Mahatma Gandhi Memorial

Marigolds for the Gods (and Gandhi)

Placing the flowers

Powerful Sculpture of Gandhi leading the salt march to symbolically break the British salt laws.

I visited the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial, he is know as “the father of the nation” here, since he inspired the Indian people to overthrow the British colonization via civil disobedience and the practice of nonviolence. I think it has been my best experience here so far. The plain black slab which marks the site of his cremation is simple, with a single eternal flame behind it. You are required to take off your shoes prior to entering the main courtyard area with the memorial. People do come forward and offer marigold flowers to the memorial, this is something that people also do for all Hindu Gods. There are flower sellers at regular intervals on the streets for all your shrine giving needs. I decided that Gandhi would appreciate my offering of flowers and purchased some for the memorial.
The memorial itself is inside an enclosed park of manicured lawns and trees, it is peaceful, stunningly clean and quiet—remarkable considering that it is in Central Delhi. The experience was notably different from anything else because it was free, there were no vendors allowed inside and it was all around hassle-free. After visiting I felt very centered and calm.

We also visited the accompanying museum. Gandhi’s life is particularly well photographed and the museum also had some of his possessions, such as the walking stick he used during his famous salt march in 1931. I was struck by just how revolutionary Gandhi was in his tactics and his concept of civil disobedience. What is also communicated in the pictures is that Gandhi possessed a rare set of dual skills whereby he had great micro skills and incredible macro skills. What I mean is that on a day-to-day basis and person-to-person basis he was compassionate, gentle and connectable. There are numerous photos of him at people’s sickbeds acting as a nurse to those whom no one else would serve, or walking with children who are showing great glee at being with this old man. He had the honed skills and passion for traditional social work activities. And yet, what we all know him as is the prominent leader of India’s independence movement. He was an organizer extraordinaire, possessing potent skills of effecting and leading large scale change. Those are very disparate skill sets and are not often found in the same person. Perhaps this is one of the reasons that makes him such a powerful person in history.
I’ve often said that I loathe the idea of becoming a policy-maker who has lost touch with those who the policies effect. It seems like such a common defect in our leaders, sometimes I feel like it must be nearly impossible to avoid this separation since it happens to so many good intentioned people during the course of a career. Gandhi is a fabulous role model as someone who never forgot what was relevant and important to the people he served and who could lead with power from the intimate understanding of their perspective. Part of me thinks that is why I so enjoy traveling and seeking to gain a type of understanding of others. The more and more connected the world becomes (and it is continuing to be so) my actions, particularly as a wealthy American, have repercussions for many who I have never met and who I certainly don’t understand. I would be miserable knowing that my actions had unintended negative consequences because I simply did not bother to get to know others’ ways or to try and understand my place in the larger system.
Well, enough ruminating for one day. Due to train schedules Leigh and I do not take off until Sunday for the south of India. So I should have another couple posts in me before we take off to Kerala and the internet access becomes much more intermittent. We will also start working at that point and I will switch out of intense tourist mode (I’m sure you will be relieved :))