Mahatma Gandhi: Case of the first Conferrer of the title mahatma

[This was published in Burma Times on 14 October and in Dhaka Courier on 16 October 2014]

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on 2 0ctober 1869 and he left the world on30 January 1948.  What he left behind are his works and contributions that may rightly be summed up as Gandhism, which implies sattayagrah, non-violence, non-cooperation and bramacharya. The greatest recognition to the works of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is the title Mahatma (Sanskrit term of reverence ‘mahatman’ meaning ‘one of great soul’), which he got even before the full blossom of Gandhism. It is similar in usage to the modern Christian term saint. This epithet is commonly applied to high-flying people like Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Munshiram (later Swami Shraddhananda), Lalon Shah and Jyotirao Phule. The use of the term Mahatma in Jainism to denote a class of lay priests has been noted since the 17th century. On all accounts, the title mahatma is bigger than anything else in one’s life from the viewpoints that as a concept father of the nations is tagged to the birth of a nation with a free and sovereign state. If anyhow the very state loses its independent and sovereign entity then the concept of father of the nation becomes inoperative instantly. Hence, mahatma is so powerful, meaningful and encompassing that it even dares otherwise to go ahead of the title father of the nation, although he is also called Bapu (Gujarati: endearment for "father", papa) and after the independence of India he became the father of the nation without a constitutional support.

In fact, the title father of the nation was first noted by Netaji Subhash Chand Bose in his condolence message on death of Kastur ba. Gandhi’s wife, a message to the Mahatma on Azad Hind Radio, Rangoon on 4th June, 1944 that read "...........Nobody would be more happy than ourselves if by any chance our countrymen at home should succeed in liberating themselves through their own efforts or by any chance, the British Government accepts your `Quit India' resolution and gives effect to it. We are, however proceeding on the assumption that neither of the above is possible and that a struggle is inevitable’. Here an interesting event as follows needs to be recalled:

‘Mahatma Gandhi cannot be accorded the `Father of the Nation` title by government as the Constitution does not permit any titles except educational and military ones, the Home Ministry has said.

In an RTI response to Lucknow-based student Aishwarya Parashar, the Home Ministry has told her that no action was taken on her plea to the President to declare Mahatma Gandhi as `Father of the Nation` because Article 18 (1) of the Constitution does not permit any titles except education and military ones.

Aishwarya had filed number of RTI petitions seeking details about Gandhi and the reasons of referring him as Father of the Nation. In response, she was told that no such title has been accorded to Gandhi.

Driven by a patriot zeal, Class VI student Aishwarya wrote to the then President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to issue a notification declaring Mahatma Gandhi as `Father of the Nation`.

Aishwarya had filed an RTI petition seeking to know the action taken on her plea by the President and the Prime Minister.

The application was transferred to the Home Ministry with instructions to explain the action taken on her plea. In its response, the Home Ministry told Aishwarya the above mentioned reason why the title of `Father of the Nation` cannot be accorded to Gandhi’ (http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/mahatma-gandhis-father-of-the-nation-title-unconstitutional-mha_807546.html).

Understanding as usual is: where there is a conferment of title, there shall have to be a conferrer whether it involves a person/persons or an organization/organizations. It happened so as well in case of Gandhi about the title mahatma. Interestingly and confusingly enough, history caries records that there is no disagreement about Gandhi’ having been bestowed and enlightened with the title mahatma but there remains a very big question till the date as to the identification and recognition of the first conferrer of the title mahatma since more than one names have been referred to in this regard.

There are as a whole four distinct opinions about the person or organization who came forward first with the sense of according such overvalued title on Gandhi. And focus on them may relevantly be presented as follows:

Opinion-1 tells us that the honorific Mahatma (Sanskrt: "high-souled", "venerable")—was applied to him first in 1914 in South Africa. It is known the source in ‘Gandhi, Rajmohan (2006) p. 172: "... Kasturba would accompany Gandhi on his departure from Cape Town for England in July 1914 en route to India. ... In different South African towns (Pretoria, Cape Town, Bloemfontein, Johannesburg, and the Natal cities of Durban and Verulam), the struggle's martyrs were honored and the Gandhi's bade farewell. Addresses in Durban and Verulam referred to Gandhi as a 'Mahatma', 'great soul'. He was seen as a great soul because he had taken up the poor's cause. The whites too said good things about Gandhi, who predicted a future for the Empire if it respected justice. (p. 172)".

Opnion-2 holds that regarding the title Mahatma to Gandhi, it is popularly believed covering also a section of politicians, researchers, think-tanks and so forth at large that Gandhi’s admirer Rabindranath Tagore (the first Asian to win the Nobel Prize for Literature) accorded title of Mahatma on Gandhiji on 6 March 1915. It was given in response to Gandhiji conferring the title of "Gurudev" (great teacher) upon Tagore. Dutta and Robinson’s ‘Rabindranath Tagore: An Anthology’ is quoted as the Most authoritative source

Opinion-3 unfurls that Gandhi was termed Mahatma by the residents of Gurukul Kangadi in April 1915 and he in turn termed the founder Munshiram a Mahatma who later became Swami Shraddhananda.

