Exploring Gandhiji Gandhi Research Foundation Compilation of activities of Gandhi Research Foundation (2007 to 2012) Special Issue-2 August 2012 Published by Gandhi Research Foundation, Jalgaon Exploring Gandhiji Dedicated to Gandhian thoughts on truth and nonviolence Special issue - 2 o August 2012 llllllll Guidance: Justice Chandrashekhar Dharmadhikari Dr. Bhavarlal H. Jain Chief Editor: Ashok B. Jain Editorial Team: Bhaskaramenon Krishnakumar, Dr. Gita Dharampal, Shriniwas Mahabal, Bashu Art: Yogesh Sandhansive Front Cover: Designed by fabricating an original early morning photograph of the GRF in silhouette. Photo and Design: Yogesh Sandhansive Back Cover: The lawn and the cobbled pavement in front of the statue at Gandhi Hills, North Maharashtra University. Photo: Sumit Deshmukh Photographs: Ishwar Rana, Yogesh Sandhansive, Raju Harimkar, Rajendra Mali, Tushar Bende, Lalit Hiwale and Mini Photos; Mumbai Office: Gandhi Research Foundation, ‘Gandhi Teerth’, P.O. Box - 118, Jain Hills, Jalgaon - 425001. Maharashtra (India). Telephone: +91 257 2264939, +91 9404955338. Fax: +91 257 2261133. Website: www.gandhifoundation.net E-mail: [email protected] llllllll Published by the Chief Editor for and on behalf of Gandhi Research Foundation, ‘Gandhi Teerth’, Jain Hills, Jalgaon - 425001. Printed at Spenta Multimedia, Peninsula Spenta, N. M. Joshi Marg, Mumbai - 400 013, India. | August 2012. llllllll Contents Dedicating the Gandhi Teerth .................................................................... 2 Statement of Purpose ..................................................................................... 4 Words of the Founder, Chairman and Trustees From Gandhi Teerth... .................................................................................... 8 Our Role ..............................................................................................................10 Experiment and introspect ........................................................................12 ......................................13 The Nurturing of the Jain Family with Gandhian values ...............14 A Beacon of selfless Industrious Enterprise Gandhi Teerth: Establishment and Dedication Laying the Corner Stone ..............................................................................20 The capital of Gandhian thoughts ...........................................................44 Committing to the Gandhi ideals .............................................................46 Keeping the light glowing ............................................................................48 ‘Bhau, you will be known not by the industries you nurtured, but by the Gandhi Teerth’! ..........................................................................52 The Museum ......................................................................................................60 The Library, the Archives and a Brief Overview of the Activities Library at GRF ..................................................................................................68 Archives ..............................................................................................................70 Educational Activities ...................................................................................72 Publications .......................................................................................................74 Collaboration with Institutions ................................................................76 Gandhi Vichar Sanskar Pariksha ..............................................................78 Rural Development Programs ...................................................................82 Dissemination of Gandhiji’s Teachings ..................................................91 The First GRF Lecture ..................................................................................94 Documenting the Thoughts of Senior Gandhians ..........................109 Participation in Seminars and Workshops .......................................111 Adopted Daughter of GRF ........................................................................113 Founder’s visit to Gandhian Institutions ...........................................114 A Unique Gift ..................................................................................................115 Remarks of Guests and Visitors Remarks by Eminent Visitors .................................................................120 Eminent Personalities who visited GRF .............................................127 My Life is My Message .............................................................................154 August 2012| Exploring Gandhiji 1 Dedicating the Gandhi Teerth Reports of criminal violence, theft, robbery, rape, had