For Global Peace with Social Justice in a Sustainable Environment

Chemistry in Perespective of Mahatma Gandhi

Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav

Gandhian Scholar

Gandhi Research Foundation, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India

Contact No. - 09404955338

E-mail- dr.yadav.yogendra@gandhifoundation.net

Chemistry in Perspective of Mahatma Gandhi

Ancient civilizations were using the technology of chemistry from 1000 BC. It formed the basis of the various branches of chemistry such as; extracting metal from their ores, making pottery and glazes, fermenting beer and wine, making pigments for cosmetics and painting, extracting chemicals from plants for medicine and perfume, making cheese, dying cloth, tanning leather, rendering fat into soap, making glass, and making alloys like bronze. Mahatma Gandhi knew best use of chemistry. So he encouraged his associates and students for study of this subject. He related it with life. Mahatma Gandhi wrote about the importance of Chemistry; “It may be said that the above observations are unauthenticated and useless coming from a person who cannot pretend to any knowledge of chemistry or medicine. Well, they are not unauthentic. Only the authorities have not been quoted. That what has been written above is the general opinion of doctors can be seen by reading the many vegetarian pamphlets published by the Vegetarian Society. It must be repeated here that the aim of this guide is not to supersede other useful books and to give all the information, its aim is to supplement, to give information not hitherto given and to direct where the proper information can be had.”1

Chemistry is sometimes called central science because it connects physics and other natural sciences. It is a branch of physical science. Mahatma Gandhi wrote about the importance of Chemistry; “In addition, the pupils will be taught Mathematics (Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry). Instruction in multiplication tables, Indian book-keeping and the measures, weights, etc., currently in use will begin at once and the rest of the curriculum will be covered progressively. There will be instruction in History, Geography, Elements of Astronomy and Elements of Chemistry.”2 Mahatma Gandhi wrote about the importance of Chemistry; “The pupils here will be trained in two occupations: (1) agriculture and (2) weaving. Incidental to these, they will get training in carpentry and smithy. They will also receive instruction in Physics, Chemistry, Botany and Zoology. In India, the foregoing occupations occupy the most important place and anyone who learns them will never have to go in search of a job.”3

Chemistry is the science of matter. It is related with chemical reactions. It is composition, structure and properties also. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions. Mahatma Gandhi wrote about the importance of Chemistry; “Lord Salisbury amused himself with experiments in chemistry. Gladstone sought relief from his work in the House of Commons by employing himself in splitting logs of wood. We stand in need of such recreation more than the British do.”4 Mahatma Gandhi wrote about the importance of Chemistry; “If all Hindus and Muslims behave in this manner, how can the country’s poverty be abolished what occupation but stone-breaking will poor women then have? Even a famous chemist like Dr. P. C. Ray has been convinced that famine will vanish from Bengal not through his researches in chemistry but through the spinning-wheel.”5

Mahatma Gandhi wrote about the importance of Chemistry; “There are two kinds of mixtures in chemistry. One is a simple mixture in which the elements which form the mixture retain their properties. The other is a compound in which the result is a third substance whose properties differ from those of either of the constituent elements. Civil disobedience is such a chemical compound. It entails not a single evil result of disobedience and we never find in it the effects produced by mere civility. We often see weakness with civility and arrogance, untruth, etc. with disobedience. In civil disobedience, everything should be above reproach and there should be complete fearlessness. As long as there are persons who break up the inseparable elements of this expression and accept only “disobedience” from it, it is well-nigh impossible to conduct civil disobedience. If, however, the people would boycott those who offer civil disobedience, the latter could demonstrate their strength. If they do not adopt that course, I shall have to non-co-operate with the party advocating violence, as I do with the Government.”6

The etymology of the word chemistry has been much disputed. The genesis of chemistry can be traced to certain practices, known as alchemy, which had been practiced in various parts of the world. Mahatma Gandhi wrote about the importance of Chemistry; “There is not the least doubt in my mind that students Would certainly learn to spin if teachers take an interest in and master spinning and its related arts. Experience shows that students’ interest in a subject is sustained not by the subject-matter but by the teacher. My own experience has been that one teacher used to bore me to sleep while teaching chemistry, whereas another teacher kept me wide awake and interested in the same subject.”7 Mahatma Gandhi wrote about the importance of Chemistry; “Experience alone will determine the ultimate shape of education. It is not our indifference to chemistry and other such subjects but rather lack of equipment which is responsible for our not teaching them at the moment. It is for this very reason that only the most important things have been accommodated. The spinning-wheel is the symbol of industry. When it is firmly established in its proper place, the sciences and crafts of the blacksmith, the carpenter and others will automatically find a place.”8

The greed for gold led to the discovery of the process for its purification, even though the underlying principles were not well understood—it was thought to be a transformation rather than purification. Many scholars in those days thought it reasonable to believe that there exist means for transforming cheaper (base) metals into gold. Mahatma Gandhi wrote about the importance of Chemistry; “I value education in the different sciences. Our children cannot have too much of chemistry and physics. And if these have not been attended to in the institutions in which I am directly supposed to be interested, it is because we have not the professors for the purpose and also because practical training in these sciences requires very expensive laboratories for which in the present state of uncertainty and infancy we are not ready.”9

