Bihar by The New York Timer

For any individual the best orientation to her/him is self-confidence, self-esteem and self-realisation. Rest all are by-products. 

Enjoying a little break at my hometown in Bihar and looking to read something away from industry and banking, I came across a piece of resounding old article. I am confident that most of us can bank upon the insight in one or the other way. 

       Louis Fischer was a Philadelphia born career journalist who wrote for "The New York Times". While writing on the coveted life of Mahatma, he called out to Bapu and visited his ashram in 1942. Mohandas told Mr. Fischer that "It was in 1917 that I decided to urge the departure of the British". The very first name he mentioned to Mr. Fischer was one "Rajkumar Shukla". Father of the nation described Mr. Shukla as "an illiterate but resolute, approached Bapu alone but represented a large section, was humble but firm, had come from far but made Bapu feel so near, had nothing but a big heart, couldn't tell much but had to say a lot". Actually I have read between the lines and firmly believe that Mohandas was awestruck with a peasant of Champaran, Bihar. Shukla ji's stature had impact and Gandhi conceded ground to his request but not before Rajkumar followed him from Lucknow, where both met, to Ahmedabad and waited for a week just to "fix a date" of Bapu's arrival in Bihar. For about six months Shukla ji waited without battling an eyelid and was there at Kolkata to receive Mohandas en route to Patna, Muzaffarpur and finally to Champaran. Rajkumar Shukla was a peasant and sharecropper from Champaran, Bihar. Shukla ji took Gandhi ji to Patna and made him meet a lawyer by the name Sri Rajendra Prasad. From there with hardly few known names and thousands of unknown faces of Champaran, Gandhi took on the English with hard-core Hindi and shook the very pillars of British empire. Biharis stood by Bapu or may be withstood the desire to own up duties to enjoy their rights. The affection for Mahatma grew multi-fold in no time and Bapu overlooking his own plans, stayed in Bihar for seven consecutive months.

           Collectively under the lead of Mohandas, Champaran won the "Indigo battle" and blew the whistle for many more. Bapu asked "Ba" to join in Champaran, besides asking his youngest son and few close confidants, who were doctors, to be there quickly. By winning the Indigo battle, Bapu scored for peasants and gave them "freedom from fear" enabling them be conscious towards self-esteem and fearlessness. Next battles fought were against cultural and social backwardness, cleanliness as next to God and filthy state of women's clothes. Bapu was pleasantly surprised and glad seeing contribution of people of Champaran towards all the aforesaid. Mr. Fischer wrote that Mohandas confessed " The Champaran episode was a turning -point in my life. "What I did", he explained, "was a very ordinary thing". I declared that British could not order me about in my own country".

          As an Indian, I muse, many a time, upon that if it was Mohandas' defiance or his loyalty to living and human beings that he took on the might with simple duty and right.

Gandhi teaches me self-leading. He teaches me not to ask for someone stronger in my side but to rely on my own self first. He teaches me to manage self towards victory than to oppose the mighty opponents vehemently. He also teaches me to be Louis Fischer but more so to be Rajkumar Shukla who dared to dream for his hugely struggling society. He teaches me to keep patience and perseverance. He teaches me to stand and withstand. He teaches me to dream and act for the possibility of Bihar turning into New York. After-all, USA was also ruled and suffocated by English rule before emerging as super-power.

Avinash Chandra Jha