Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi, had he been alive, would have celebrated 140th birthday today. Perhaps, not! Guiness World Records would have recorded him as oldest living person on earth.

I always wonder, what would be the state of his body, mind and soul, if he were really alive. One possible scenario is like this:

Being a grand-old man of clean habits, must be having a very frail physique with healthy body. Must be having restless mind and troubled soul. Must be regretting having lead the Independence struggle. Must be feeling ashamed of our politicians. Must be shaking his head in shame at the conduct of our MPs in parliament and MLAs in Assembly. Must have been dismayed at the fact that India figures in as one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Must have got disgusted with the figure of R. 70,00,000 crores stashed away in a Swiss Bank. Must be looking into dictionary for the meaning of Z-plus category security for politicians. Must have been uncomfortable at the fact that some of the cells in Beur and Tihar Jails are virtually refurbished to give 5-star comforts to some politicians with BMI over 60. Must be having difficulty in raising his head to get the glimpse of high new generation statues. Must be living in a very small but clean and neat room somewhere in the country as his ashram would habe been grabbed by landsharks by this time. A Tamrapatra must have been kept in a hidden corner and a pension book worth Rs. 1,000/- p.m. or so given to heroes of freedom struggle would have been stashed away somewhere. Must have stopped long walks and writing as some of his great-grand children would have sold away his worn out chappals and good old fountain pen by this time. Would he be regretting having born an Indian? It is difficult to say. Must have been worried why He had not given him deliverance so far and praying everyday for it. Must be introspecting whether he unknowingly committed any sins in His eyes.....

In His infinite wisdom, in less than six months after the independence, He deemed it fit to give Mahatma Gandhi moksha, lest it would have been intolerable for him to live in independent India any longer, after having received his last prayers, albeit in a shocking manner, through the hands of Godse.....