Gandhi’s symbols provide clues to his political truth

Gandhi understood the uniqueness of a symbol that gives access to deeper layers of reality otherwise inaccessible or invisible. Using symbols as conveyors of feelings and meaning, he leveraged them to put across his radical and transformative ideas for mass action. Relevant, regenerative and visionary, such messages served as focal and rallying points for his social, political and spiritual goals.

Charkha, the spinning wheel, for example, was adopted to emphasise the need for a moral economy based on the idea of self-reliance. It was used as a device to fulfil three aims — to dismiss British textiles in favour of locally spun khadi, to ensure economic emancipation of every citizen, and to conceive, through it, a method of non-violent protest. Indeed, it emerged as a powerful symbol of the swadeshi movement. Khadi was adopted as a key part of this movement. As a symbol of crusade against imperialism, it turned out as a rallying point for everyone, whether rich or poor, to spend time each day spinning khadi. The country-wide initiative helped foster unity through shared labour. Adopting the insightful strategy, Gandhi was very clear that it would help lift India out of poverty by creating industry and jobs. Be it the charkha or khadi, the symbols have remained so strong that even now when we espouse aatmanirbhar Bharat, (self-reliant India), they ignite our mind with a sense of mission and pride.

A watch, for Gandhi, was an instrument that regulated his life. The little piece of nickel hanging by his waist, helped him to utilise every minute of his time purposefully. A fistful of salt that he picked up was to drive home the point that the British were working against the interests of the people of India. Cleaning latrines was a gesture that conveyed to the nation not only his penchant for hygiene, sanitation and cleanliness, but also his resolve to abolish the vice of untouchability in our society. In recent times, Gandhi’s work and message — “cleanliness is next to godliness” — inspired the entire nation into action when the Swachh Bharat Mission was launched.

The revolutionary decision of Gandhi to embrace the new attire — dhoti and shawl — helped remind the nation a common man’s poverty and plight. His efforts to identify with a peasantry’s image was genuine, honest and credible. Creating this image, he also sent a message that consumption-oriented market and need-based lifestyle are neither sustainable nor desirable.

In this context, it was quite natural for him to give sage advice, a talisman, to the policymakers that, whenever in doubt, they must recall the face of the poorest and the weakest, and ask, if the step they contemplate is going to be of any use to them.

Again, through his favourite bhajan, vaishnava jana to, he propagated the powerful message of inter-faith harmony and peace. He chose the bhajan as it encapsulated the values that form the fundamental basis of most of the religious scriptures.

Clearly, the enormous impact of the symbols and symbolic messages were not fortuitous. The underlying substance in the messages in terms of worthiness of cause, purity of purpose, courage of conviction, and actionable insights, was so palpable and valuable that they not only stirred the peoples’ imagination, but also moved them into action for achieving worthy goals.

Ram Krishna Sinha is a former bank executive and presently on the boards of public entities. The views expressed are personal

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