Narayanbhai Mahadevbhai Desai: Worker, Student, and Friend of Gandhi

Last Monday, October 13, we had the privilege of hearing a guest speaker by the name of Narayanbhai Mahadevbhai Desai. He was born in 1924 in Gandhi’s Ashram and grew up with Gandhi as a teacher and friend. His father worked as Gandhi’s secretary for twenty-five years and then he worked in the same position for ten years. Here are some interesting things he had to say about Gandhi:
(Note: If you want to skim, the parts in bold are the ones I liked the best.)

Gandhi as a person:
• His father said working for Gandhi was like “living on the face of a volcano,” because there were two sides to Gandhi. One was that of a friend and one was like a volcano that would erupt if provoked, because he was so passionate and strong in his viewpoints.
• He was also like this to his wife.

Gandhi’s education system:
• Mediums of teaching: teach through craft/ creativity, teach through community action, teach through nature
• Education through experience: love, freedom, self-expression
• He was a “silent teacher.”

Gandhi as a leader:
• He based his leadership on specific strategies.
• He was a part of three big national movements, but the way he got people involved was through satyagrahas.
-These were smaller movements in between the larger movements that had achievable goals.
-This kept people involved because they felt like they were seeing change happen.

Gandhi as a lonely walker:
• In February 1947, Indian independence was announced by Britain, and the Indian National Congress never called upon Gandhi again.
• On January 30, 1948, he was assassinated.
• In a letter late in his life he wrote: “I feel there is fire all around me, above me and below me, but inside I only feel calm,” because he felt like God was taking care of him.
• In his autobiography he wrote, “I don’t remember a single time my prayers weren’t answered by God.”

Question and Answer Time:
Q: What do you think is the most important thing about Gandhi?
A: Gandhi always said, “My life is my message.” And he followed this.

Q: How can people today still hold onto the belief of non-violence, when it doesn’t seem to be working in areas like Tibet for example? A: What is happening in Tibet is important for the whole world because a whole culture is trying to be erased. However, violence is still not the answer, because it will not create a good future. You really have to think about what type of future you want to create. Martin Luther King, Jr. said we only have one alternative to non-violence: non-existence.

Q: How did Gandhi transform the lives of people?
A: He poured himself into the life of the other person.