Indian High Commission in the UK in association with India League organised a function at Gandhi Statue, Tavistock Square, on January 30 to mark the Martyrs’ Day.
In India Martyrs’ Day is observed on January 30, the anniversary of the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi in 1948.
Speaking on the occasion, Navtej Sarna, Indian High Commissioner to the UK, said Albert Einstein was right to an extent what he said of Gandhiji.
“Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.”
Mr Sarna said it was 68 years ago Gandhiji fell to the bullets of an assassin and ceased to walk this earth in flesh and blood. He died as he had lived, on his way to a prayer well in sight of God.
Mr Sarna said: “Our generation scarcely believe that the world in which power actually flows mostly through the barrel of a gun that a person so bodily frail scarcely armed with anything ever more than a walking stick would have achieved so much that he would be remembered for generations to come.”
And that is because his was not a power of the body or of weapons, Mr Sarna said. His was the power of the soul. He was Mahatma – the great soul. And souls do not succumb to the assassin’s bullets. He had steel in his soul, Mr Sarna added.
Martin Luther King and many other leaders have drawn inspiration from Gandhiji and his concept of Satyagraha, Mr Sarna said.
“So let us remember the great soul and pray that his inspiration will impact the world which is surely in need of belief in non-violence. Let us also remember today thousands of others martyrs and sons of India who died for India’s freedom struggle and others who died subsequently guarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India on our borders,” Mr Sarna said.
Mr CB Patel, India League Chairman, said: “Gandhiji is not with us but his thoughts are with us.”
Thanking the Mayor of Camden, Councillor Larraine Revah, Mr CB Patel said this public place is the most important site for the statue of Gandhi outside India and in the UK. This statue is all because of Camden Council and India League which raised a contribution of £80,000 from ordinary persons.
Mr CB Patel said the best of Indo-British relationship is yet to come. For 409 years Britain and India are going on with beneficial partnership. The contribution of writers, thinkers, linguists is enormous, he added.
Acknowledging Mr Sarna’s contribution to the world of writing – who is a man of letters with several books to his credit – Mr CB Patel suggested to the Indian High Commissioner that this Indo-British relationship has to be strengthened and nurtured well through a special book written by him.
Mr CB Patel said it was a privilege on behalf of India League to work with India House, Mayor and councillors of Camden.
“We appreciate this ‘Triveni Sangam’ – three-party co-operation,” he added.
Mr CB Patel said India House always looks after the statue and events and is grateful to all the officers for making this event a success.
Councillor Larraine Revah, Mayor of Camden, said Mahatma Gandhi is truly an inspiration to many people all over the world, especially for his message of non-violence.
She said peaceful protests can accomplish more than violent protests.
She quoted Albert Einstein who said Gandhi's great contribution to our time was his great determination to modernise politics.
“Gandhi insisted that you can apply the same moral values to politics, business or industry – i.e. love, truth, peace, non-violence – all these ideals can be applied in every aspect of life. He said in his autobiography – My Experiments with the Truth – 'Men often become what they believe themselves to be.If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it',” the Mayor said.
She added: “I think it is very fitting that this statue is placed in our garden of peace where he sits quietly reflecting on the world.”
Dr Nandakumar, Executive Director, Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan’s, recited a peace mantra on the occasion.
Om Asato Maa Sad-Gamaya |
Tamaso Maa Jyotir-Gamaya |
Mrtyor-Maa Amrtam Gamaya |
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||
It means:
From ignorance, lead me to truth;
From darkness, lead me to light;
From death, lead me to immortality;
Om peace, peace, peace
Lord Ranbir Singh Suri said: “Gandhi was a man of strong will power. He used his will power to achieve all his goals. And that was through peace and non-violence. He was not only a barrister and politician but also he had learned Indian scriptures and religious books. He had inbuilt some information of the ninth guru of Sikhs, Guru Tegh Bahadur, who said: ‘I am neither scared of anybody nor I scare anybody’.”
Two women representatives from Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan’s sang Gandhiji’s favourite bhajan – Raghupati Raghav…… on the occasion.
The programme concluded with Buddhist prayer by Bhikkhu G Nagase from London.
He recited “Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo”.
Gandhiji was interested in the teachings of Lord Buddha and had adopted this Japanese mantra as a permanent feature of his morning and evening prayers in the ashram.
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo is an ancient Buddhist chant/mantra which is from the Lotus Sutra. “Nam” means to honour and Myoho Renge Kyo is the title of the Lotus Sutra which is the Universal Law of Cause and Effect.
Thus the mantra “Namu Myoho Renge Kyo” means “I honour the Universal Mystical Law of Cause and Effect.”
Earlier, floral tributes were paid to the statue of Gandhiji by Navtej Sarna, Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Councillor Larraine Revah, Mayor of Camden, Virander Paul, Deputy High Commissioner of India to the UK, CB Patel, India League Chairman, and other community leaders.
Mr Sunil Kumar (Coordination/Press & Information) and Head of Chancery High Commission of India, London, welcomed and introduced the programmes taking place at the function.
A similar function was also organised at Parliament Square where Mr Navtej Sarna, Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Mr Virander Paul, Deputy High Commissioner of India to the UK, Mr A S Rajan, Minister of Coordination, Indian High Commissioner, and others paid floral tributes to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi.
