Appeal for donation for Gandhi-King Satyagraha Monument

January 13, 2019

Dear Friends,

Gandhi 150 is once-in-a-life time opportunity. It has arrived at a time when the world is suffering through rampant displays of hatred and exclusivist extremism. Gandhi’s name is attached to Nonviolence but essential right now is for us to match his courage in contending with hatred and connect with his soul force - Satyagraha. Examining Satyagraha reminds us of another individual who showed exemplary courage and gave his life fighting injustice, hatred and racism. I speak of none other than Dr. Martin Luther King.

On the occasion of Gandhi 150, a group of friends from the Indo-Canadian and Afro-Canadian communities have joined hands to honor Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King with a unique monument titled SATYAGRAHA, a commissioned bronze for this purpose (see attached). The artwork captures the moral force of four principles-Truth, Satyagraha, Nonviolence and Sarvodaya - which empowered Gandhi and King. These basic, moral concepts rooted a vision and shaped their courageous, exemplary leadership in pursuit of justice and the struggle to lessen pain and suffering in their respective communities.

SATYAGRAHA (Artist: Ruth Abernethy) features Martin Luther King engaged in conversation with Mohandas Gandhi.  Each man is seated on a circular stone and inscribed into its curved stone face are theme words Truth, Non-violence, Satyagraha, and Sarvodaya. Rising from the stone's center is an ancient tree that has managed to press its roots through the granite to pierce the stone base and grow beyond. The tree's stylized leaves are slightly oversized. Their iconic shape is sturdy and appealing in bronze. Three small panels, high on the tree trunk spell PEACE in English, French and Ojibway. Intrigued by the soaring tree and its place in the conversation, four children have been drawn into the montage. This monument signifies renewal, life and growth. It represents the perseverance and persistence of one human family - sustained by life-enhancing universal values.

Anniversaries come and go. We want Gandhi 150 to continue. To do this we will create an organization, Gandhi-King Satyagraha International that will oversee completion of the Satyagraha monument.  This group will promote concepts of nonviolence, Satyagraha and resistance against racism, sexism, inequality, unchecked greed and environmental destruction.

To complete this project we need your help: We seek 150 Founding Members (supporters and patrons*), to join us in this unique initiative. We ask you to buy a place of pride for your family and your community. All donations will be tax receipted. Donors will be recognized with a unique Gandhi 150 Plaque plus special mention with photographs, on the Gandhi-King Satyagraha website/face book.  Donors become life-time members of Gandhi-King Satyagraha International and will be invited to all functions organized under Gandhi 150.

Gandhi 150: Appeal for donation for Gandhi-King Satyagraha Monument

Your donation is not for Gandhi. It is for you, as we said, to create a place of pride for your family, for your children and grandchildren. Our appeal is not limited to Gandhians. We are appealing to the wider community, especially the Indo-Canadian community, to join us in this noble task; erecting the most morally uplifting peace monument anywhere.

We dream that one day our children and grandchildren will meet at this peace monument, sensing and sharing the pride of their parents and grandparents. High principles of cultural value prompted families and individuals to contribute generously to this sacred monument/altar.  It symbolizes collective pride in the courage and self-sacrifice of the Twentieth Century’s two greatest martyrs – Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. Let us leave our children and grandchildren something to be proud of.

We owe Gandhi and King more than we realize. The blood of our fathers and forefathers flows in our veins but it is the ideas, words and deeds of these spiritual leaders that inhabit our minds, fire our imaginations, and sustain our collective soul. They compel us to live Satyagraha.
Friends, our words may be limited but our love is not. We hope our appeal will not go unheeded. We look forward to hearing from you. We thank you.

To close, a moving and restless prayer by one of Gandhi’s close associates and India’s finest poet, Sarojini Naidoo:

May the soul of my master, my leader, my father rest not in peace!
Not in peace – my father - do not rest! Keep us to our pledge! Give
us strength to fulfill our promises – your heirs, your descendants,
guardians of your dreams.

From the Gandhi-King Task Force:

Rama Shankar Singh, Chair, McMaster University. singh@mcmaster.ca.
Chander Khanna, Vice Chair, Parliament of World Religions, Toronto. ckkhanna1@msn.com
Kumar Murty, Professor of Mathematics, University of Toronto. murty@math.toronto.edu
Budhendra Doobay, President, Vishnu Temple, Toronto
Amar Erry, President Arya Samaj Vedic Cultural Centre, Markham 
Azad Kaushik, University of Guelph
V. Lakshmanan, President, Sringeri Temple, Toronto
Gita Morar, Kitchener
Anne Pearson, Vice Chair, Parliament of World Religions, Toronto
Kash Sood, President Renka Group of Companies, Toronto

For Gandhi 150-related postings please visit: www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/gandhi

*Note: We are appealing to 150 founding members from Canada and the United States to each contribute a minimum of $2,500, to commence work on the Monument, Phase I of which will be ready for unveiling in Toronto on October 2nd, 2019 commemorating Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th Anniversary.