Short Stories For Everyone
Inspiring incidents from Gandhiji's Life: Selected from the book Everyone's Gandhi
(For the children in the age group of 10 to 15 years)


Gandhiji writing

SHORT STORIES FOR EVERYONE

Gandhi's inspiring short stories selected from the book Everyone's Gandhi

Editor by : Rita Roy


Table of Contents

  1. All for A Stone
  2. A Car And A Pair of Binoculars
  3. My Master's Master
  4. Enter The Monkeys
  5. Premchand Quits His Job
  6. Returning His Medals
  7. Basic Pen
  8. Prisoner No. 1739
  9. Gandhi's White Brother
  10. Who Saw Gandhi?
  11. An Early School
  12. An Unusual March
  13. Spiritual Heir
  14. The Less You Have The More You Are
  15. An Old Goat Talks
  16. The Phoenix Settlement
  17. Gandhi in Amsterdam
  18. Something To Be Shy About?
  19. Gandhiji The Matchmaker
  20. Gandhi's Army
  21. Dandi Snippet
  22. Hiding Something
  23. The Image Maker
  24. Creative Reader
  25. Postcards To The Rescue
  26. A Non-violent Satyagraha 214 Years Ago
  27. Gandhi And Delhi
  28. Gandhiji's Constructive Programme
  29. Gandhi Looks At Leprosy
  30. Baba Amte
  31. They Gave Peace A Chance
  32. From Mahatma To God
  33. Customs Are Out of Fashion
  34. The Man 'Charlie' Wanted To Meet
  35. It Came Naturally To Him
  36. Crossing The Sea of Narrow-Mindedness
  37. Wear Clothes As They Should Be Worn
  38. Education: For Life, Through Life
  39. The Abode of Joy
  40. To Cling to A Belief
  41. The Fruit of A Child's Labour
  42. An Ideal Prisoner
  43. How A Film Became Something More
  44. Gandhi: Beyond India
  45. Gandhi's Life-Saving Medicine
  46. Understanding The Mechanics of Life With Gandhi
  47. The Lokmanya and The Mahatma
  48. Man's Gift To Nature
  49. Gurudev And His Mahatma
  50. One-man Boundary Force
  51. What Does Mahatma Gandhi's Message Mean To Me?
  52. Let's Play Together
  53. Children's Response To Conflict
  54. Beggar By Choice
  55. The Better Half
  56. Uncle Gandhi
  57. The Watch: An Instrument For Regulating Life
  58. Light The Lamp of Your Mind
  59. Gandhi's Bet!
  60. Gandhi Feeling At Home In The Kitchen
  61. What Is Simplicity?
  62. Bapu And The Sardar
  63. The Power of Quality
  64. Gandhi: The Teenager!

Chapter 26: A Non-violent Satyagraha 214 Years Ago

Ramnikbhai Turakia

Non-violent struggles are nothing new in India. As Gandhi himself said, these ideas are as old as the hills. In fact, from olden days people have been familiar with certain non-violent methods of resisting injustice and evil: Prayopaveshana (fasting unto death), dharna (squatting at the doors of the oppressor), ajnab-hanga (civil disobedience) and desh tyaga (leaving the country).
Among the many recorded instances of such resistance in India is one that occurred in 1781, not far from the birthplace of Gandhi. This was in the city of Bhuj, which came under the state of Kutch and was ruled by an oppressive tyrant named Raja Raighana. Now, with the help of some Arab soldiers, Raja Raighana abducted the young and beautiful daughter of a businessman named Harijivan.
Helpless against the might of the Raja, Harijivan decided on a non-violent mode of resistance-he would embrace Samadhi in protest against this injustice. The news of his decision spread like wild fire all over the city. People thronged to his house in sympathy, begging him not to take any hasty step.
"Brothers," said Harijivan. "this is a matter of self-respect of the family and of the city where I dwell. It is true that, being businessmen rather than warriors, we know not to kill. But we do know to die. The cries of my daughter echo in my ear... and there is no justice at the door of the Raja. It is the hour, therefore, to resist this injustice by self-suffering. That is why I have chosen the way of Samadhi."
In the foreground of the haveli, Harijivan entered Samadhi amidst the awed silence of a large crowd. Among his last words were: "I cannot bear to think of the cries of my daughter. Therefore I go. Those who have eyes will see and those who have ears will listen to my humble prayers." Within minutes, Harijivan had consigned himself to the earth. The next to sacrifice themselves were seven members of Harijivan's family-his wife, two sons, daughter-in-law, sister, daughter and a grandson who set fire to the haveli and brought an end to themselves.
The news of this incident reached Anjar, a city close to Bhuj. Aroused and inspired by the sacrifice of Harijivan and his family, one young man, named Kora, rose in rebellion against the atrocities of the Raja. He and 400 young men of the city decided to stage a dharna to demonstrate the protest of the people. Having decided to face death rather than continue to bear the oppression of the Raja, the procession reached Darbargadh. There they squatted in the foreground, having vowed not to touch food or water till the Raja stepped down from the throne.
The news of the dharna reached Raja Raighana, but he thought that it would not last beyond a day or two. But two days passed and the young men were still there. Instead of going away, they were praying for the 'light' to kindle the heart of the Raja.
On the fifth day, the Raja came down and asked their leader Kora what they wanted. "We want you to step down from the throne," said Kora. A furious and insulted Raja ordered him killed immediately. Kora was thrown on a rock nearby, dying instantly. But this was not the end. A second volunteer came forth and repeated the words of his leader. He was ordered to be slain. One by one, the other volunteers came forth in a line. Each repeated the words of his leader, and each was slain under the orders of the Raja. At last, the Darbargadh was filled with 400 bodies of the young men of Anjar. The burial ground at Waghasar in Anjar, where they were buried by the king, is today a place of worship.