An
eternal flame burning on a black marble pier fringed with lush greens
on the banks of Yamuna is a reminder of Bapu’s
favorite lyrics
Vaishnav jan to tene kahiyea je peer parai jaane re…
Bapu is no longer with us, but this enduring light is
a message to the world --
let there be peace, harmony, and unity on the earth.
January 30th, 1948, three shots garlanded
Gandhi’s neck, and with He Ram
and folded hands, he sank to the ground. Millions
gathered and shed tears.
A great soul left his physical attire and left behind
only six personal possessions.
But this magnetic man with a will of iron, with Ahinsa
as his only weapon,
changed the history of the world.
Sabarmati Ashram became the symbol
of India’s freedom movement.
Do or die, Gandhi’s motto
shook the British foundation.
He uplifted the world against injustices of any kind.
He stood for women, the caste system, racism, and
national unity.
His message, Be the change, was an awakening
call for the entire world.
Bapu, the father of our nation, is physically no
longer with us,
but this frail man with a determined mind,
decisiveness, and resolution
believed that good human beings keep their words and
actions pure.
Gandhi, a legend, was that flame that kindled our
earth.
He left his footprints engraved on stone.
Notes: Vaishnav jan to tene kahiyea je peer parai
jaane re: A good human feels the pain of others. Mahatma Gandhi adopted
Narsi Mehta’s 15th-century poem in Gujarati into his prayers sung at the
Sabarmati Ashram.
Dr. Meenakshi Mohan, an educator, art critic, children's writer, painter, and
poet, is a widely published author in academic and creative areas. She
taught at universities in Chicago, Boston, and Towson,
Maryland. She is on the Editorial Team for Inquiry in
Education at National Louis University, Chicago, Illinois. Meenakshi
received the International Panoramic Award for Writing and
an Award of Excellence in Literature from Setu
Bilingual Journal, Published in Pittsburgh, USA.
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