Ankur Bora
The
Mahatma Gandhi Memorial plaza, located in the City of Irving is one of the most
recognized landmarks in Dallas, Texas. The author shares his
experience and inspiration behind- in hosting the maiden International Day of
Yoga on 21th June at the
plaza.
Life is about sharing experiences; taking part in
the activities around us and learning from each other. I
consider myself very fortunate to take part in a special and unforgettable event
– the inauguration of ‘Mahatma Gandhi Plaza’ in our neighborhood park located
in the city of Dallas. The memorial plaza was built through support and
contributions from all regions, religion and races joining hands together- a
symbol of unity which Mahatma Gandhi lived and sacrificed his life for. The
inauguration was marked by great moments of rejoice and celebration when Mr.
Satish Dhupelia, the great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi who had come all the way
from South Africa, led the Gandhi peace walk. Listening to Gandhi’s grandson, that lasting change can be achieved through
small, personal acts of kindness and selflessness, was an epiphany that changed
my whole view of life.
Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Plaza now stands tall among
all the other iconic memorials in the USA. It is a culmination of four years of
outstanding leadership, teamwork by the Dallas South Asian community. “This is not an Indian American project but a
global project since Gandhi belongs to the whole world.” – One of the
organizers proclaimed. The grand unveiling of the memorial took place on 2nd
of October 2014. Herewith the family members of Gandhi, of Martin Luther King
Junior and of Nelson Mandela besides many other invited dignitaries from around
the country and India were present. The sculptor and co-sculptor who carved the
statue with remarkable craftsmanship came from Andhra Pradesh to participate in
the celebration.
The Gandhi plaza is visually appealing. The 7-ft
Bronze statue based on 6-ft pedestal is surrounded by stone walls, covered with
elegant granite panels engraved with Gandhi’s quotations. As I began to inspect
the engraving, I felt like a child who, when digging through the sand, finds
some unexpected treasure. “No matter what
amount of work one has, one should always find some time for exercise. Far from
taking away from one’s capacity for work, it adds to it.” - A simple yet profound treasure hidden in this
message of Gandhi. When I pulled my wife over and directed her attention, I
could see that she too appreciated the Gandhian way of keeping healthy,
where the noble statue itself
symbolizes, him holding his legendary walking stick and in a walking posture,
felt there could be no better exercise than walking. As I began to mingle with
the crowd, I had the honor of conversing with a lady who had come from India
just to be part of this momentous event. A teacher by profession, she is
involved with the local ‘Mahatma Gandhi Khadi Ashram in Karnataka. Her gleaming
face and blissful smile was striking to say the least. She expressed her gratitude
to the teachings of Gandhi and walking
on the principles he had provided she said gave her immense strength and inner
peace.
The auspicious day started with the Mayor of the
city of Irving, welcoming the crowd. After the introduction and in the midst of
thunderous applause and a lot of excitement, Chief Guest Mr. Satish Dhupelia
unveiled the “Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Plaza” showcasing Gandhi in the standing
posture clad in a dhoti and holding a stick. His great grandson Mr. Satish is
an amazing orator. In his brief speech, he narrated Gandhi’s life and his many
unknown stories, including his quick wit and sense of humor. “Walking is the
prince of all exercise, it’s a subtle magic that requires no elaborate
equipment, and you take it where you go.” He was heard quoting Gandhi’s famous
lines. The momentum began to build. “How
many of you know about the Salt March ? and how many miles did he walk?” Everybody
was spellbound on hearing the answer – “Gandhi
walked continuously on this 24-day, 240-mile (390 km) march which
started from Sabermanti near Ahmedabad
to the coastal town of Dandi on the Arabian Sea.” To me, Gandhi’s frail
appearance was a mere façade beneath which hid the stamina and strength he so
often displayed.
These words reverberated throughout as Satish
Dhupelia began the peace walk. Walkers followed him carrying the US, the Indian,
and the Texas flags. There were also placards with Gandhian slogans. Balloons
with Indian flag colors orange, white and green and also US flag colors red,
white and blue were released into the bright sunny skies. Many of the walkers recited Bapuji’s bhajan “Raghupati Raghava Raajaraam: Patita
paavana sitaram.” It was an exhilarating experience; I was left speechless
momentarily and the moment stirred my thoughts for days to come.
The picturesque setting seemed surreal. A long ribbon
of big white birds appeared from the east. They circled overhead and landed in
the translucent water of the lake flowing across the park. As they started
splashing in the tranquil water; I felt as if the universe was joining hands
with us in unison! I quickly slipped off
my shoes and socks and began to walk barefoot. As I crunched the crisp leaves on
the side walk with each step, I experienced a gift – a pure and simple moment
of joy! Perhaps this is how life goes; you keep putting one foot in front of
the other until you reach your destination.
As I was approaching the finishing line, a fellow
walker handed me a flag of India. Touching the flag made me nostalgic for my
past years. My paternal grandmother would tell me stories of fearless freedom fighters, the followers of
Gandhi. My ancestral home in India was then the center of the Freedom movement.
During those days, once Pandit Nehru visited my home town. My grandfather, who
was a lawyer and a prominent leader , constructed a house exclusively for him
so that Nehru could stay comfortably. My grandmother was a keen follower of the
affairs of the world ; She was eager to engage any and all who came to meet her
in conversations about what we could and must do to make the world a better
place . Fond memories of her came flooding back to me that morning at every
step I took.
As we converged to the finishing line many of us
were transformed with new perspectives – a resolve to walk to calm a stormy
mind, to walk to connect with people, to walk to laugh and bring a sense of
purpose in our lives. All of us felt the call to maintain the temple
of the spirit—the human body, to enhance one’s wellness, to fight against excuses,
temptations, and laziness.
As the crowd began to disperse, I wanted to see the great
grandson of Mahatma one more time. I decided to walk up the stage. Mr. Satish
Dhupelia stepped to the edge and reached out to take my outstretched hand in
his and warmly greeted me - “spread the
lessons of Gandhi wherever you go and whatever you decide to do ; Gandhi will
be with you.”
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| Art of Living & Mahatma Gandhi Memorial of North Texas team |
The greatest teacher of Yoga is Mahatma Gandhi.
Gandhi taught us Karma yoga (the yoga of action) – to yoke our emotions to
intelligence and perform our duty with equanimity. Gandhi brought up in the
tradition of bhakti yoga (the yoga of devotion)
- see the Divine in everything , find wisdom and beauty in a way of life
different from our own. Mahatma Gandhi is the guiding light, a pillar of
strength that can carry and lift us. Today I am immensely pleased, being able
to organize the International Day of Yoga at the plaza. The beautiful
celebrated statue of Gandhi bears testimony to the tolerance and harmony
between people and cultures , reinforcing in us new aspirations and hopes of a
more peaceful and joyful world.
