Gandhian Spiritualism

This book explores the spiritual transformation of Mohandas Gandhi to the Mahatma. Beginning with his childhood and his desire to search for the Truth from an early age, it explores the influence of western thought on the young lawyer, leading to an inner conflict that drew him to the study of comparative religion. Gandhi came to believe in the equality of all religions and the principles of Truth and non-violence which he applied to every aspect of life, including politics. In his later years he found focus and direction, understanding the importance of prayer and discipline. As the Mahatma, his life exemplified spiritual practice and Truth. Leading India to freedom through satyagraha, he revealed the importance and relevance of non-violence in every aspect of life.

Gandhian Philosophy and thought on education had brought a new dimension and fundamental changes in all aspects of secondary education. He categorically emphasized on the development of social, cultural, economic, environmental and aesthetic values. He adopted the principles of ‘Learning by doing’ which will cause ‘all round drawing out of the best in child and man –body, mind and spirit’. Gandhi wanted to make our child more practical rather than depending upon the accumulation of bookish knowledge. So he emphasized on the development of 3Hs (Head, Heart and Hand) instead of 3Rs (Reading, writing and arithmetic). Gandhi rejected spoon feeding education and emphasized on the awakening of humanism and self-consciousness through self-activity and self-dependence. He advocated self-respect, self-discipline and self-honours and one’s duties and responsibilities to be achieved through education. Thus the introduction of Charkha or the spinning wheel in schools was considered the way of reviving the inner consciousness of humanity. A child receiving craft centric, purposeful, useful and meaningful education will be truly prepared for gaining self-efficiency for generating new ideas and entrepreneurial spirit concerned for quality, peace and prosperity of the humanity and for the total development of manhood. Mahatma Gandhi believed that education means, ‘all round drawing out of the best in child and man, body, mind and spirit’ The philosophical views of Gandhiji indicate that education is a means of self- supporting and self- sufficiency in life , based on truthfulness , firmness, patience and other virtues. True education makes a student an able citizen to serve the country self-less service. True education is a true knowledge of the self, soul and God. The nature of true education is defined as the formation of character.

The world of socio-aesthetics is the serene world of human ascent and excellence. To Mahatma Gandhi, a poignant aesthetic visionary par excellence, the orbit of socio-aesthetics incorporates careful and cautions cultivation of nobler sentiments and finer sensibilities like Truth, Goodness, Beauty and so on for endless advancement of man in the efforescence of myticism. The fusion of Sarvodaya, Non-violence, religion, education and symbolism for the desirable end-in-view of socio-aesthetics as Gandhi advocates and translates till the last day of his life, bears ample testimony to the socio-aesthetic fullness of vision of humankind.