CELEBRATING GANDHI: THE MAN AND HIS TEACHINGS

On June 15, 2007, the United Nations General Assembly declared October 2nd International Day of Non-Violence, in honor of the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the strategy of non-violence.

 

 

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Join us for a Celebration of Indian Culture, with activities celebrating the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi and his teachings, featuring performances, inter-faith presentations, and more!

 

3:00 – 5:00 PM at Frick Fine Arts Auditorium
University of Pittsburgh

 

There will also be a lecture by Dr. Uma Majmudar, Gandhian researcher and published author:

 

Gandhi's Legacy of  'Satyagraha' in the Modern World

What is "satyagraha"?  Is it passive resistance?  Is it civil disobedience?
Why and how did Gandhi coin this term 'satyagraha and what did it mean to him?

Out of many other name choices, Gandhi carefully selected this particular compound Sanskrit term satyagraha (satya: truth, and agraha: insistence on), which can be translated as: "Insisting on truth" or better, "taking a stand for truth."   It can be explained as a "Truth-campaign based on nonviolent resistance" to fight injustice or oppression anywhere in the world. To Gandhi, satyagraha meant more than passive resistance or even civil disobedience; it is rooted in spirituality. The whole structure of satyagraha stands upon  three spiritual pillars:  truth, nonviolence, and voluntary self-suffering. Satyagraha is also known as  "a  moral equivalent of war" which is fought with nonviolence—the  most powerful weapon in the armory of truth. Gandhi considered nonviolence to be infinitely superior to violence.
When did Gandhi first use satyagraha successfully and how many times thereafter?   Is satyagraha being used in the modern world?  Come and find out and yes, do ask more questions.

 

 

 

See the event flier here, which includes a list of sponsors: Gandhi Day 2011 Flier

Updated September 24, 2009