Book Release by Friends of Gandhi Museum in Pune

Friends of the Gandhi Museum released Jeff Knaebel’s book titled Experiments in Moral Sovereignty Notes of an American Exile in two separate functions. It was released at the hands of Shri Babulal Sharma of the Gandhi Peace foundation Delhi during the World Social Forum there in November 2006. It was again released at the 30th Janurary 2007 Gandhi Martyr Day function, Aga Khan Palace, Pune at the hands of Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer of CSSS Mumbai.

Jeff Knaebel is an American expatriate domiciled in Pune with
his Indian wife Dr. Delia Maria and stepson Siddarth Thomas. The book is his first, in which he presents his case for expatriation from his country of birth. The book expresses three main themes:

(1) A call to people of the world to generate an evolutionary quantum leap into a higher consciousness of nonviolence in order that we may survive as a species. This call is for a revolution from fear to love, from greed to generosity, from cruelty to compassion, from deceit to truth, from dependence to self reliance, from war to peace, from corporate enslavement to individual liberty.

(2) An appeal to India to help raise humanity to a more sacred destiny – not as a nation state, but as a people - to guide mankind to that spiritual unity which alone can bring peace on earth.

(3) The story of one man's quest for individual moral sovereignty in a world of institutionalized structural violence imposed by the corporate warfare state. This struggle - within himself as well as with powers that be – led him to renunciation of and severance from his native land.

The book is 233 pages and is available at a discounted price of Rupees 150 from

Narayan Desai’s Gandhi Katha in Pune

A series of talks by Narayan Desai on Gandhiji’s life started at the Ganesh Kala Krida Manch Pune. It has been organized by Gandhi National Memorial Society and is titled Gandhi Kathakathan. It will reveal various facets of the Mahatma’s life. The talks are between 6-8 pm from February 16-22.

Not content with his four-volume biography of the Mahatma, Narayan Desai is now taking Gandhiji to people through katha. Besides being a Gandhian scholar, the septuagenarian Desai has links with Gandhiji that go back a generation: he’s the son of Mahadev Desai, the Mahatma’s secretary and close associate.

Desai says he first thought his recent four-volume biography of Gandhiji, Maru Jeevan Aej Mari Vaani, was the culmination of his efforts to let the world know what the Mahatma was and what he stood for. ‘‘But there are people who cannot read or have no time to read,’’ he says. ‘‘I searched for ways of educating them, and came up with the idea of Gandhi katha.’’

Desai says the katha will have a prose narrative, of course, but in order not to bore listeners, there will be parts in verse and song. All this he has written himself.

Moraribapu was my inspiration, said Desai. ‘‘I had no experience of narrating a katha. I observed Moraribapu and learnt how to narrate and represent an incident.’’

Courtesy Ahmedabad Times and Maharashtra Herald Pune

Gandhi's Martyr Day Observed in Pune

Pune: Jan 30. In a Seminar organized at Gandhi National Memorial at Pune, H H Swami Advaitanadji of Chimaya Mission, Kolkatta, urged the audience to pay respect to the different religious traditions and to rediscover the depth of Indian spirituality. The Seminar focused on Gandhiji and the fundamental unity and truth in all religions. In his inaugural address Swami urged the gathering to work for the material and spiritual prosperity of the country.

Rt Rev Valerian D’Souza, Bishop of Pune, highlighted the role that religions have to play to promote peace in the society. He urged the Indians to work for the upliftment of the poor in our midst, following the example of the Father of the Nation. Dr Ashgar Ali Engineer, in his keynote address, pleaded for communal harmony based on respect and fairness for different religions.

In the welcome speech Smt Rama Rauta, convener of the Seminar, focused on the need to cleanse Ganges so that the future generation will be grateful to us. Inspired by Gandhi, she said that the National Women’s Organization, Pune, has been working for social and environmental concerns.

