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

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Showing posts from 2012

Talk on Swaraj...07/01/2012

Ma Foi Foundation organizes monthly talks on different subjects for college youth under the title, "மெய்பொருள் காண்பது அறிவு" ("to comprehend the truth behind is knowledge", the second half of a famous thirukkural of poet Tiruvalluvar that has "regardless of whatever you hear from whomsoever", as the first half ). These meetings are aimed to create a serious dialogue of ethical nature amongst the youth in the city, particularly in the industrial belt in northern Chennai where the youth are exposed more to the economic, social and political conflicts of a unsustainable metropolis life. This Saturday (07/01/2012), I will be taking them through the fundamentals of "Hind Swaraj" as an introduction to a dialogue on the bases of development. Ram, Chief Consultant, Samanvaya

Hind Swaraj Film Festival...

The Swaraj Foundation has invited movies on the topics of Hind Swaraj. About Films that help us understand the relevance of Gandhi's Hind Swaraj in the context of our lives in the 21st century.. Description M.K. Gandhi wrote Hind Swaraj in 1909. What does it mean today? How can we engage with his invitation more deeply? More information at the - http://www.swaraj.org/

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.