Dear Bapuji,

Christopher Marlowe famously addressed his dream-lover, Helen of Troy, as “the face that launched a thousand ships and burnt the topless towers of Ilium.” But dear Bapu, may I address you instead as “the soul that launched thousands of human minds that nurtured truth and non-violence for the benefit of mankind”? You inspired men and women across the East and West. You ignited the lamp of hope and humanism in the darkest hours of despair and inhumanity. You gave life to great movements that changed the course of history. You continue to inspire countless known and unknown individuals in both their public and private lives. Dear Mahatma, I am but one such humble mortal whom you inspire in this life.

Bapu, you wrote in the preface to your celebrated work Hind Swaraj: “In my search after Truth, I have discarded many ideas and learnt many new things. Old as I am in age, I have no feeling that I have ceased to grow inwardly or that my growth will stop at the dissolution of the flesh.” It is this unending search for truth of yours that inspires me most. You taught me that the search for truth is the only pursuit worthy of life, and your own life has been a glorious experiment in that direction. I humbly believe that this experiment with Truth is........

© Mathrubhumi English