The seminar organized to honour Mahatma Gandhi was held At Aghakhan Palace, more than 200 people took part. The main speakers paid homage to Kasturba Gandhi and to Mahatma Gandhi. Two books, Gandhi, Ganja and Giriraj by Professor L Khubchandani and Experiments in Moral Sovereignity by Jeff Knaebel were released.

Representatives form Hinduism, Islam, Christianity and Jainism took part in the prayer at the Samadhi. Smt Shobhana Tai Ranade presided over the inaugural function.

Dr. Kuruvilla SJ, Delia Maria Ph.d., Dr. Sawant, and others from the Friends of the Gandhi Museum also spoke. The seminar was arranged by National Women’s Organization and Gandhi National Memorial Society, Pune and assisted by the Friends of the Gandhi Museumk Pune..

TOI Correspondent

Gandhi's Martyr Day Observed in Mumbai

1200 students from 42 colleges marched for Peace & Communal Harmony Rally to commemorate Gandhi's Martyr Day from Azad Maidan to Hutatma Chowk which was jointly organised by Bombay Sarvodaya Mandal, Hindustani Praschar Sabha, Gandhi Smarak Nidhi & NSS Units of Mumbai & SNDT University.

1200 NSS from students 42 colleges along with the Gandhian activists, social workers, peace loving citizens marched for Peace and Communal Harmony to commemorate Gandhi’s death anniversary from Azad Maidan to Hutatma Chowk with play-cards, banners and aprons carrying slogans on Communal Harmony, “HATE HURTS, HARMONY HEALS” etc.

The purpose of the rally was to inculcate the spirit of peace and communal harmony as Gandhi had visualized amongst people from different walks of life which is the need of the hour to lead our country towards progress. This is more relevant and necessary in today’s atmosphere where hatred, disharmony, violence and intolerance are spreading at an alarming rate and moral values are on a decline.

The Peace & Communal Harmony March was jointly organized by Bombay Sarvodaya Mandal, Hindustani Prachar Sabha, Gandhi Smarak Nidhi and the NSS units of Mumbai and SNDT University.

At 5.17 p.m. (the time when Gandhi was assassinated), an oath to oppose all forms of communalism, casteism, chauvinism; never to resort to violence and intolerance and to work for promoting harmony, goodwill and peace in the world.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON GLOBAL CONFLICTS AND TERRORISM

Emphasing tolerance and an increase to the role of spirituality, participants at the International conference on Global conflicts and Terrorism said both were required to make the world a better place and ridding it of terrorism and conflict.

The conference was held on the city on Monday 22nd January . Former Council of Scientific and Industrial Research director RA Malshekar said “Religion spirituality and science together can bring harmony”. He added that on the last decade, though there had been huge advancement in material wealth, there had been little advancement in terms of spirituality. “Spirituality should be at the centrestage for the promotion of harmony . In this respect, the 21st century will be a defining period in the history of mankind” he said.

Vanrai founder Mohan Dharia said that if the systematic destruction of nature was not stopped, a time would come when the human race should be destroyed by nature’s fury. Dharia urged people to be more introspective to find the cause behind the spate to global terrorism and rise in conflict.

Referring to Swami Vivekanda’s speech at the World Religious Meet 1893, Vishwanath Karad said the time had come to recount the speech and practice more tolerance. “Transform pilgrim centres in India to divine knowledge centres of India” Karad said.

Jeff Knaebel of friends of Gandhi Museum Pune also spoke on state terrorism. No political institution, no authoritarian person, no economic policy, and no government can save us from the self-inflicted disaster bearing down upon us. Only the freedom to be in love with life. To express this love, we must get the State out of our way. He said.

The conference was organized by the World conference on Reverence for all Life under the chairmanship of Shri Bahri Malhotra. Delia Maria from Friends of the Gandhi Museum was among one of the volunteer organizers. Delegates of every religion participated in the conference.

Courtesy Express News Service, January 22, 2007