Today was the day to meet another Gandhi Granddaughter, Tara Gandhi, the Executive Director of Gandhi Smirta,the memorial site of the house Gandhi lived his last four months as well as the site of his assassination. He was headed out from a meeting in his room to greet and dialogue with visitors, when an assassin came up to him and touched his feet in reverence and then shot him three times in the chest. Gandhi bowed to his assassin and called out to Ram before passing. He had recently remarked that he would be glad to die in service to his country, even to an assassin.
Tara Gandhi was fourteen when this happened and remembers her grandfather well. He had high standards for all including her, even taking time to correct her handwriting. She remembers him as a man that gave you total attention when with you and she watched many of his enemies and antagonists came to visit and argue, yet when they left it was with admiration and friendship. His power was the cold hard truth held equally with compassion. It is widely held that Gandhi discovered Matri Shakti-the strength and compassion inherent in a woman-from his wife Kasturba. Tara thought her Grandmother was equally remarkable-since her husband created such challenges for her daily. I asked if his life fueled her compassion and she responded “Oh I am still working on that, I am not yet as compassionate as I would like to be”. He created a difficult standard to emulate but one that thousands attempt everyday in their devotion to others. Yet, the standard was realistic as well, because he saw it as a lifelong journey of transformation, and his disciples have also adopted that approach.
No comments:
Post a Comment