Learnings from Gandhi

“Let our lives be open books for all to study!”

Words of wisdom by the Father of our Nation, Mahatma Gandhi that we believe in strongly. We are all books at the end of the day, awaiting to be opened and read. We all have stories within us and the people we meet to make up the chapters in our books.

We come across various experiences and add them to our table of contents. By the end of the book, the protagonist (that’s us) grows with a unique character arc! Isn’t life similar to books in more ways than one? We find this fascinating!


The joy of reading

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony”.

Wise words by Mahatma Gandhi to which we couldn’t agree more! We believe in thinking of books all the time, speaking about our favorite books and authors, and organizing events and activities to inculcate the joy of reading in everyone!

Several people have believed in the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi and his contributions to our freedom struggle. His political career and intriguing works deserve a day like this to be appreciated and revisited.

Here are a few of his autobiographies, philosophical insights, and stories we highly recommend! Some of the books are works by other authors that describe Gandhi in the best way possible with no filter.

Gandhi: An Autobiography

This inspiring book translated by Mahadev Desai is one of Gandhi’s most accurate autobiographies. It details and recounts the story of Mahatma Gandhi’s life and how he was inspired to turn to ahimsa.

There are tales based on real-life incidents and the various concepts Gandhi believed in other than non-violence. It also compares various non-violent struggles of the twentieth century alongside the other initiatives by Gandhi.

The stories have been narrated candidly and with the utmost detail. Be it family life and his marriage to Kasturba Gandhi or his education abroad and experiences with other freedom fighters - you name it, the book details it splendidly.


Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule

This novel was written by Gandhi in Gujarati, his native language. He wrote it while traveling from London to South Africa in 1909. The reason this book deserves to be on this list is owing to how Gandhi has spoken about humanity.

He elaborates on where we are headed and where we are going wrong. He has also stated some remedies for a lack of humanity in modern times. Although the Gujarati edition was banned by the British, Gandhi translated it himself into English.

This was a smart move as most Indians didn’t know English during that time. The British found it safe to have the English edition in publication as long as it had no impact on the Indians of that period.




The Way to God

Gandhi was a popular spiritual leader while also being a political icon. This book by him explores the spiritual roots of his career and how it made him act. It shows his moral and religious approaches to situations that stemmed from innate self-realization.

The best part of the book is how Gandhi’s ideas of love, faith, and self-control are elaborated to a great extent. He also elaborates on the power of service and prayer with a dash of self-control.

Readers will find the stories interesting and can also take a leaf out of them for their daily religious practices. It is relevant to every faith and religion to follow these meditation and prayer tips that drove Gandhi to success.


The Moral Basis of Vegetarianism

We are all familiar with Gandhi’s take on vegetarianism and the importance of maintaining healthy diets. This book written by him focuses on the moral basis behind turning vegetarian.

He elaborates on how man is not a carnivore. He was born to live on fruits and herbs rather than animals and non-vegetarian foods. The Earth has a lot to offer and this book is of paramount importance in our modern age.

With people turning vegan and choosing new diets for themselves, this book is good to fall back on for some basic pointers. The beauty of Gandhi’s book is how it remains relevant despite all the time that has gone by.




Some Modern Works Featuring Gandhi

There are a plethora of books written by modern authors featuring Gandhi. Here are two of our favorite books along these lines:

The Map and The Scissors

A modern novel by Amit Majmudar, this piece has two iconic characters in the lead - Gandhi and Jinnah. Both of their distinct personalities are portrayed beautifully to determine the fate of their Nation. They are rivals and yet share the same dream of gifting freedom to India.

Would there be one Nation or two? Jinnah the ruthless gentleman becomes the Founder of a Land of the Pure while Gandhi turns religious and non-violent. There are descriptions of his experiments with truth and the quest for one India.


Gandhi: The Years That Changed The World

This book by Ramachandra Guha is acclaimed for its accuracy while following Gandhi’s journey over the years of his prime. From his departure from South Africa in 1914 to return to India, followed by his three decades of struggle until his assassination, the book weaves the storyline beautifully.

Ramachandra Guha is a historian who describes Gandhi's campaigns and his strict belief to follow non-violence to bring down the British.


That’s All, Folks!

That sums up our favorite books by Gandhi that remain relevant to people from various walks of life even today. This Gandhi Jayanthi (October 2), let us read some of his finest works and remember the Father of our Nation for the gift of freedom he gave us!

Do let us know which book out of the ones mentioned intrigued you the most. We would love to know which books by Gandhi and which of his beliefs resonated with you the most. Let’s keep the conversation going and learn from each other.