Opinion-4 speaks documentarily that Shri M.K. Gandhi visited Jetpur, a small town in Saurashtra (Gujarat), on January 21. 1915 at Kamri Bai School, Jetpur, India and on that day staunch Gandhian and Businessman Nautamlal B Mehta (kamdar), who was also Nagar sheth (Mayor in present sense) of Jetpur, coined the WORD 'Mahatma" for Mr Gandhi considering all his saintly life style. From then on, Gandhiji was known as Mahatma Gandhi.

All claimed here and there but only Nautamlal Bhagavanji Mehta has all proof, relevant documentation and a valid platform. Furthermore they also honored Mahatmajis wife Kasturba Gandhi that citation is also at display at web site: www.kamdartree.com. The most authentic authority in Gandhian documentation is "Rajghat Gandhi Museum’ and they acknowledge and accepted as Nautamlal B Mehta( kamdar) as first person to use Face to face and on Citation the Word "Mahatma" for Mohanlal Karamchand Gandhi.

Proponents and exponents in this fold firmly stick to the conclusion that the most authentic information and anybody may find the truth by visiting web site: www.kamdartree.com for all real picture of "Mahatma" citation which was given to Mohanlal Karamchand Gandhi on 01/21/1915. All claim but no one has any proof or link or documents. Only Nautamlal B mehta has all authentic and TRUE papers.

In ‘Who gave the title of Mahatma to Gandhiji?’ Kruthi Gonwar, ENS, wrote:

The RTI Act is a powerful weapon to get information on anything that is in public interest. However, a few RTI activists in the city are taking this a bit too literally, it seems. They are keen to know when and on what grounds was the Father of the Nation, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, given the title of the Mahatma!

The Sanskrit word Mahatma, which means a great soul, is often taken to be Gandhi’s given name in the West. History books tells us poet and Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore bestowed the title on Gandhi in 1915 while writing his autobiography after the latter called him Gurudev. But our RTI activists are not convinced.

One such RTI activist Raju Malthumkar shot off an RTI query to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) seeking to know how, when and why MK Gandhi was given the honour of being called Mahatma. He also sought to know when he was called the Father of the Nation.

Officials at the PMO forwarded the request to the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) and the National Archives of India (NAI), Archeology Department. “The ICHR addressed a letter to me, in which it mentioned that it does not have any documentary information on this case. Even the National Archives of India also said that it had no information on this. They also mentioned in the letter that I am welcome to make use of their library and archival facilities on any further information I wish to know,” Raju said.

Apart from MK Gandhi, two others were also given the title of Mahatma. One was Mahatma Wesley Branch Rickey, a major league baseball executive and Mahatma Jyotirao Govindrao Phule, also known as Mahatma Jotiba Phule, an activist, social reformer and a revolutionary from Maharashtra.

“Gandhiji was instrumental in bringing us freedom. When there are others who have been recognized by the government, why not Gandhiji?” questioned Raju. But all the same, he wants to know the “facts.”

Commenting on the issue, a research scholar, Anuradha Panchagada, Department of History, University of Hyderabad, said, “Mahatma is like an honor that has been given by people to Gandhiji. There are definitely pros and cons of being bestowed with such a title, but a prominent personality like Gandhiji surely does not need something like this in writing!”(http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/article550794.ece”).

Therefore, it is transparently understandable that that from point of view of the date of conferral the title mahatma, It happened first in 1914 in South Africa, Nautamlal B Mehta comes second (January 21, 1915), Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore comes next (6 March 1915) and then the turn is for the residents of Gurukul Kangadi (in April 1915). Keeping this facts in right perspective, there arises an asking why have been attempts being made to portray Rabindranath Tagore as the first figure to confer the title Mahatma upon Gandhi? Tagore’ devotees heave a sigh of relief convincing them forcefully sounding on a high volume ‘Considering pros and cons, for MK Gandhi, perchance, befitting personality is Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, neither the Indians in South Africa nor  Nagar sheth (Mayor in present sense) of Jetpur, Nautamlal B Mehta.

Let us not forget that Tagore is Tagore. Nobody should use his name purposefully to glorify others. Mahatma Gandhi’s relations with Rabindranath Tagore are a historical fact and it was because of Tagore’s request that Santiniketan, previously called Bhubandanga (named after Bhuban Sinha) and later renamed Visva-Bharati University, after the independence of India on 15 August 1947, was taken over by the central government of India. Let us feel free to note that who is first or who is next that should not be an issue at all for us since the matter is still shrouded in profoundest mystery because of the lack of accurate initiative of the government of the Republic of India. Let the Government of the Republic of India unfurls the truth very soon so that growing and coming generations are not confused about this very touchy issue.  And the government of South Africa may play a role here too as Nelsen Mandela---voice of modern South Africa--also spoke of Mahatma Gandhi as one of his inspirations.