27 January, 2016 “Mahatma Gandhi – Great Soul of India” exhibition opened with the lecture of the same name in the library 10, St.Petersburg, RF. The exhibition was prepared by the St.Petersburg Branch of the International Centre of the Roerichs.

The exhibition "Mahatma Gandhi – Great Soul of India" consists of photographs telling about life, work and public activity of the great humanist of India – Karamchand Mohandas Gandhi, known worldwide as Mahatma Gandhi. A great Soul (Mahatma) Gandhi was named for his love to all oppressed and disadvantaged people. To them Karamchand Mohandas Gandhi - a lawyer, educator, philosopher, public figure and ideologist of the national liberation movement of India – a Teacher of Mahatma Gandhi - devoted all his life.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi got excellent education: family education in the spirit of the Hindu traditions; teaching English in schools in India and in higher education in London gave him the basics of the cultures of East and West. In his memoirs, in his youth, he admired European civilization and culture. After receiving a law degree, he started his professional career first in India, then in South Africa. The profession of lawyer allowed him to protect the interests of Indians working in South Africa, and revealed to him the sad picture of the lives of the oppressed sections of the population. Soon Gandhi became the head of the resistance movement in South Africa.

Participating in protests, rallies and demonstrations, Gandhi comes to the conclusion that resistance to injustice is possible only with an awareness of people of their dignity and equality rights of all people before God. It is this awareness of his dignity, of the greatness of his country's culture which, according to Gandhi, formed the force that would contribute to the liberation of India from the government of England. He creates the doctrine of Satyagraha -“insistence on truth, based on non-violence”, along with several stages of action, in the gradual execution of which the Hindu people will come to the goal: self-government and independence.
"You should bec
ome the change you most want to see in your life," said Mahatma Gandhi, and he himself always followed the principles he preached. The example of his life and actions became the model for many Indians. "He stood at the threshold of huts of the thousands of dispossessed, dressed just as they were. He addressed them in their language, here, finally, was a living truth, not quotes from books...", wrote the great poet of India Rabindranath Tagore.

Gandhi called L. N. Tolstoy his teacher. "Russia in the person of Leo Tolstoy gave me a teacher who provided the theoretical basis for my nonviolence," Gandhi wrote later. The teachings of Tolstoy – causing no harm by violence – was brought to life by Gandhi. However, nonviolence does not mean passive retreat. The principle of nonviolence according to Gandhi means causing no harm to all living things – Ahimsa – but will not tolerate indignity and retreat from one’s principles and ideas. The power of the spirit that Gandhi evokes in his countrymen is the power of the spirit, based on the dignity of the knowledge of truth and awareness of their great culture.

Inspired by him the political party "Indian National Congress" in 1942, adopted the resolution entitled "Leaving India" and Gandhi becomes the leader of the last all India Satyagraha campaign. And in August 1946 the President of the INC, Jawaharlal Nehru received a proposal from the British to form the government of India.

Asserting the dignity of man, Gandhi was always against any inequality. He stressed the equality of all people before God, called the untouchables the children of God (harigane). He defended the common origin of religions, which differences depended only on place and time. In an effort to prevent confrontation between Hindus and Muslims, Gandhi walked on foot East Bengal and Bihar, explaining his ideas to people, spent many hours in prayer and protest against clashes between Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs, he also conducted hunger strikes.

During one of the evening shows, Gandhi was shot dead by a member of the Hindu chauvinist organization. His life ended in a victory: India got its independence.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was a simple citizen of his country, without titles and positions, without official titles and wealth. Mahatma Gandhi has left two pairs of sandals, glasses, staff, bed on the floor and a stack of books. The governments of all states sent their condolences on the occasion of the death of the great humanist and fighter for human dignity. His memory was honored by the UN Security Council: the UN flags were flown at half-mast.
In 2007 the UN declared October,2 – the birthday of Mohandas Gandhi, Karamchand – Day of non-Violence. The ideas of the great humanist Mahatma Gandhi are especially important for humankind in the twenty-first century, when armed clashes between nations and groups of people are becoming more and more frequent and violent.

In the conclusion of the lecture E. E. Korchemkina, a lector of the St.Petersburg Branch of the ICR, answered questions from the audience.