The Mahatma Must Live On (Gandhian Philosophy)

Manpreet Chadha

Fearless, resolute, unflagging, epitome of pacifism 

Foreign shores notwithstanding, you doggedly fought discrimination 

Equality to women, dignity to Dalits, courage to cowering your life's mission

You, Bapu, wielded truth and ahimsa to combat exploitation and oppression 

Our chests swell with pride to witness 

A 'Make in India' 'Swatch Bharat', a Droupadi Murmu in the lead

Absolute adoption of your legacy though, is unrealized dream indeed

Millions still live in shadow of fear, of ruthless rulers' sinful atrocity 

Prejudices still run high, constitutional rights do not translate into reality 

Sanity wails when women are paraded naked as objects of exhibition 

Freedom gets fractured when peaceful satyagrahis are rained with batons

Gun battles rock Gaza while Russia dismantles citadel of humanity

A tottering, bleeding globe once again clamours for peace and amity

Amidst the horrific chaos, nevertheless, the message remains loud and clear

With nations perched precariously on nuclear piles in constant fear

Humankind cannot afford a third world war, any more aggression 

Tyranny can never for long overwhelm tolerance and compassion 

Your timeless ideals, therefore, of truth, peace and non-violence 

Must be reinstalled to conquer vanity and arrogance 

To steer humanity clear of hatred and hostility 

And rebuild a cordial globe replete with love and empathy

Bio: Manpreet Chadha is a poet, blogger and short story writer based in Delhi. Poetry, she believes, is therapeutic and a manifestation of her thoughts, emotions and experiences of life. Characterized by profundity, her poems find pride of place in many anthologies and resonate with a large section of readers. She has recently published her second poetry book titled 'Shadows and Sunshine' which endeavors to capture life with its roses and thorns. Her first book, Soul Speak, was a self- published amateur venture in 2018.

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Setu, October 2023 :: Gandhian Philosophy