Enthusing our children the Chacha way

“I may not have time for adults, but I have enough time for children,” expressed our first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, whose birth anniversary that falls on 14th of November is popularly celebrated as Children’s Day in our country. As is evident from what he expressed, Panditji’s ardent love for children was so immense that his birthday came to be better known as Children’s Day in India. For a legendary man such as Nehru who is credited to be the architect of modern India, the love he nurtured for our children is something that every political leader in our country will do well to ponder and perhaps to emulate as well.

“The only way to reform them (children) is to win them over with love. So long as a child is unfriendly, you can’t mend his ways,” believed Nehru. With this belief, he chose to be friends with the children of his times and befriended them where ever he went. As he was a prolific letter writer, one of the important ways he chose to show his love for all children was through the written word, an approach that not many national leaders of his fame would even remotely contemplate. Among others, “A letter to the Children of India” that he penned in 1947 stands as a testament and is perhaps one of the most charming letters that the premier of a nation could have addressed to the children of his country.

It is considered to be a remarkable letter written from the Prime Minister of a developing country to its humble children. The letter which has a total of 740 words has been popularly included in textbooks of our school curriculum either as a prose lesson or as a comprehension text. It is an endearing letter and evokes tender feelings of warmth and respect for one of India’s most accomplished politician, orator and author.

“Old people have a habit of delivering sermons and good advice to the young. I remember that I disliked this very much long ago when I was a boy. So I suppose you do not like it very much either.” So saying Nehru begins his engaging letter to the children of our country. A letter in its entirety teaches the child without him getting the feeling that he is being preached to. In it he gently reminds and pushes the impressionable child to embrace such ideas as fraternity and universal brotherhood.

“Grown-ups also have a habit of appearing to be very wise, even though very few of them possess much wisdom. I have not yet quite made up my mind whether I am wise or not,” he confesses with a touch of humour in the letter. Without much ado and quite simply he then draws their attention to some home truths such as the beauty of the universe and the magic of friendships. He urges them to explore the world through their innocence and curiosity. He recommends that they cultivate real love for work, play and for the building up of a country together. “Our country is a very big country and there is a great deal to be done by all of us. If each one of us does his or her little bit, then all this mounts up and the country prospers and goes ahead fast,” he points out in an appealing manner. To conclude he gives them a portrait of a hero and a role model for them to follow as he writes, “You know we had a very great man amongst us. He was called Mahatma Gandhi. But we used to call him affectionately Bapuji. He was wise, but he did not show off his wisdom. He was simple and childlike in many ways and he loved children... he taught us to face the world cheerfully and with laughter.”

Chacha Nehru was a remarkable leader who played a very important role in the building up of a nation that was bruised and battered by years of colonial rule. He was instrumental in the setting of the IITs and the IIMs, the annals from which scores of brilliant Indians have graduated and are now part of the successful Indian diaspora world-wide. He belonged to the league of educated politicians and chose to use his education to write both charmingly and compellingly. Whether it is “The discovery of India” or his “Letters from a father to his daughter” Nehru’s love for the written word impresses and influences the reader. His simple yet entertaining style and humour is a joy for a reader of any genre.

Political leaders wield a great influence on the people of their nation. Their thoughts and words impact all its citizens, particularly its younger generation. They foster a culture of progress and help the common folk to see the world around through the wisdom of their leaders. It is imperative then that the leaders of a nation should reach and impress its children of their thoughts and ideals. Letters could act as a powerful medium - even in the current times of social media - for their mass appeal and tenderness.

“Children are like buds in a garden and should be carefully and lovingly nurtured, as they are the future of the nation and the citizens of tomorrow,” rightly believed Nehru. He, therefore, took time from his busy life to address the children of the nation directly through the written word. He chose to enthuse them to live their simple childhood in progressive ways. This letter may be regarded as quaint and subsequently irrelevant by the modern world. Yet, it stands out for its simplicity and enduring charm. It will always remain a timeless tribute of the pure love of a country’s top political leader for his simple children!