Truth
with self realization
MK
Gandhi's My Experiments with Truth is more than a realization of his own
self.
'My
Experiments with Truth' is Gandhi's autobiography which provokes one to know
more about him. My sister once said that Gandhi was the reason behind the
reservation system and also the partition that is prevalent in India presently.
I did not believe this because since my school days I have been taught that
Gandhi is the 'Father of our Nation' and also one who paved way for our freedom
through Ahimsa. Then I thought being considered
Father of a Nation how could one be responsible for the division in a
country. I have also heard people saying that one who reads Gandhi's
autobiography would hate him. Since then I had this urge to read this book 'My
Experiments with Truth'.
Gandhi in the autobiography tells us all about his
childhood, school, marriage, religion, travel, education, reforms, disaster and
his tragedy which he describes as eating meat going against his parents and the
religion he followed. In the first few chapters Gandhi tells about his lineage
and talks about his love for his parents. I could feel the proud he had in
telling about his father. About his father he tells, ''he had no education… his rich experience of practical
affairs stood him in good stead in the solution of the most intricate questions
and in managing hundreds of men''. His mother was so religious and left
him the memory of ''saintliness".
I read the book with a kind of perception that Gandhi
might be personally bad. Over the course of the chapter I could explore his
'love of truth'. Gandhi was betrothed thrice and finally was married when he
was thirteen. Since he married at very young age he was in a position to adhere
to the norms of the society. He had the common assumptions of wife and marriage
which men usually has. Gandhi is found to be religious like his mother. When he
says, "only a Hindu wife would tolerate these hardships,
and that is why I have regarded woman as an incarnation of
tolerance",
his perception of women(wife) denoting a particular community seems unfair. We
also do not find him realizing it later. Gandhi also undergoes difficulty in overcoming his 'carnal
pleasure'. He accuses him of having too much of
'carnal appetite' that he was unable to be with his father during his
last breath. He says, "if animal passion had not blinded me, I should have
been spared the torture of separation from my father during his last moments. I
should have been massaging him, and he would have died in my arms".
I
remember having heard that when Gandhi indulged in smoking and told his father
the truth he locked up him in a room full of cigarettes and asked him to smoke
until he is content with it. But in the book I found the information to be
false. Gandhi believed greatly in truth. He was religious and did not like to
come out of his religious traditions. Unfortunately he indulged in eating meat
as a 'reform' which he describes as a tragedy in his life. Gandhi did not ever
want to lie to his parents but he couldn't help it as he took it as part of a
'reform'. He also talks about his school where he learned so much and excelled
in his studies. I am surprised with the fact that Gandhi was able to recall
several incidents of his childhood and the other stages of his life. He had a
great 'love of truth' which is the becomes the source of this book. No one
would dare to project oneself bad in any instance but Gandhi dared to tell his
real life incidents. The biography is composed with numerous incidents through
which he establishes his self-realization.
Gandhi
travels to several places like England, South Africa, Durban and gains lot of
experiences. He was able to overcome most of his defects like shyness,
religious thoughts. He was able to see life in different way. He describes
certain incidents which helped him to overcome the difficulties he had. He was
also exposed to Christianity which he disliked once. He started to acknowledge
every religion and also was eager to know about atheism. But he did not fail to
follow Hinduism only. His time in England has given him great exposure and have
learned a lot. Gandhi was a head of the Vegetarian committee in England which
he later resigned. His treasured his circle of friends also. He also tells us
about the experience and experiments he had in visiting other countries. Every
chapter in the book portrays several incidents which he managed to remember.
Through this autobiography Gandhi establishes his self-realization and his
'love of Truth'. It depends on one's own approach to the truth that is
portrayed to judge him good or bad. I think Gandhi did not do anything which no
man does. He is also a man who lived in the society which consist certain
norms. He was bound to follow them. It is an undeniable fact that Gandhi was
religious. However it might be true that he was responsible for the partition
and the reservation system.
I would
like to appreciate Gandhi's ability to recall his memories. The memories must
be really indelible that he was able to write them very lively. I would rate
the book 4.5 out of 5 for the truth which is very mandatory for an
autobiography.
- Maanini
Jayal
