October 2 is one of those dates that almost every Indian knows. It is the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Every year, we remember him through school programmes, newspaper articles and public events. We speak about truth and non-violence, listen to speeches and then return to our daily lives. But sometimes I feel that remembering Gandhi has become easier than understanding him.
This thought came to my mind while thinking about the word “Gandhigiri”.
The word became popular after the film Lage Raho Munna Bhai. I am not writing about the film here. I mention it only because it showed how Gandhi’s ideas could reach ordinary people in a simple and familiar way. The word “Gandhigiri” became especially familiar among young people. For me, however, its meaning goes beyond a film.
Gandhigiri can be understood as following some of Gandhi’s basic principles in everyday life, especially truth, non-violence, patience and peaceful resistance. It does not mean avoiding every conflict or remaining silent when something is wrong. It means dealing with difficult situations without hatred and unnecessary violence. In simple words, it means answering anger with patience, hatred with humanity and injustice with a peaceful but firm response. A person can stand for what is right without losing respect for others.
Gandhi is remembered for many things, but truth and non-violence remain central to his public message. He once said, “My life is my message.” These few words are worth thinking about. A person can give many speeches about good values, but his or her behaviour often says much more.
Being truthful is not always easy. Sometimes a lie can save us from embarrassment. Sometimes accepting our mistake feels difficult. Sometimes telling the truth may create a problem for us. That is when truth becomes more than just a word.
The same can be said about non-violence.
When someone insults us, our natural reaction is often to answer back. When somebody hurts us, we may want to hurt them in return. We see this in ordinary arguments and even more on social media. One angry comment brings another, and after some time nobody remembers how the argument started.
There is a well-known teaching about turning the other cheek after being struck. This comes from Christian teaching and should not be presented as a direct quotation from Gandhi. Still, the idea raises an important question: does every act of anger need another angry response? Sometimes refusing to take revenge may require more strength than taking revenge.
This does not mean that we should accept injustice quietly. Gandhi did not remain silent when he believed something was wrong. He protested and resisted, while making non-violence an important part of his approach. There is a difference between speaking strongly and speaking with hatred.
I think this difference is particularly important in Jammu and Kashmir.
Our region has gone through difficult times, and many families carry memories of loss and uncertainty. People here also have different political, social and personal opinions. We cannot expect everyone to think alike. But we can expect ourselves to disagree without forgetting basic respect.
A difference of opinion should not turn a neighbour into an enemy. We can see how quickly disagreements become personal today. A social media post, a comment on an issue or even a small disagreement between friends can sometimes lead to abuse. We often read only the part that makes us angry and ignore everything else. We react first and think later.
This is one place where the idea of Gandhigiri can still be useful. It can begin with very ordinary actions. A student can refuse to bully another student. A person can check a message before forwarding it. Someone can disagree with another person’s political opinion without abusing them. A person who has made a mistake can accept it and say sorry. None of these actions looks extraordinary, but each one says something about our character.
For the young people of Jammu and Kashmir, I feel this matters greatly. We are living in a time when one phone can connect us with hundreds of people. That is a useful power, but it also brings responsibility. A false message can travel quickly. An angry post can hurt someone. A respectful conversation can also reach many people.
Gandhi is often associated with the idea that change should begin with ourselves. We have heard this message many times, but its meaning remains simple. We often want other people to become honest, respectful and peaceful. Perhaps we should also look at our own behaviour.
If I want respect, I should give respect. If I want people to listen to my opinion, I should listen to theirs. If I complain about hatred, I should be careful that my own words are not adding to it.
This is also why Gandhi’s message has something to say to students. Education should not only prepare us for examinations, jobs and careers. It should also teach us how to live with people who are different from us. Marks can tell us how much we have studied. They cannot always tell us how we treat another person.
Of course, Gandhi was a historical figure, and his life and ideas have been discussed and criticised from different perspectives. We should not turn history into a collection of unquestioned stories. We can study Gandhi honestly, including the debates around him. At the same time, we can still ask whether truth, self-control and non-violence have value in our lives.
I believe they do.
For Jammu and Kashmir, these values do not need to remain part of a speech on Gandhi Jayanti. They can be seen in small things around us. They can be seen when we listen to someone before judging them, when we stop a rumour instead of spreading it, or when we choose a peaceful answer during an argument.
Perhaps that is what I would like to take from Gandhi this year. Not just his photograph. Not just his name in a school programme. Not just another speech about peace. I would rather take one small lesson into ordinary life: when anger gives us an easy reason to hurt someone back, we can still choose to pause.
That choice may not solve every problem in Jammu and Kashmir. It may not change society overnight. But it is something each of us can actually do.
And perhaps Gandhigiri begins there.
(Mohammad Arfat Wani is a writer and nursing student from Kuchmulla, Tral, Kashmir. He writes on social issues, culture and public concerns.)
