Gandhi – Niranjan Mohanty
They
didn’t tell me
how much of my
flesh and blood
they needed;
how much of my silence
would have
reared the weeds
of their votive
ego,
I’d have given
them much more.
They
didn’t tell me
how much of my
tears
they needed to
hoist
a jungle of
their pride;
surely, I’d
have given them,
even much more.
They
didn’t tell me
how much of my
pains
they needed to
quench their thirst;
I’d have given
them.
surely, a sea
of it
I’d have given
them.
They
only needed
my blood’s
still breath;
and I flooded
them
with my love.
O’ Lord of the
universe
save them.
-----
Summary:
The father of our nation, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, is compared to great saints of the world. His love for nation and exhibiting fearless and undaunted bravery in the freedom struggle is known to every human being of the world. The ‘Truth’ and ‘Non-violence’ are the two invincible weapons with him to fight against British Empire to secure freedom to the nation. In this poem titled ‘Gandhi’ Niranjan Mohanty recounts Mahatma Gandhiji’s sacrifices and sufferings during India’s struggle for freedom. Gandhiji is ready to shed tears, suffers pains and even give his life for the sake of the Nation.
The
poet, Niranjan Mohanty imbibed with patriotic feelings of Gandhiji, has
expressed Gandhiji’s through this poem. “They” refers here the people of India
who have been divided among themselves in the name of religion, caste, creed,
regionalism and language besides socio-economic challenges like ignorance,
illiteracy, poverty and untouchablity before Gandhiji to achieve unity among
the people. He wanted to eradicate these votive egoistic self-centered demonic
people at the time of freedom struggle by sacrificing everything even his flesh
and blood. Flesh and blood is the rich and fertile manure for the growth of
Liberty.
Gandhiji
had sacrificed everything his personal possessions, wishes, joys, happiness and
every possible good moment for the sake of united India. He shed his tears,
blood to satisfy the dirty monstrous selfish dividers of the nation. Probably Gandhiji’s
aims and ambitions for harmonious nation were supposed to be unwanted. Finally,
Gandhiji fell to the bullets of a haughty fanatic and his body is laid to rest
as a martyr, honouring him as Mahatma (the Great Soul) of the nation. Nobody
was in a position to understand his great motivation to build a mighty nation.
\
“O’
Lord of the universe
Save
them”
The
last two lines of the poem reveal the magnanimity of the Mahatma who seems to
say, as Jesus Christ actually about his tormentors, “Forgive them for they know
not what they are doing.”
*****
thank u and i really appreciate your work for making the literature very simple, you mentioned that " they " refers to indian people but i think it refers to the British. Please consider..
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments. Your query is really worthy because we have seen Gandhi who sacrificed his great part of life to win freedom from British. But I humbly request you to under stand the plural society of India that was / is devided on basis of cast, class creed, religion. The backdrop of this purticular poem 'Gandhi' by Mohanthy is the time of bifurcating United Indian into two countries, where people were unrest with their votive egos pride and ventured to killing each other mercilessly. Setting fire to public property. People had become savages. Gandhi tried to convince the people in several ways, but all his efforts have gone vain. The savegery of the people made him go again to fast unto death in Kolkata until they disarm themselves. When he was fasting he uttered this looking at the ignorance of the Indian people
DeleteHi. I have been having the same query, If 'they'actually refer to Indians or the British.?? Please respond.
ReplyDeleteThey refers to Indians. Gandhi feels bad and worried that even though he has sacrificed so much for Indians, the religious differences will some day end them. Hence, he asks God to save them.
DeleteHi. I have been having the same query, If 'they'actually refer to Indians or the British.?? Please respond.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments. Your query is really worthy because we have seen Gandhi who sacrificed his great part of life to win freedom from British. But I humbly request you to under stand the plural society of India that was / is devided on basis of cast, class creed, religion. The backdrop of this purticular poem 'Gandhi' by Mohanthy is the time of bifurcating United Indian into two countries, where people were unrest with their votive egos pride and ventured to killing each other mercilessly. Setting fire to public property. People had become savages. Gandhi tried to convince the people in several ways, but all his efforts have gone vain. The savegery of the people made him go again to fast unto death in Kolkata until they disarm themselves. When he was fasting he uttered this looking at the ignorance of the Indian people
DeleteThank you for your comments. Your query is really worthy because we have seen Gandhi who sacrificed his great part of life to win freedom from British. But I humbly request you to under stand the plural society of India that was / is devided on basis of cast, class creed, religion. The backdrop of this purticular poem 'Gandhi' by Mohanthy is the time of bifurcating United Indian into two countries, where people were unrest with their votive egos pride and ventured to killing each other mercilessly. Setting fire to public property. People had become savages. Gandhi tried to convince the people in several ways, but all his efforts have gone vain. The savegery of the people made him go again to fast un to death in Kolkata until they disarm themselves. When he he was fasting he uttered this looking at the ignorance of the Indian people.
ReplyDeleteThey in the poem is a reference to a section of society who were responsible for causing distress to Gandhi. It can be the British or the Indians. However in the last stanza " my blood's........... love" insinuates Gandhi's despair about his murderers.
ReplyDeleteHello. I have been searching for the full poem (Gandhi by Niranjan Mohanty) and a fully summary. Can't find it anywhere on the net. Would it be possible for you to post the poem and/or summary? This is needed for a group of students who have this as part of their curriculum. Many thanks.
ReplyDeleteHi Sir, We are looking for this Poem Gandhi by Niranjan Mohanty. Will it be possible for you to post this beautiful piece here and also its summary if possible.
ReplyDeleteAlso looking for the poem Summary Inexpensive Progress by Sir John Betjeman
Thank you in advance.
S
Thank you so much Sir for your prompt response in posting the poem. Really appreciate it. Thank you
ReplyDeleteHi sir, Gandhi portrayed in this poem can be seen as a fitting metaphor for the idea of democracy. His characterization in the poem is so as to foster a dialogue between the people having even different ideologies. Truth is never a priori or a given. There is no one absolute truth. There are thousands of truths lying somewhere in the interstices of two polarized ends or ideologies. Plurality of this nation should be recognized and respected. I taught this poem just a week back.
ReplyDeleteBy the way I was your student sir, in Kotturu.
Sir, plz tell me d publish date of "Gandhi" poem
ReplyDeleteManjulaa
ReplyDeleteManjulaa
ReplyDeleteನಮಸ್ತೆ ಸರ್. ಗಾಂಧಿ ಕವಿತೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಿರಂಜನ್ ಮೆಹಂದಿ ಅವರು ಗಾಂಧೀಜಿಯ ಸ್ವತಂತ್ರ ಹೋರಾಟದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ತಿಳಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಗಾಂಧೀಜಿಯು ಬ್ರಿಟಿಷರು ನಮ್ಮ ದೇಶದ ಸಂಪತ್ತನ ಲೂಟಿಯ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಸೂಕ್ಷ್ಮವಾಗಿ ಬಾಯಾರಿಕೆ ಎಂಬ ಪದದ ಮೂಲಕ ವಿವರಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ ಅಲ್ವಾ ಸರ್,.... ಸರ್ ಸರ್ ನಾನೀಗ ಕೊಟ್ರೇಶ್ವರ ಕಾಲೇಜಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಬಿಎ ಡಿಗ್ರಿ ಮಾಡ್ತಿದ್ದೀನಿ ಸರ್
ReplyDelete