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CHAPTER 3
THE ANUVRAT MOVEMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF CONCURRENT PAN-INDIC
MOVEMENTS
Background
Given that the Anuvrat Movement places emphasis on the moral and spiritual
foundation of an individual, the second President of India S. Radhakrishnan said,
"Freedom from fear (abhaya), nonviolence (ahimsa) and non-attachment (asanga) are
three essentials of a spiritual life. The Anuvrat sangha46 has established this and is
working for the moral improvement of the individual, and therefore, of society. 947 The
above quotation, which serves as evidence for the widespread recognition of the
movement in its first few decades, was certainly echoing the pan-Indic values of
mainstream Indian spirituality. Another significant factor that contributed to the success
of the movement was Tulsi's charismatic leadership and the support of many other
politicians and intellectuals who contributed to the developing ideology of the movement.
In order to understand the success of Tulsi's movement, I will now examine how
Tulsi's movement compared in its origins and philosophy to several other contemporary
movements that were either continuations of the efforts of Gandhi's followers or inspired
by Gandhi's efforts. From my early research, some important questions arose: Was the
charismatic quality of a leader essential to the success of the movement, and how
effective were each of these movements in addressing the difference between philosophy
and action?
46 Community.
47 S. L. Gandhi, ed., Anuvrat Movement, 2nd ed. (Ladnun: Jain Vishva Bharati, 1992), 31.
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