For Global Peace with Social Justice in a Sustainable Environment

Onion in Perspective of Mahatma Gandhi

Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav

Gandhian Scholar

Gandhi Research Foundation, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India

Contact No- 09404955338, 09415777229

E-mail-dr.yadav.yogendra@gandhifoundation.net, dr.yogendragandhi@gmail.com

Onion in Perspective of Mahatma Gandhi

The onion which is most widely cultivated species of the genus alliums. It contains a number of other species variously referred to as onions. Onions are often chopped and used as an ingredient in various hearty warm dishes, and also used as a main ingredient in their own right. It is also used raw in cold salads. Onions are also used as a thickening agent for curries providing a bulk of the base. Onions pickled in vinegar are eaten as a snack. Fresh onion has a pungent, persistent. Onions may be grown from seed or, more commonly today, from sets started from seed the previous year. Onion sets are produced by sowing seed very thickly one year, resulting in stunted plants that produce very small bulbs. These bulbs are very easy to set out and grow into mature bulbs the following year, but they have the reputation of producing a less durable bulb than onions grown directly from seed and thinned.

Seed-bearing onions are day-length sensitive; their bulbs begin growing only after the number of daylight hours has surpassed some minimal quantity. Most traditional European onions are what are referred to as long-day onions, producing bulbs only after 15+ hours of daylight occurs. Southern European and North African varieties are often known as "intermediate day" types, requiring only 12–13 hours of daylight to stimulate bulb formation. Finally, "short-day" onions, which have been developed in more recent times, are planted in mild-winter areas in the fall and form bulbs in the early spring, and require only 9–10 hours of sunlight to stimulate bulb formation. It’s play an important role in Kheda Satyagraha. Mahatma Gandhi described, “Soup and bread and fresh fruit or rice and milk and sugar would make a good dinner. Soup made of potatoes, onion and haricots costs 11/2d. Rice, milk and sugar would cost 2d or less and bread 1d. This dinner, then, can be had for 41/2 d. And if you are very fond of butter, you can have a penny worth of butter in which case your dinner would be 51/2d.”1

Common onions are normally available in three colours: yellow, red, and white. Yellow onions are full-flavored and are a reliable standby for cooking almost anything. Yellow onions turn a rich, dark brown when cooked and give French onion soup its tangy sweet flavour. The red onion is a good choice for fresh uses or in grilling and char-broiling. Mahatma Gandhi described, “Since the forfeiture notice and that dated the 20th instant had been issued for the sale of onion crop standing in the field, the sale was advertised for the 29th but it did not take place. The holder had meanwhile pointed out the illegality of the notice and had urged that it might be withdrawn. But the Assistant Collector has passed an order dated the 28th instant to the effect that removal of crop would be treated as theft. The onion crop is ready to be cut and may be seriously damaged if the threatening rain pours down. The law seems to me to be on the holders’s side. I am therefore advising him to remove the onion crop. I observe too that another notice of the sale of his fields has been issued in common with the fields belonging to other cultivators of Nawagam.”2

While the large mature onion bulb is the onion most often eaten, onions can be eaten at immature stages. When an onion is harvested after bulbing has begun but the onion is not yet mature, the plants are sometimes referred to as summer onions. Mahatma Gandhi described, “They bring me the information that whilst the holder was digging the onion, it was attached and removed by the amlatdar. My first concern is to save this onion and I can only do so if I receive your assistance. I suggest to you apart from the other equities under the settlement that is taking place there is no meaning in attaching the onion and that it be immediately returned to the holder. If there is a criminal or other case to be instituted against Bhulabhai, it will not be affected by the return of the onion. In my humble opinion this onion order is an unwarranted abuse of authority. Any one of the fields was enough to cover the assessment. The land was obviously not for forfeiture. The onion was not sold on the day advertised for sale.”3

Additionally, onions may be bred and grown to mature at smaller sizes. Depending on the mature size and the purpose for which the onion is used, these may be referred to as pearl, boiler, or pickler onions. Pearl and boiler onions may be cooked as a vegetable rather than an ingredient. Pickler onions are, unsurprisingly, often pickled. Mahatma Gandhi described, “The plea of animal magnetism is altogether overdone. The high-class men are not all sweet-smelling like musk, nor are untouchables foul-smelling like onion.”4

