Today is a good day to remind ourselves of the man who taught us about non-violence. What better way than to pick up the book Gandhi: The Years That Changed the World, 1914-1948 by Ramchandra Guha to honour the Mahatma. The book deciphers Gandhi’s life in a chronological narration, spanning three decades, through the brilliance of historian Ramchandra Guha’s writing.
His biographical account of the Mahatma is raw, engrossing and powerful. Guha embarks on a journey of a man’s nuanced quest through the struggles of self-discovery to free India from the grapples of the British rule. Guha recognises Gandhi as both a family man, cognizant of his flaws, and a world leader. It is not lost on the reader on how and why he is the Father of this nation. The author has drawn references from numerous sources to prove why Mahatma Gandhi remains relevant in the world 72 years after his demise.
He talks about Mahatma Gandhi’s challenges to awaken India in the light of its freedom struggle, by manifesting his principles of truth and non-violence to establish harmonious relations between India’s diverse religious groups. It was also his way to end social evils that had a detrimental effect on our cultural fabric. Guha gives a comprehensive study of his non-violent approach to revolutionise India’s freedom struggle, which reached the masses and gained public momentum on a panoramic scope, to the extent that Gandhi became a household name. Guha being a classical storyteller shows us how perfectly an imperfect man shapes India’s modern history through the author’s embedded critique and appreciation of the world leader.
An insightful chronicle into one of the greatest minds of 20th century, Gandhi: The Years That Changed the World, 1914-1948 is a must read as it is true to the bone and comes without hinged filters.