Great Warrior Of Ahimsa

Author(s): Pratap J Tolia
Publisher: Vardhaman Bharati International Foundation

Page 36

-11
THE SOUTH AFRICA'S SATYAGRAHA, THE DISOBEYANCE OF THE A RAWLETT ACT, THE CIVIL RESISTENCE AGAINST THE GREAT TRAGEDY OF JALIANWALLA & PUNJAB MASSACRE....THE KHILAFAT MOVEMENT....THE CIVIL DIS-OBEDIENCE MOVEMENT AND THE HISTORIC DANDI MARCH PROVED GANDHI'S WORTH AS A UNIQUE NON-VIOLENT WARRIOR UN-EQUALLED BY ANY IN HUMAN HISTORY...
[reacting by repeating only..]..A unique non-violent warrior un-equalled in human history... (extinguishes the lamp)........ The Historic Dandi March.......... The Historic Dandi March... ...(sleeps and after some time witnesses the dream......Effects of SITAR....]
[Dream scene of Dandi march: Sabarmati Ashrama of Ahmedabad. Morning of 12" March 1930: Gandhi 61 years old, simply covered: About to start with fellow-workers in the beginning and then appears marching on foot. Sarojini Naidu, the poetess, stands with the mike in a corner of the Sabarmati Ashrama and remains commenting upon the March scene throughout...............]
M.GANDHI: [Taking a pledge while living the Ashrama]:
" I WILL PREFER DEATH LIKE DOGS AND CROWS, BUT I WON'T RETURN TO THE ASHRAMA WITHOUT GETTING INDEPENDENCE..." (*4)
[Effect of Sitar and Chunk and Temple Bells and Trumpets]
[M. Gandhi leaves and Marches with his inmates as shown in the famous Dandi March Photograph] SAROJINI NAIDU : [Commenting mike with her sweet Nightingale voice] With this vow on 12th March OF 1930, Bapu Gandhi started on feet to cover the 241 mile-long Great March from Sabarmati to the sea shore of Dandi to break the Salt Act. Not only the stream of his 79 chosen colleagues, but an unlimited flow of the people followed him to rush to the seathe sea, not only of Dandi, but of India's Independence!.....And what a simple, non-violent, ridiculous weapon was adopted by this warrior-Salt! The simple Salt of the Sea!! Breaking of the unjustly imposed Act of Salt of the Sea!!!.....But it was not so simple as it seemed. It was the significant symbol of the masses and the nation's salvation. Bapu Gandhi explained this at a meeting during the March:
M.GANDHI: "The manufacturing of salt is only symbolic. As the Independence movement is essential for the poorest in the land, the beginning will be made with this.....there would be tens of thousands ready in a disciplined manner, to follow and lay themselves open to the penalties their action might attract....."
[Gandhi gets up, leaves the meeting, begins walking with his fellows] SONGSTER[Marching with the instrument 'Ektara' which he plays while singing: Hindi song]:
"SABARMATI SE CHALA SANT EK AHIMSA KA VRATADHARI,
DUNIYA MEN SANNATA CHHAYA, DHRUJE PRITHVI SARI....." (*5)
SAROJINI NAIDU : The world was shocked when this Saint of Sabarmati set out for Nonviolent war. His great army of Peace, even though un-equipped with swords or guns or bayonets, threatened the foreign rulers.........
(*4) 12-3-1930 Sabarmati Ashram vow
(*5) Dandi-Geet