15
Gandhiji saw
Swadeshi
as the way to comprehensive peace:
peace with oneself, peace between peoples, and peace with nature. The
global economy drives people towards high performance, high
achievement, and high ambition for materialistic success. This results in
stress, loss of meaning, loss of inner peace, loss of space for personal and
family relationships, and loss of spiritual life. Gandhiji realized that in the
past life in India was not only prosperous but also conducive to
philosophical and spiritual development. Swadeshi for Gandhiji was the
spiritual imperative.
Gandhiji always believed that “change” is the permanent truth so our
thoughts and actions must change their course in tandem. So,
his thoughts on
Swadeshi
or ‘local self-sufficiency’ must be visualized in that context.
One most interesting thing about Gandhiji which I would like to
share with the distinguished audience which he wrote in his paper
Harijan
on 29
th
April, 1933 and I quote is that “I would like to say to the diligent
reader of my writings and to others who are interested in them that I am
not at all concerned with appearing to be consistent. In my search after
Truth I have discarded many ideas and learnt many new things. Old as I
am in age, I have no feeling that I have ceased to grow inwardly or that
my growth will stop at the dissolution of the flesh. What I am concerned
with is my readiness to obey the call of Truth, my God, from moment,
and, therefore, when anybody finds any inconsistency between any two
writings of mine, if he has still faith in my sanity, he would do well to
choose the later of the two on the same subject.”
While concluding, I once again thank the Institute of Language
and Culture for Rural Development, Mahidol University for taking the
initiative of organizing this seminar in collaboration with the Embassy and
wish that the Institute will continue organizing many more such events in
future.
Khob Khun Kha.