Lessons on ecology from the Mahatma, writes President Droupadi Murmu

When we think of Gandhiji, we think of him as one of those prophets who visit the earth but rarely. He was not only a spiritually evolved person, he was also concerned about all the worldly problems – poverty, inequality, injustice. For him, spiritual evolution was not possible without taking care of less fortunate neighbours. That is why his politics was part of his inner quest. He strove to make his politics religious, not in the narrow sense of the term, but as an ethical practice.

Gandhiji’s fertile mind also engaged with the whole range of issues around us—from the importance of cleanliness to the status of women, from the revival of traditional arts and crafts to the wrongs of trade and economy under imperialism. Not only are his collected writings spread over 97 volumes, but an index of the subjects he wrote or spoke about requires a full volume. His thoughts were not merely idle musings, but an outcome of his sustained practice. That philosophy which is not made part of life was, according to him, “dry as dust”. Thoughts, words and deeds were of a piece, in his case.

I was born a decade after he left us. But I could feel his presence in my childhood. Elders in the village spoke of “Bapu”. Those who were fortunate to have seen him or heard him were sought out and requested to narrate their experience. As a child, I found his simplicity and his empathy for all living beings very touching. His saintly figure, in posters and pictures in school and outside, was inspiring us to become better human beings.

Later, as a senior student, as a teacher and then in my social service days, I used to think about the Mahatma and try to look at any situation before me from his viewpoint. I sometimes read books by and on Gandhiji. In particular, I liked the many collections of anecdotes. I think they capture the essence of his being the best. Today, I wish to turn to one of them, Bapu ki Jhankiyaan by his associate, Kakasaheb Kalelkar.

In 1930, when Gandhiji was in Yerwada jail, Kakasaheb was also with him. Before using the spinning wheel, they used to clean raw cotton with a carding-bow. But the string of the carding-bow had become slack with the moisture in the air during the rainy season. They turned to using an oven kept in the courtyard, but then the fibres of the string remained ruffled. To smoothen them, they would rub them down with neem leaves. Kakasaheb writes: “One day, Bapu noticed that I was in the habit of breaking off a whole twig for the sake of four or five leaves. Whereupon he said: ‘This is himsa (violence). Others might not be able to understand, but you can. Even these four leaves should be plucked by us humbly, with due apologies to the tree. You break off whole twigs!’”

What Gandhiji said is revealing at so many levels! We notice that his notion of violence was so subtle that he was hurt if even a twig was broken. Moreover, we can see his concept of economy, that is, not to use a twig where four leaves are sufficient, regardless of the “value” of that twig. But what made him a true mahatma was his advice to offer apologies to the tree before plucking – “humbly” – those four leaves. In that one sentence, we can see the very essence of his worldview.

This is not the only incident of its kind. Such respect and humility for nature were woven into his daily life. Many of his associates have reported similar anecdotes. For an essay on the occasion of Gandhiji’s birth anniversary, one can choose any topic from that volume of index I mentioned earlier. I chose to think about his attitude towards nature, because I sincerely believe we are going to face an existential crisis soon – if we are not already in it – and Gandhiji’s advice to Kakasaheb, or several such tales about his lifestyle, offers a guiding path for posterity.

Scientists and policymakers tell us that the planet is in crisis. Close to two centuries of relentless exploitation has left the earth exhausted. This is causing a change in climate and triggering extreme weather events.

In the past three or four years, places in the West known for cold weather have reported high temperatures. Wildfires are reported from places that have never witnessed them. Destructive floods have become far too frequent. Many parts of India too have experienced nature’s fury with unfailing regularity. Devastation caused by floods in some of the northern states this year was of an unprecedented scale.

I do not wish to sound gloomy. The best minds of our generation are trying to find scientific and technological solutions, while global leaders are toiling hard to tailor the best policy response. We are proud of the fact that India has taken the leadership in the area of non-conventional energy. Yet, given the enormity of the challenge, each one of us must do what we can do at an individual level.

In our public life, we often hear the saying, “walking in the footsteps of the Mahatma”. While he insisted that everyone has the potential to do what he did, he held such high standards for himself that many have realised how difficult and demanding it is to follow him. He was well aware of the beginner’s difficulty. He suggested starting small, and then expanding the effort. One can start practising truth and non-violence with the family and the immediate neighbourhood. And then keep expanding that circle.

Droupadi Murmu is the President of India. The views expressed are personal