Born in the village of Parbandar in the state of Gujarat on October 2 in 1869, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi liberated India from colonial rule the English. But his savings left nothing to be desired. He had plain clothes and a stick as his support. Yet he was able to win the hearts of millions of Indians.
For freedom, for satyagraha, for the protection of the dalits and the oppressed, for bringing an end to communal violence and for reconciliation, Mahatma Gandhi leaned on a lean body and ran all over India. The historical stick was inextricably linked with the life and work of the Mahatma.
Gandhi had four children, Harilal Gandhi, Ramdas Gandhi, Manilal Gandhi and Devdas Gandhi who were the four claimants to inherit the stick. But no one got it.
Or the Indian National Congress, the cradle of Gandhi's political ideology, could have inherited the stick. But the Congress did not get it either.
The Mahatma's stick is recognized as a national treasure and a historical symbol. The stick has found a place in the museum of Gandhi's memorial in Delhi's Shantiban for public viewing.
A man went from house to house, from village to village, leaning on a stick calling for independence, self-rule and self-reliance. He was fighting to stop subjugation, cowardice and violence in the mantra of peace. Gandhi's image seems to be such a picture leaning on a stick.
Seeing so much bloodshed, murder, rape, oppression, torture all around on Gandhi's birthday, one must remember Mahatma. The raped woman, the body of the dying child, the oppressed humanity will cry out in indistinct cries, someone come forward with a stick wrapped in truth, non-violence and humanity. Defeat violence and aggression in the amiable stream of peace. In that case, the real memory of Gandhi and due respect to him will be given.