to go hand in hand, recurring maintenance murder, terrorism, internecine war, corruption and cost had to be minimized and expert labour had nepotism crowd the media. Instances of misery, to be hired. Truck loads of red sandstone from the poverty, gender inequality and injustice do not quarries of Rajasthan had to be brought to Jalgaon. even get reported. Every right thinking citizen Hundreds of labourers toiled day and might in feels an overwhelming sense of fear, shock, gloom, disappointment, frustration, righteous indignation time. and impotent fury enveloping them variously. extendedAnd that shifts was to the finish date the of workthe presidential in the appointed visit. But not many people get to do anything against Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, Honourable President these ever increasing crimes. And those few who of India, herself a native of Jalgaon, kindly consented do, address only one segment or a few segments to inaugurate the Gandhi Teerth on 25th March of these wide ranging issues. What we, perhaps, 2012. Once the date of the Presidential visit was need to do is to step up these efforts on a very large scale across the world and combine them into one overwhelming movement founded on principles of theconfirmed, country work were started invited in to full attend swing the for function.organizing A diversity, democracy and sustainability. It demands 13the feetfunction tall statuein a flawless of Gandhiji manner. named Gandhians ‘Ahimsa’, across by a moral genius of the highest order to be able to do that. tall pedestal was installed on the western side. Dr. Such a genius cannot merely be a religious A.T.the famousAriyaratne, sculptor the founder Ram Vanji of Sarvodaya, Sutar on a Sri five Lanka feet leader. Limitations notwithstanding, failures agreed to deliver the inaugural GRF lecture. notwithstanding, Gandhiji seems to be the closest The President arrived at Gandhi Teerth at 10- one could ever get to this ideal. Which is why the 10 a.m. on the appointed day, accompanied by Shri world is increasingly turning to him now. Deep K. Shankaranarayanan, Governor of Maharashtra ecology, grass root democracy, common sense and Shri Gulabrao Deokar, Minister, Government of economics and colonial resistance merge together Maharashtra. She was received by Bhau, Justice C. S. Dharmadhikari, (Chairman, GRF), Shri D. R. Mehta, the oppressor on multiple fronts presents the Shri Ashok B. Jain and Shri Dalichand Jain (Trustees, picturein him. Theof anresister ever /resilient challenger leader. Gandhi Interestingly, who defied GRF). The President initially unveiled the statue of this most unfashionable man, dubbed anti-science, Gandhiji holding a young boy and girl close to him. anti-technology and anti-modern, is now getting She then proceeded to the audio guided multimedia museum. The bioscope, the imaginative recreation and contemporary relevance in international polity of the infamous incident at Pietermaritzburg andidentified corporate as the governance. symbol of ethical sustainability and the many other exhibits deeply touched her It was in this backdrop that Bhau decided as documented by her in the visitors’ dairy. The to undertake the daunting task of perpetuating President also joined eighteen veteran Gandhians Gandhi’s memory in a unique way. He decided by spinning on the charkha and watched in the to establish a memorial which would be massive auditorium real life clippings from Gandhi’s life. in size, modern in design and comprehensive in The formal inaugural ceremony was arranged in nature. Gandhi Teerth is that memorial dream come true. thousand people were waiting. Shri Tushar Gandhi, The construction of Gandhi Teerth commenced Gandhiji’sa huge pandal great on grandson, the northern Dr. side,A.T. whereAriyaratne over andfive on the 30th of June 2010 with the usual ritualistic veteran nonagenarian Gandhians like Narayanrao Bhoomi Poja. It took a further four months to Jaware and H. S. Doraiswamy shared the dais with actually start the work – to be precise, till the 5th the President. The high point of the Presidential of November. Bhau, as is wont with him, was busy address was her turning to Bhau and saying, consulting engineers, architects and designers and ‘Bhau, you will be known not by the industries you giving shape to his ideas. Durability and aesthetics nurtured, but by the Gandhi Teerth’! 2 Exploring Gandhiji |August 2012 Board of Trustees Justice C. S. Dharmadhikari Dr. B. H. Jain Chairman Founder Dr. D. R. Mehta Dalichand Jain Ashok Jain Trustee Trustee Trustee August 2012| Exploring Gandhiji 3 Statement of Purpose good. For him, the conduct of the struggle was of the Mission utmost importance; and he would employ only pure Strive to help establish a world founded on Truth,