When The Earth Trembled

April 29, 2015 at 9:15 PMApr (Activism, Musings, Slice Of Life, Soliloquy)

Mahatma Gandhi was once criticized heavily by Rabindranath Tagore for his statement saying the earthquake in Bihar was caused by the practice of untouchability. It was God’s punishment for the sin committed by humanity through the practice of untouchability. This statement, according to Tagore, was unscientific and it indeed was unscientific.

Though Gandhi’s words lacked scientific temper Gandhi fancied a rehabilitation and reconstruction which was not just at a physical level but also at moral and ethical level. Rehabilitation and reconstruction of society in a more human way. While this imagination of Gandhi was poetic in nature the poet Tagore stood for scientific temper. Both these statements, though sound contradictory, were statements made with deep concern for the world and with a dream for a just and better world.

Following the earthquake in Nepal now we are hearing some say “beef eating” is the reason why earthquake happened in Nepal and some are saying “Rahul Gandhi” is the cause for the earthquake. According to some “extra marital sex” is the reason for Nepal earthquake and according to some the Nepalese should not rebuild their temples and get converted which hints at “pagan worship” being the reason for the earthquake.

So, in various tongues in various ways in various colours we are witnessing people from various faiths and belief systems trying to make this world more regressive more conservative by sowing poisonous thoughts through ridiculous statements. If Gandhi saw the natural calamity as a chance given by nature to reinvent the society in a more human way people now are seeing it as an opportunity to gain political mileage and colonize human minds with their regressive thoughts and sow hatred. None of these statements have the creative imagination for a better world as Gandhi did nor the scientific temper which Tagore demanded. Nor do any of these statements are rooted in the deep concern and care for the world and humanity the way Gandhi and Tagore’s words were.

Did the earth tremble because of such heartlessness in the world? Did the decay in humanity make the earth shiver?