Q1.

What aspects of his mothers

incorporated in his own personality?

femininity

did

Gandhi

In his formative years, Mahatma Gandhiji (alia Mohandas Karamchand

Gandhi) was influenced by his mother Putlibai, who imparted in him a
strong sense of personal ethics and compassion that is conveyed by his
belief that Indias salvation depends on the sacrifice and enlightenment of
her women Indias salvation depended on the sacrifice and enlightenment
of her women. He contended that his mother left an outstanding
impression on his memory, which was nothing short of saintliness. He
tried to identify himself with his apparently weak, deeply religious,
traditional and self-confident mother. He thought of his mother as the first
satyagrahi because of her fasting and self-penalization, which she did
without flinching. Besides, he was influenced by his mothers piety
towards Jainism and incorporated many of Jain ideas and practices like
ascetism, self-purification through fasting etc.
Gandhijis spiritual bent of mind seems to have come from his mother. His
devotion to women began with his devotion to his mother and later,
motherhood became increasingly his model for liberation of India and his
own life. This was manifested by Gandhijis strict allegiance to the vow of
not having meat he made to his mother when he left for London.
Gandhiji believed that fundamentally, man and woman are one. He tried
to highlight the importance of women in a patriarchal society and his
efforts were aimed at the rediscovery of women as a civilized force in
human society. He profoundly stated that the woman is the incarnation of
Ahimsa.
Q2. Describe in brief the Brahmanic tradition that Maharashtrian
Chitpavans like Nathuram Godse represent?
Nathuram Godse, came from Maharastra, where Brahmanic dominance
was particularly strong. He belonged to the community of Chitpavan
Brahmins, which were one of the rare Brahmin communities with a
glorious history of valour on the battlefield. This coupled with the absence
of marital castes like the Rajputs endowed the Chitpavans with a sense of
historical superiority over other contemporary Brahmans like the Deshasth
Brahmans. They were the rich mix of the traditional prerogatives of the
priestly Brahmans and the kingly Kshatriyas.
Because of their vibrant historical background, the Chitpavans saw
themselves as the upholders of a tradition of Hindu resistance against the
Muslim occupation of India. . It was on this reconstructed and self-created
tradition that a part of the Maharashtrian elite built up their anti-British

nationalism. They perceived themselves as the rigidly religious, previously

powerful, now weakened, competitors of the British. So terrorism directed
against the Raj came naturally to them. Their aim was redemption of their
lost glory.
However, since the colonization of India by the British, much of the
Chitpavans glory and social standing had diluted. 20 th century literature
describes the Chitpavans as inordinately frugal, untrustworthy, given to
conspiratorialism, phlegmatic, hard-working, and a penchant for
cleanliness and intelligence among their attributes. They were also
described to be attached to conventional ideas of social status and had a
dream of reinstating the hegemony of the traditional social leadership.
Q3. Starting from his association with Gandhis civil disobedience
movement in 1929-30 to floating his newspaper Hindu Rashtra,
describe in brief his political associations with various
organization.
Nathuram Godse, though having failed to matriculate was well read and
had first-hand knowledge of the traditional religious texts like Bhagvad
Gita, Patanjali Yogasutra etc. He was also well read in history, politics,
sociology and in particular, Gandhis writings, along with the works of then
major figures like Swami Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo, Tilak and Gokhale.
All this manifested his zeal for being involved in the social and political
circles of then India.
After a brief period in Gandhis civil disobedience movement in 1929-30,
Nathuram became at the age of 20 an active and ardent member of the
Hindu Mahasabha, a small political party, and of the Rashtriya Swayam
Sevak Sangh, a paramilitary wing of the Hindu Mahasabha. Both groups
supported the cause of Hindu revivalism and tried to articulate the Hindu
search for self-esteem, besides having a covert intention of reinstating the
supremacy of the traditional social leadership or at least contain its
humiliation. The ideas of these parties resonated with those of Godse, who
was rigidly religious, and interpreted Krishnas teachings to Arjuna during
the Mahabharata from a martial perspective. Over time, his fervour and
zeal for Hindu nationalism propelled him to become the Secretary of the
RSS Poona branch.
However, he did not find the RSS militant enough and resigned soon,
forming a new organization called Hindu Rashtra Dal. He then purchased
the newspaper Agrani , later changed to Hindu Rashtra to propagate his
political views, and his strong dislike of Gandhi, which he articulated
through acerbic pieces that Gandhi was emasculating the Hindus.

