“The English did not took India; we gave it to them. They were not in India because of their strength, but because we kept them” This excerpt from one of the most seminal work of Mahatma Gandhi and the most original contribution to political theory after Kautilya’s Arthashastra still gives goosebumps to those who read “HIND SWARAJ” which is an alternative to feudalism, Marxism and western style democracy based on majority-ism.
Hind-Swaraj is a book of about 30,000 words written by our Father of Nation in Gujarati while on a return trip from England to South Africa in just 10 days. The book talks about ‘The Concept of Self Rule” which still remains valid in the 21st century, it is a key to understanding Gandhi’s life and philosophy; and to get over the present dilemma-growth without development. The book depicts how visionary Gandhi Ji was as despite of being published in 1909, it does not talk about how to win political freedom for India; rather it is a book on how humanity can progress from conscious to super-conscious and moral beings. The book contains such deep theories which will compel you to think that has it been written thinking about the current world.
In Hind Swaraj, Gandhi Ji has also laid down the duties of a newspaper which still acts as guiding steps for journalism today. Each chapter of the book talks about various issues still being faced by the country even after 63 years of Independence, one of the excerpts from Chapter XVIII reads “English-knowing Indians have not hesitated to cheat and strike terror into the people. It is we, the English-knowing Indians that have enslaved India. The curse of the nation will rest not upon the English but upon us which shows what our country has been lacking since the establishment of the nation i.e “UNITY”. It is very unfortunate that so little has been written in the mainstream media on ‘Hind Swaraj’ (Indian Home Rule), in its centenary year though it can be of much use today to resolve the present crisis bedeviling the nation.
You will be surprised to know whenever Bapu was tired of writing from right hand he was writing from this left hand and in this book he had written 40 pages from left hand. (As per featured image Left side image is from book written by Bapu and right hand side image written by Bapu by left hand around 40 pages).
One would agree that how rare and priceless it is to have the original Hind Swaraj written by Bapu himself in one’s collection, as today one can re-construct a new monument of love or buy back “The Kohinoor” from the British empire but bringing Bapu back to life and writing such exemplary work is like a wild dream.
Anirudh Sethi, one of the most prominent author from India and apart from analyzing international markets, the collector of antiquities from around the world having rare collection of objects and coins especially everything regarding Mohan Das Karam Chandra Gandhi and holder of the original Hind Swaraj among his diverse collection.
Anirudh Sethi talks about the book and states that “Hind Swaraj is the seed from which the tree of Gandhian philosophy will grow to its full stature in this country.”
Mr. Sethi had an interest in understanding the Indian culture from his childhood which led him to write seen best sellers including the likes of “The Royal Family of Baroda” and now dreams of opening a public museum showcasing the souvenir he has collected throughout the year through vigorous research and study about Mahatma Gandhi Ji.
It is people like Anirudh Sethi who is keeping the tradition and morals of this country alive and spreading the same to the future generations to come!! Like Gandhi Ji, Mr. Sethi too believes that “Real home rule is self-rule or self-control.” and, non-violence is the only means to attain it.
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