Some
multimedia resources on Gandhi
Let me add a caveat here: though Gandhi was
averse to the use of technology that enfeebled the human spirit, it does not
follow that he absolutely rejected its use (as some critics and followers allege)…Gandhi’s
use of the press to promote his cause clearly indicates his preference, albeit
qualified, for new technologies…I am reasonably certain that Gandhi would
approve of this “multimedia” section…Through the use of technology, we try to
learn more about Gandhi – his life, his character, his politics, his philosophy
– to help guide our own works and acts…Our use of technology serves to inform
the human spirit, not render it ineffectual…
Audio
Hear Gandhi speak
on various issues, in different languages.
You can also listen to various devotional songs that Gandhi liked, find
out what others – from Einstein to Nehru – had to say about Gandhi, and hear
songs composed in his honor by the likes of Ravi Shankar and Bob Dylan.
Gandhi on: Satyagraha; God;
Press interview
On Gandhi: Einstein; Nehru; Mountbatten
Devotional Songs:
Raghupati
Raghav; Vaishnav
Jan; Lead Kindly
Light
Music composed in
Gandhi’s memory: Bob
Dylan; Ravi Shankar; Capitol Steps; Aufwind;
A Bhatt
Books
Electronic copies
of most of Gandhi’s written works are now available. There is no better way of understanding
Gandhi’s life, work, acts, and philosophy, than reading him on his own terms,
though not uncritically. To understand
Gandhi’s political philosophy, it is crucial to read Hind Swaraj
In addition to
works by Gandhi, most significant works on Gandhi and his philosophy are also
available online. You can access all
these at the following URL.
The Official Mahatma Gandhi e-Archive
Books by
Gandhi: Hind
Swaraj; An Autobiography
Books on
Gandhi
Cartoons
Why add cartoons
to our list? Cartoons are simplistic, uni-dimensional. How
can they help us understand a complex personality like Gandhi’s? Precisely because cartoons simplify, they
help us approach complex subjects. But
at a deeper level of analysis, cartoons illustrate reality – in many, if not
all its dimensions – through a single dimension. Plus, they express the insights of the
cartoonist and the prejudices of certain times and cultures.
Through the
illustration of reality via prejudices, cartoons somehow manage to point to the
essence of the subject, in our case Gandhi. This essence may be mediated via
several prejudices, but one cannot deny the existence of such an essence. In order to extract the essence of Gandhi’s
works, acts, and ideas, we need to look beyond mediating influences; doing so
helps us recognize the power of such influences – prejudiced in the positive or
negative sense – while also gaining a deeper insight about Gandhi.
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Cartoons portraying Gandhi
Cartoon
archive at GandhiServe
Photographs
The cliché about one
picture being worth a thousand words does have some substance. Photographs of Gandhi and his interactions
with family, friends, ashrams residents, and others, provide a unique
perspective on the man and the mahatma.
Whether formal portraits of Gandhi or spontaneous shots taken by
photographers in his company, these pictures enhance our understanding of what
his life was like. It is said that he
charged Rs. 5 for every photograph; even his
grandchildren weren’t exempt from this fee! (Proceeds went to charity). We are lucky to be able to view them free of
charge!
GandhiServe and the official e-Archive provide
impressive (both in number and quality) photo collections.
Gandhi’s
Pictures: E-Archive
Video
Several videos
depicting Gandhi’s life, politics and philosophy are available, mostly in the form
of movies. These constitute the popular perception of who Gandhi was, what he
stood for, and why we think he is important (or not).
Most popular movies
on Gandhi – Gandhi (Attenborough), Making of the Mahatma (Benegal), Hey Ram
(Hassan)
Gandhi’s life in 64 video clips
PBS series on
non-violent conflict – A Force More Powerful
Websites
The two most
important web resources on Gandhi (of which there are several) are the Official Mahatma Gandhi e-Archive and the
GandhiServe
Foundation. There are not many other
places where we can find information on Gandhi that is not already available at
these portals.
(Note: Most resources on this page, and
other sections of this website, are linked to two sites: www.gandhiserve.com and www.mahatma.org.in I, like many others, am grateful for their
excellent services.)