Q4. What are the similarities and dissimilarities between Gandhi

and Godse at the level of manifest political style?
Similarities:

Both were courageous nationalists contending that the problem of

India was in short, the problem of the Hindus as they constituted the
majority.
Both were allegiant to the idea of an undivided and free India and
expressed sadness and anguish at the partition of India.
Both felt that austerity was a necessary part of political activity.
Both believed in a casteless society and democratic polity
Both of them lived like a hermit, having renounced the
contemporary pleasures of life.
Both of them considered themselves as santani
Both were in favour of mobilizing the Indian Muslims for the
nationalist cause by making some concessions to their leadership.

Differences:

Godse considered totally irrational Gandhis emphasis on political

ethics, soul force and the moral supremacy of the oppressed over
the oppressor.
Godses interpretation of Krishnas teachings to Arjuna during the
Mahabharata was from the martial side, whereas Gandhiss was
from the spiritual side
Godse believed that politics was a rational zero-sum game, whereas
Gandhi believed it to be a collaboration for the betterment of all.
Godses Hinduism was different from Gandhi. Gandhi felt Hinduism
was a life style and an open-ended system of universal ethics which
would continuously integrate new inputs. For Godse, salvation of
Hindus lay in giving up their syntheticism and ideological openness
and in being religious in the fashion of politically successful
societies.
Godse looked at history as a chronological sequence of real events,
and noticed India was ruled by Muslims or Christians for over 1000
years. He felt Hindus were humiliated and this had to be redressed.
Gandhi seldom cared about the past and Muslim domination of India
meant nothing to him, prompting Godse to famously refer to Gandhi
as Father of Pakistan

Q5. After killing Gandhi, Nathuram Godse reportedly said that he

had done his duty like Arjuna in the Mahabharata whom Krishna
advised to kill his own relatives because they were evil. What
supporting props about the society in general and Gandhi in
particular could Nathuram may have cited to justify his remark?

After the partition, which had a telling effect on Gandhijis psyche, he

contended that he was responsible for what was happening to India and
that God, after deliberately blinding him awakened him to his mistake.
Gandhi died, according to his own scenario, which were a manifestation of
his forebodings. He had yearned for a violent death while preaching
pacifism. the hands of one who was apparently a zealot, a religious
fanatic, a typical assassin with a typical background, educated and
intelligent, but an under-achiever. Godse was still relatively young, was
coming from the middle class and yet from a group which was a displaced
elite and with a long record of failures. Godse also had the fear of
sexuality, idealization of parents, ideological rigidity and constriction of
emotions. This was the kind of society in which Nathuram Godse was born,
grew and died.
Godse and his associates decision to kill Gandhi was certainly determined
by the circumstances of Partition and the death of Hindus in the course of
the communal violence of 1947. But, during his trial, Godse also made
clear that there was an ideological element to the decision: I had never
made a secret of the fact that I supported the ideology of the school that
was opposed to that of Gandhi. I firmly believed that the teachings of
absolute ahimsa as advocated by Gandhi would ultimately result in the
emasculation of the Hindu community and thus make the community
incapable of resisting the aggression or inroads of other communities,
especially the Muslims. By his own admission, Godse belonged to an
ideological stream fed by Hindu nationalism and political violence against
Gandhi, a school of thought that began with B.G. Tilak and was
perpetuated by Tilakites such as V.D. Savarkar, Godses mentor.
Godses interpretation of the Mahabharata also has similarities with Tilaks
Gita Rahasya. At the end of his trial, Godse said: In fact, honour, duty and
love of ones own kith and kin and country might often compel us to
disregard non-violence. Arjun had to fight and slay quite a number of his
friends and relations, including the revered Bhishma, because the latter
was on the side of the aggressor.