India plunged into sorrow, the day Mahatma  Gandhi was shot. Today 60 years later as the death anniversary of the Mahatma draws near, we remember the man who bought us freedom and also recall that Gandhiji was a staunch secularist whose unshakable faith in universal brotherhood is reflected in his fascination for the hymns from the Bible, Gita and Koran.

An evening of hymns

The Bangalore Initiative for Religious Dialogue (BIRD), the ACTS Ministries, the Basel Mission Christian Association and the Rainbow Forum have joined hands to put together an evening of Gandhiji’s favourite hymns and prayers, on January 30 at 4.30 pm at the Charles Ranson Hall – United Theological College, to pay homage to the memory of Mahatma Gandhi on the 60th anniversary of his martyrdom. It is an inter-faith programme where choirs from Cluney Convent School and the United Theological College will sing Gandhiji’s favourite hymns and songs.
There will be readings from religious scriptures as well as from Gandhiji’s own writings and also tributes paid to him sixty years ago and later by Jawaharlal Nehru, Sarojini, Einstein, C F Andrews, Stanley Jones, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr.

Lead Kindly Light, Abide with me, When I survey the Wondrous Cross and Rock of ages are among his favourite hymns.

Some popular bhajans which were sung during the prayer meetings of Gandhiji will also be sung on January 30.
Some of the Christian songs moved Gandhiji deeply. His choice of hymns shed much light upon his own religious personality. The hymn, `When I survey the wondrous Cross,' touched his inner most feelings.

To Gandhiji, God was truth and light.  As in Gandhiji's own words: "I am in the world feeling my way to light amid encircling gloom. I often err and miscalculate. My trust is solely in God". And the song `Lead kindly Light,' composed by Cardinal Newman always gave him strength.

The ancient hymns and prayers sung or read during such meetings included famous passages from the Gita, the Bible, and the Koran that proclaimed the power of truth. Then there were the songs of Tulsi Das, Sur Das, Kabir, Nanak, and Narasimha Mehta — they all glorified renunciation, self-purification, and the brotherhood of all mankind. Some of these songs will be sung during the concert.

Gandhiji was free from any kind of religious dogmas and biases. His universalism in this regard was unique and unequalled. "I am a Christian, a Hindu, a Muslim and a Jew," he said.

It was Gandhiji's conviction that the one whose mind is untroubled in the midst of sorrows and is free from eager desires amid pleasures, from whom passion, fear and rage has passed away, he is a sage of settled intelligence.