Gandhi's Thoughts on Education
M.K Gandhi believed in an education system that brought the best out of a person's body, mind and spirit. A true patriot, he was aware of the deep seated problems of dissemination of education in English medium. Worried about the way Indians were becoming imitators of the West, he propagated education in vernacular languages so as to avoid a "de-Indianizing education". Adamant to make Indians come out of the false belief that just learning English language was education and that was the only means of getting a job, he argued that education in English medium could not let the English speaking Indians influence the masses. He preached an education which made the students original, gave them the courage to think themselves and innovate based on their ability to research and application.
Gandhi's Thoughts on Cleanliness
Along with ideas of Swadeshi and Non-Violence, Gandhi's speeches and books have a special mention about his concern for cleanliness. He often addressed people urging them to maintain hygiene, making them aware of the threat of the diseases they were surrounded with incase of dirty streets, water logged ditches and filthy lavatories. He discouraged people from spitting and cleaning their nose on the streets and warned them of the spread of tuberculosis. He counseled villagers to keep away their cattle from taking bath in the water tanks meant for a source of drinking water and cooking purposes. He believed in not just talking about Independence but spent much of his time making the lives of Indians in other ways as well.
Gandhi's Thoughts on Religion
A believer of a transcendentalism and perennial philosophy, Gandhi saw all religions of the world carrying the same fundamental truth. He preached tolerance towards believers of all religions, stating that tolerance did not make one indifferent to his/her own religion but was a purer love for it. For him while Hinduism was the search after truth through non- violent means, the Buddha had his own significance, for his contribution to mankind through his regard of all life forms. Similarly, he viewed Jesus as the greatest teacher and recognized Islam's special contribution to Indian national culture as the belief in the "Oneness of God". Although the Bhagawad Gita had a powerful impact on his life he saw all religions with equal respect. He ultimately followed the religion of humanity, the one which was beyond all individual religions and detested the extremism of image worship for the favour of the universal spirit which must be worshipped.
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Last Updated on : October 1, 2014
