Gandhi in Africa
Prof. Hazara Singh
With a self-imposed obligation
Coined as ‘White Man’s Burden’
They too followed the colonists
With beaded rosaries in hands
Wearing loose impressive robes
To lands either declared dark
Or those inhabited by heathens
For showing the heavenly light
To bring them, thus, in Lord’s fold
As they loved the natives deeply.
The love changed soon into that for gold
White ivory and pastures, lush and green
Though the man, black, dark or wheatish
Did not see much of the blessed light
After that sun did not set on the Empire.
The rosaries and pastures changed hands
Messengers of the Lord became landlords
White Man’s Burden bonded the coloured
The obligation turned into segregation
Beloved natives got reduced to chattels.
It was M. K. Gandhi who showed them light
Truth was his guide, uprightness, his path
Pride or hate was alien to his pursuits
He kissed instead the hand that slapped
An apostle of peace, crusader for goodwill
Though frail in frame yet strong in mind
Clear about goal, given to rightful acts
Softened racial ego with moral strength
Preached and followed the gospel of Lord:
‘The lowest even has the right to equity’.