Indian history, that lit up the sky with freedom from slavery but put its grounds in dark killing its integrity. 1947 killed the coexistence in India, at a glance.

I was eleven when one morning pitaji rushed to my bedroom. I was seeing him after two days. But he did not care to me and was walking here and there. Soon, he got the sandook from the almirah, and started packing. Before I could ask him the reason maa and chichi came in with her jewelleries and other belongings. We were going somewhere I knew but where and why? And what was the reason of the rush. Things were not right as we were at the edge of getting freedom from British rule, I had learnt from the elders. Before I could utter a word, maa caressed me and said, “beta, we cannot tell you the everything now… we have to leave Karachi, we will go to some other part of the country, that is the thing for now.”, that was enough to shake my grounds, “maa, we got independent, then why are they making us move?” maa was terrified. Never in the past years had that I had saw her worried like this. After Second World War, independence became our fate as British Empire was out of resources to run the cruelty and the fight for freedom had ignited. We were going to be a democratic country after 300 years of slavery. But I saw no happiness in her eyes; her words were shivery instead, ”it is not the British, we failed to keep good relations with the other religions of our country, we will be divided into two countries from now on, don’t you remember me telling you about the new region, Pakistan?”, Maa tried to wrap the conversation but I was confused, “ yes, you had told me but why we have to shift?,” I wanted the ask more but the noises  outside interrupted me. Maa sensed my insecurity somehow, “this is a land of muslims and we are hindus we cannot stay here any long, this is going to be Pakistan and we are Indians.” Pitaji joined us but not for talking, “betaji, we will let you understand each and everything but not now, this is a crucial time, people are killing each other,,,, we are not safe here.” He was stressed and so were the other family member but I could not really get the reason, “I obey you, pitaji,,,, but this is our hometown, I have lived here with ashfaq from the time I was born, why would he kill me?”, by the time I completed my question wiping my tears pitaji was gone, he was busy. Maa promised to tell me about it on our way and left me to get ready.

But I wasn’t happy. But then! I had to follow my elders. I stared my room for some time and then I went to close the window, I did not want dust to fell in. site of the street had all my answers. There were dead bodies and… blood. That was all I could see. I was unaware of the reason again, but I got the fact that we were not safe. I locked the door of my room, kissed it and promised to come back, one day.

For next 15 minutes, we waited in the hall. Pitaji and chachaji went to check for safety. We were strictly told to stay home. maa, chichi, rupa, dadi, ashwin and me. I was crying, all that while. At one time when the riots outside accelerated, Maa sat down to match my height and held my shoulder tightly, “promise me one thing,,, you will not leave my hand. Our own people are going to be harsh on us, they will attach us,,, there is chance,,, but you won’t lose the grip on me, promise?” I promised and she hugged me with her lively smile and teary eyes. I was strengthened.

“paras, you go with chachaji and your cousins, we will come in the next trip.”, Pitaji said when he came back. “but why?”, I was anxious. “betaji, we have got only one tanga, you people leave and we will follow.”, he made me understand but that was not enough for me, “I will come with maa, I won’t lose the grip”, I announced.  Maa held me again, “yes, you never will. But we are family and we have to act according to what comes forth.”, she advised but I was stubborn, “I will not…. Leave your hands,”.   She, with all her grace, put through her words that were unmatchable, “your safety is my responsibility and my dignity is your obedience. Think of everyone’s safety and leave,,,, I will grab you again once you escape the darkness of today.”

I obeyed… and left. The time I saw her waving from the tanga, she looked divine. We boarded the train but they did not come. My anxiety and fear grew every second. Chachaji told us they would come in the next train. And they did come, Pitaji and his associates. Pitaji did not meet me till we reach our new house in Amritsar. “Your maa and chachi stayed in the camp, the violence had advanced. They will come with the other migrants.” Pitaji told us. He had actually… lied to us. they never came. Maa and chachi. They never came.

Today, after 70 years, I am a historian and a professor. I tell my students not just the fighting spirit of our patriots but the sacrifices done our women. Our own people are going to be harsh on us. my pitaji killed maa that day. your safety is my responsibility and my dignity is your obedience. She died to save me and her dignity. My safety was in moving out of my hometown because few people suddenly thought that our motherland needed division to survive and my mother’s dignity was in dying because all thought it to be better to kill their own ladies than to find them brutally raped by other religion.

Everything was done by everybody for religion, regardless of being a Hindu or Muslim. Both killed, raped, looted and separated their ways. They fought for freedom together for ages, and then they fought with each other to feel free. And that is how we got independent… independent of?