It is easy to forget Gandhi and Satyagraha as a past and distorted through propaganda. Looking back and reading the actual events from the world press from around the time of the Bardoli Satyagraha, I am stunned. The very real shrewdness displayed by Gandhi the mobilising of such enormous crowds and the people the civil disobedience reached and the significant crippling of the british government from the movement. No taxes, no income, mass resignations, disobedience from Indians in the army, reporting lines broken. Amazing. No amount of terrorism could have come close to the effect this had.

It is astounding. The commitment, the deep and real motivation of these people. How dare we be blase about our lives, apathetic about unfolding events when so many died to give us what we really really really take for granted.

I am moved to tears from frustration at the littleness of my life and from awe of our independence movement. I am truly proud and I am truly little.