One trait of Mahatma Gandhi which perhaps is less admired is his rationality. He understood the importance of unity and making a public statement to the government. The burning of passes in South Africa was done with a touch of drama to show the government the unity. Even in India, he marched from Sabarmati to Dandi, and did not take any other means of transport to make a statement. He understood the power of public opinion. He was a very rational person. He knew that fighting such formidable opponents such as the British were not possible by force. The only way he could have achieved his demands were through a peaceful struggle. Mahatma Gandhi drew his ideals of love, compassion, lack of selfishness and non-violence from many religions. He was, in fact, mesmerized by Raja Harish Chandra in his teenage years and by Jesus in his adult life. There was a mixture of religion and rationality in his decisions and sometimes it was difficult to understand where his spirituality ended, and rationality started. The combination of spirituality and determination, his ideals and principles, and lack of ill feelings even for his opponents made him a formidable opponent.
One of the remarkable qualities of Mahatma Gandhi was his down-to-earth attitude. When he came to India from South Africa, he had achieved so much. He was called the Mahatma at the age of 40. Even then he remained himself without going head-over-heels at the reception he got in India. He emphasized on the need of Cleanliness for Indians. He at times even cleaned the streets, cleaned toilets, cleaned the wounds of people and many other things which were a remarkable feat when you consider his stature in the world. In the 1901 Congress Session at Calcutta, he cleaned the toilet when he found the sanitation arrangement inappropriate. He had a huge respect for human life, and had great empathy for others. This empathy gave him the power to understand his opponents. This empathy made him a true leader. He never asked his followers to follow the path he had chosen, he even understood their problems if they chose not to, but his followers never failed him.
The Mahatma had a great belief in his ideals as well as himself. He listened to everyone but followed his own path. In South Africa, when he thought he was right in supporting the government, he did it even when he was beaten by his own people. This quality persisted in him even after he came to India. When the leaders were ready to gain independence at the expense of partition, he was among the few who resisted it. He adhered to his principles throughout his life even when it meant being sidelined by his party members. He stood up to what he believed was right, and always resisted injustice. The quality which differentiates him from others, was his ability to stick to his principles even when his followers, his friends, his family were against him.
He was a true leader, he could have worn the mantle when India became independent, could have celebrated like a million others but there he was in a corner protesting against the partition of the nation, fasting to quell the riots which had claimed the county. Einstein rightly said, “Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this Earth.”
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