Mahatma Gandhi described, “Champaran being in a far away corner of India, and the Press having been kept out of the campaign, it did not attract visitors from outside. Not so with the Kheda campaign, of which the happenings were reported in the Press from day to day. The Gujaratis were deeply interested in the fight, which was to them a novel experiment. They were ready to pour forth their riches for the success of the cause. It was not easy for them to see that Satyagraha could not be conducted simply by means of money. Money is the thing that it least needs. In spite of my remonstrance, the Bombay merchants sent us more money than necessary, so that we had some balance left at the end of the campaign. At the same time the satyagrahi volunteers had to learn the new lesson of simplicity. I cannot say that they imbibed it fully, but they considerably changed their ways of life. For the Patidar farmers, too,T1 the fight was quite a new thing. We had, therefore, to go about from village to village explaining the principles of Satyagraha. The main thing was to rid the agriculturists of their fear by making them realize that the officials were not the masters but the servants of the people, inasmuch as they received their salaries from the taxpayer. And then it seemed well nigh impossible to make them realize the duty of combining civility with fearlessness. Once they had shed the fear of the officials, how could they be stopped from returning their insults? And yet if they resorted to incivility it would spoil their Satyagraha, like a drop of arsenic in milk. I realized later that they had less fully learnt the lesson of civility than I had expected. Experience has taught me that civility is the most difficult part of Satyagraha. Civility does not here mean the mere outward gentleness of speech cultivated for the occasion, but an inborn gentleness and desire to do the opponent good. These should show themselves in every act of a satyagrahi. In the initial stages, though the people exhibited much courage, the Government did not seem inclined to take strong action. But as the people’s firmness showed no signs of wavering, the Government began coercion. The attachment officers sold people’s cattle and seized whatever movables they could lay hands on. Penalty notices were served, and in some cases standing crops were attached. This unnerved the peasants, some of whom paid up their dues, while others desired to place safe movables in the way of the officials so that they might attach them to realize the dues. On the other hand some were prepared to fight to the bitter end. While these things were going on, one of Sjt. Shankarlal Parikh’s tenants paid up the assessment in respect of his land. This created a sensation. Sjt. Shankarlal Parikh immediately made amends for his tenant’s mistake by giving away for charitable purposes the land for which the assessment had been paid. He thus saved his honour and set a good example to others. With a view to steeling the hearts of those who were frightened, I advised the people, under the leadership of Sjt. Mohanlal Pandya, to remove the crop of onion, from a field which had been in my opinion wrongly attached. I did not regard this as civil disobedience, but even if it was, I suggested that this attachment of standing cropsT2, though it might be in accordance with law, was morally wrong, and was nothing short of looting, and that therefore it was the people’s duty to remove the onion in spite of the order of attachment. This was a good opportunity for the people to learn a lesson in courting fines or imprisonment, which was the necessary consequence of such disobedienceT3. For Sjt. Mohanlal Pandya it was a thing after his heart. He did not like the campaign to end without someone undergoing suffering in the shape of imprisonment for something done consistenly with the principles of Satyagraha. So he volunteered to remove the onion crop from the field, and in this seven or eight friends joined him. It was impossible for the Government to leave them free. The arrest of Sjt. Mohanlal and his companions added to the people’s enthusiasm. When the fear of jail disappears, repression puts heart into the people. Crowds of them besieged the court-house on the day of the hearing. Pandya and his companions were convicted and sentenced to a brief term of imprisonment. I was of opinion that the conviction was wrong, because the act of removing the onion crop could not come under the definition of ‘theft’ in the Penal Code. But no appeal was filed as the policy was to avoid the law-courts. A procession escorted the ‘convicts’ to jail, and on that day Sjt. Mohanlal Pandya earned from the people the honoured title of ‘dungli chor’ (onion thief) which he enjoys to this day.”5

Onion seed may be sprouted, and the resulting sprouts used in salads, sandwiches, and other dishes. Onions are available in fresh, frozen, canned, pickled, powdered, chopped, and dehydrated forms. Mahatma Gandhi described, “In winter mornings it is good to expose as much of the body as possible to the sun rays between 9 and 10. It is also beneficial to take some raw onion with roti by way of medicine during winter. Onion has many qualities, though some drawbacks too. The main drawback is that of smell, but that can be avoided by taking a small quantity.”6

