On the day of the 150th birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, today, on 2nd October 2019, Pujya Bhaishri visited Kirti Mandir early in the morning.
Along with Pujya Bhaishri, the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Vijaybhai Rupani and the MP of Porbandar District, Shri Rameshbhai Dhaduk were present.
At Kirti Mandir, Pujya Bhaishri spoke on making hard work our worship rather than treating is as mere labour.
Mahatma Gandhi evolved from an individual to an idea. Indeed, Gandhijiʼs life became a lifestyle that is a source of inspiration not only for Indians but for people all around the world even today. A life connected to Truth, all good work done in association with and for Truth make Gandhi and his thoughts eternal because Truth is eternal.
Five out of Bapuʼs eleven vows, which include truth, non-violence, non-hoarding, non-theft and celibacy, are found in Jainism, Buddhism and Patanjali Yoga Darshan. Bapu accepted these and added six more.
One important fact for us to reflect on as we review our lives today is the diminishing importance given to the dignity in hard work today. We have reduced hard work to the category of manual labour. This, if taken down a notch lower, is called paid menial labour. Manual labour is still done by heart, for one works with spirit to fill the stomach but that work which is done without heart is considered menial.
For Bapu, work was worship! Be it cleaning toilets, weaving, praying, political meetings, everything was the same to him and he had a great capacity for skilfully multi-tasking.
Further to picking the plastic on the chowpaty of Porbandar, Pujya Bhaishri advised all to remove plastic from Porbandar. All present took a resolution to make India free of plastic.
As citizens of India and specifically as residents of Porbandar, Pujya Bhaishri spoke of the special pride coupled with the special responsibility of all to honour the divine consciousness of the couple we fondly call ‘Bapu and Baaʼ. These are terms of endearment filled with both great respect and familiarity. This feeling of family stems from a great love felt for them by all. Homage to them both!
