Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule, 1909 by M.K. Gandhi

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Showing posts from 2008

Delhi University celebrating Hind Swaraj centenary

New Delhi: Delhi University (DU) will celebrate 2009 as the anniversary of 'Hind Swaraj' - one of the thought provoking works of Mahatma Gandhi authored by him in 1909. An action plan on the initiative, taken by the varsity's Gandhi Bhavan, has been drawn up on activities to be spread over the whole year. "We held a meeting this past week on how to plan the centenary year celebrations. A number of schools, journalists and directors of Gandhi Bhavan across the country took part at the meeting chaired by Vice Chancellor Prof. Deepak Pental. The Principal and teachers in-charge of the Gandhi study circle at different colleges also attended the brainstorming session", said Ashum Gupta, Director of Gandhi Bhavan at the University. "Mahatma Gandhi's ideas are highly relevant these days", added Ashum Gupta.The main purpose of all-the-year-long activity would be to actively involve the youth. As part of the activities, students will serve as volu...

Publication on Hind Swaraj by Samanvaya: released on 8th Aug 2008

You can write to Samanvaya (knowledge@samanvaya.com) for copies of this publication in India.

Introduction to this Blog...

Hind Swaraj was written by Gandhiji in 1909 as a small booklet. He himself says that he just had to write it, that he could not hold it back. It was written on a ship on his way from London to South Africa almost at one go. In fact, he would not change much in it. It is also the only work perhaps that he wrote originally in Gujarati and later himself translated to English. In his opinion whatever he did in the next 39 years was only execute what he had written in Hind Swaraj. He always held it to be his manifesto, if there was one.

This small book even today elicits strong responses from people across the globe. It remains as one of the strongest critics of modernity written and a very good starting point for anyone who wants to challenge modernity or aspires to understand the roots of it and / or is seeking a solution from within. His powerful proposal of soul force in this book is equally significant and perhaps is the major source of discomfort for his own colleagues in the Indian National Congress in later days.

Many serious followers of Gandhiji even today hold this book as the beginning for understanding Gandhiji and his actions. Quite a few (including myself) think that some of the contemporary issues that challenge us today need to be addressed / viewed from the Hind Swaraj framework for a possible change.

This blog has been started as a web place for a discussion on Hind Swaraj. The book itself is available for a full download online, click here.