Mahatma Gandhi wrote about the importance of Chemistry; “I well remember the classes that I used to attend on chemistry. It seemed to me then to be one of the dullest subjects. I know now what an interesting subject it is. Although I am an adorer of all my teachers, I must confess to you that the blame was not mine but that of my teacher. He asked me to learn by heart all those awful sounding names without knowing what they were. He never agreed to place even the different metals before me. I had simply to learn things by heart. He brought frightful notes carefully written by him, read those notes to us; we had to copy those notes and memorize them. I revolted and failed in that one subject, so much so that he might not have issued to me the certificate for goin in for my Matriculation Examination. Fortunately for me, I was at that time ill; he took pity on me and issued the certificate. Had it been so, he would really have blamed me for not having passed in the Chemistry paper instead of blaming himself.”10 Mahatma Gandhi wrote about the importance of Chemistry; “But I have neither adequate knowledge of chemistry, or as much self-control as I would have, nor the desired patience. I cannot be hypocritical and therefore support myself with goat’s milk. However, like fasting, giving up of milk is also a possible aspect of my life. And once I develop absolute detachment to life no one can possibly stop me. If I could be stopped my detachment would not be absolute.”11

Mahatma Gandhi wrote about the importance of Chemistry; “If a cobbler could become a Shakespeare, why cannot other cobblers become, if not great poets, at any rate, experts in the fields of chemistry, economics and such other subjects?”12 Mahatma Gandhi wrote about the importance of Chemistry; “I would select a new subject in the science group. Chemistry which was my subject in science had no attraction for want of experiments, whereasT11 it ought to have been a deeply interesting study. It was one of the compulsory subjects in India and so I had selected it for the London Matriculation. This time, however, I chose Heat and Light instead of Chemistry. It was said to be easy and I found it to be so.”13 Mahatma Gandhi wrote about the importance of Chemistry; “You will find this to be no light task and you will remember that village tanners have no knowledge of chemistry. The modern system of education has made everything so difficult and therefore so inaccessible to the vast majority of people. Our business is to reverse the process.”14

Mahatma Gandhi wrote about the importance of Chemistry; “Anyone who wishes to take up farming should, first of all, serve silently as a labourer under some farmer. He should learn to use a plough, acquire the same knowledge as an ordinary farmer about the soil and crops, and learn well how to dig round and square pits. He should then acquire knowledge of farming from books written in the West. Soil chemistry is a distinct subject. Some improvement can certainly be brought about in our agriculture by obtaining some knowledge of it. Hence if the educated young man who wishes to make a success of farming does not have inexhaustible patience, he should never take up this experiment. Anyone who carries out the experiment must also develop self-confidence. Initial failures should not dishearten him. Success has always been born out of failure.”15

Mahatma Gandhi wrote about the importance of Chemistry; “No harm may result from chemistry itself but its misuse will certainly do harm. It is being misused very much.”16 Mahatma Gandhi wrote about the importance of Chemistry; “There is no universal rule that a person who has no children has an unfeeling heart. We can try to know God through the study of chemistry, etc. But that is possible only for a few. Study of the sky is quite easy. The effect of a diary depends on the kind of diary it is.”17 Mahatma Gandhi wrote about the importance of Chemistry; “Shri Shankerlal Banker (M. A.) studied advanced chemistry in England and on return entered public life in 1916. He is the Secretary and soul of the All-India Spinners’ Association and possesses an all-round knowledge of khadi and, therefore, of the condition of villages, possessed, perhaps, by no one in the same extensive manner as he does.”18

Mahatma Gandhi wrote about the importance of Chemistry; “Dr. Godbole, professor of Industrial Chemistry in the Benares Hindu University, has sent me at my request an elaborate and critical analysis of these two fats. It is far too technical for the lay reader. I shall gladly lend it to any student of this important subject. Meanwhile I content myself with giving his conclusions.”19 Mahatma Gandhi wrote about the importance of Chemistry; “You are gaining good experience. It will be nice if you have nothing further to learn from any institution after you come here. You may remain there as long as your knowledge remains incomplete in any respect. As for my opinion, I hold that nature cure requires a different kind of training though a complete knowledge of anatomy and chemistry is of course most essential.”20

Mahatma Gandhi wrote about the importance of Chemistry; “You may know how to use Flit. If not, we will use it when I come there. And then, what right has I to advise you when you are prepared to put up with the pest. But I will certainly go there and find some remedy for the irritation. It should be easy for you to discover a remedy. Have you not studied chemistry?”21 Mahatma Gandhi wrote about the importance of Chemistry; “you must complete the term and gain whatever knowledge you can even if you are not appearing for the examination. Knowledge thus gained will never go waste. You must become proficient in physics, which is an interesting subject. And chemistry is a very useful subject. If you acquire a good knowledge of it, it will be very useful in the Ashram. Hence my advice is: Never give up even unto death. It rained here one day. it is biting cold. The Goseva meeting took my time.”22

The word chemistry comes from the word alchemy, an earlier set of practices that encompassed elements of chemistry, metallurgy, philosophy, astrology, astronomy, mysticism and medicine; it is commonly thought of as the quest to turn lead or another common starting material into gold. This may have Egyptian origins. But there are some disputed of its origin. Mahatma Gandhi wrote about the importance of Chemistry; “We must learn hygiene, chemistry, economics, etc. That was not through books but through crafts. Students should diligently acquire knowledge. When there is knowledge to be found in cooking, in disease, in recreations, what need is there to pore over books? If you take chillies in excess you will get dysentery. So from this we can gain knowledge about the cause of dysentery. Thus we can make experiments on ourselves and gain knowledge from our experiences. This knowledge is permanent.”23

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