(Humour)
Of ‘Gandhi’ Tree
The clamorous claim on the ‘tree’ has become a nonsensical ‘national’ dispute between Name Changer Gandhis and Game Changer Modi
By Mukesh Sharma
By Mukesh Sharma
Our learned forefathers had discovered the medicinal and religious importance of plants and trees ages ago. Charak Samhita by rishi Charak, a worldwide acclaimed ancient treatise is authenticated even by modern pathologists and physicians. Among the vast variety of vegetation, the most revered are: tulsi (holy basil), a household name in India; neem’s medicinal properties are known to the world; peepal (sacred fig) has deep cultural significance in India; banyan is worshipped by the Hindu for their strong religious belief, and it is said Mahatma Buddha attained enlightenment under this tree only.
However, the mainline ‘gangs’ so called national political parties have come out in open to stake claim on this miracle ‘Gandhi’ tree. It has become a more serious property dispute than Ram mandir temple at Ayodhya. Of course, the dispute is beyond petition. Even overactive Oracles of law would not dare to step in. On 2nd October, the day of the birth of the said tree, the poor populace watched the drama of netas at Sevagram Ashram (where Mahatma Gandhi is said to have spent 11 years of his life).
Though the tree in question is 150 years old which was planted by the respected Gujarati couple一Karamchand Gandhi (father) and Putlibai Gandhi (mother) at Porbander, a coastal town in Kathiawar, Gujarat, the property ‘hawk’ have set their eyes on it (tree) to grab and usurp.
The much talked ‘Gandhis’ stake their claim on the basis of their ‘surname’. But documentary evidences indicate that their claim is not beyond doubt. What is noteworthy, the real ‘Gandhis’ are silent on the issue. In fact the history of Gandhi surname can be traced in Gujrat and Punjab一there are so many renowned Gandhis一Rustom K.S. Gandhi (1924-2014, an Indian Navy Admiral), Sorab K Gandhi (Prof Emeritus at Ranssellaer Polytechnic Institute), Devang Gandhi (an Indian cricketer) and so on.
Interestingly, the real Gandhis are not the party to this dispute. It is the doubtful ‘Gandhis’ who are the First Party.
The doubt get credence by the oft-told interesting story and that goes like that:
Thousands of moon ago, a devout Muslim from Junagadhi area of Gujarat, named Faredoon Jehangir marries a Parsi woman after converting her to Islam. In old times, surname used to be the window to day-to-day life of a person. So all the grocers selling grocery, oil, ghee etc would suffix their name with ‘Ghandy’’ derived from Sanskrit word gandh (smell). So the full name of that Muslim was Faredoon Jehangir Ghandy. Influenced by the fierce freedom struggle of then Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (now Mahatma Gandhi), young and handsome son of aforesaid muslim Firoz Jehangir Ghandy changes the spelling of his surname from ‘Ghandy’ to ‘Gandhi’. Now historically known as Firoz Gandhi. He marries the daughter of then political star Jawahrlal Nehru, Priyadarshini Nehru. After the marriage, she also changes her maiden name to Indira Gandhi. Out of the wedlock, two baby boys are born - Rajiv Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi. In his youth, the former falls in love with an Italian chic, named Edvige Antonia Albina Maino. K.M. Rao, an author of An Indian Dynasty alleges: “ the strong crush makes Rajiv Gandhi to change his religion and he embraces Christianity (Catholic) to marry Maino. He becomes Roberto and the marriage is solemnized in church as per Christian custom. The love-birds are blessed with two kids 一Raul (sonl) and Bianca (daughter). And later for the reasons best known to the family, Raul becomes Rahul Gandhi, Bianca, Priyanka Gandhi, and their respected mother becomes Sonia Gandhi.”
Now the latest news is that overgrown ‘boy’ has become Janaudhari pandit and also a devotee of lord Shiva that too overnight.
Even the chameleon would shy to see the way the netas change their ‘colours’.
Irrespective of vehement claim, made by ‘Gandhis’, the First Party, the common people contend that they are not lawful and rightful claimant to ‘Gandhi Tree’.
At this juncture, another ‘party’ joins this so called ‘national dispute’ as a Second Party. And they claim that Mahatma Gandhi is Father of Nation, and India is their Bharat Mata. So they are the only legal heir and legitimate claimant to the tree. Taking the wind out of the sail and stealing the march, the Second Party has decided to celebrate 150 years of birth anniversary of the tree in a big way and the celebrations would continue till 2 October, 2020.
Axiomatically, if the ‘First Party’ is Name Changer, the Second Party’ is Game Changer! The dispute has become a clamorous claim and nonsensical national dispute between Gandhis (the First Party) and Modi’s BJP (the Second Party)
However, the common people believe, true to their self, the selfish netas seldom uphold the virtuous values the grand old ‘Gandhi’ Tree stands for. They eye up its national importance based on the reverence and trust of teeming millions in India and across the world.