Onion powder is a spice. It is made from finely ground, dehydrated onions, which causes the powder to have a very strong odour. Onion powder comes in a few varieties: white, yellow, red and toasted. Mahatma Gandhi described, “Raw onion can do you good, but it can be taken only in the evening because I know that it gives off a terrible smell. I have myself eaten lots of raw onions.”7 Mahatma Gandhi described, “Whether or not you have a cough, sour buttermilk becomes harmless if a little soda is added to it. Where raw onion is available, do not hesitate to eat it. If nothing else is available, one can carry on with a millet rotla, onion and ghee. Onion has both harmful and beneficial properties. Onions should be eaten but as medicine. Truly, all food should be eaten only as medicine. There is no reason at all to worry because I have lost weight.”8

Mahatma Gandhi described, “Onion occupies an important place in the diet of the village people. It is the one vegetable that is of inestimable value for them. While it is present in their diet, they don’t very much need ghee, etc. I, therefore, have included it in our food on an experimental basis. Those who like eat it. I have indeed revised my view about onions to this extent, that those who eat them as medicine will not find them an obstacle to the practice of brahmacharya. I have no evidence for this, however.”9 Onions were also prescribed by doctors in the early 16th century to help with infertility in women, and even dogs, cats and cattle and many other household pets. However, recent evidence has shown that dogs, cats, guinea pigs, and other animals should not be given onions in any form, due to toxicity during digestion.

Mahatma Gandhi described, “After many experiments I have come to the conclusion that cow milk, fresh green vegetables (including leaves and fruit of plants), onion and garlic, wheat or any other grain, gur and any juicy fruit make a perfect diet.”10

Eye irritation can also be avoided by having a fan blow the gas away from the eyes, or by wearing goggles or any eye protection that creates a seal around the eye. Mahatma Gandhi described, “It may be well for you to reduce the quantity of milk rather than giving up eggs. The heaviness need not be looked for in that direction first. And if the doctor agrees, you should take a little garlic always. I cannot vouch for it but I am inclined to think that onion oil should be good for eczema.”11 Mahatma Gandhi described, “Leafy vegetables must always be taken, better if taken as salads. All leaves are not edible in the raw state. Onion, pumpkin with the skin, Pandora, brinjal, lady’s finger, turnips, carrots, parsnips, cabbage, and cauliflower are good additions to leaves. Potatoes and starchy tubers should be taken sparingly. Garlic and onion in a raw state are strongly recommended in the West. I take raw garlic regularly for blood pressure. It is the best antitoxin for internal use. It is also recommended for tubercular patients. I think the prejudice against these two harmless vegetables is due to the odour which is the essence of them and it arose with the rise of Vaishnavism. Ayurveda sings the praise of both unstintingly. Garlic is called poor man’s musk and so it is. I do not know what villagers would do without garlic and onion.”12

For all varieties of onions, the more phenols and flavonoids they contain, the more reputed antioxidant and anticancer activity they provide. When While members of the onion family appear to have medicinal properties for humans, they can be deadly for dogs, cats, and guinea pigs. Mahatma Gandhi described, “Yes, I would like you to give up even the spoonful of dal and equally give up vegetable or anything cooked or fried in ghee or oil. I know you do not touch oil. Do take raw onion with raw garlic, tomatoes and some green leaf. Increase the quantity of milk. If you have a good cow, once during the day try raw milk.”13

Onions are a cool weather plant; hot temperatures cause them to bolt. Since they take up to 120 days to maturity, seeds will often have to be started indoors. The seedlings or bulbs are planted outside as soon as the soil is workable and harvested in early summer. Snowfalls in March or April are often known as "onion snows" because they fall on freshly planted onions. Mahatma Gandhi described, “It is well to eat it with raw salads such as onion, carrot, radish, salad leaves, and tomatoes. An ounce or two of salads serves the purpose of eight ounces of cooked vegetables. Chapattis or bread should not be eaten with milk. To begin with, one meal may be raw vegetables and chapatti or bread, and the other cooked vegetables with milk or curds.”14

In ancient athletes ate large quantities of onion because it was believed to lighten the balance of blood. Onions were such an important food that people would pay their rent with onions, and even give them as gifts. Doctors were known to prescribe onions to facilitate bowel movements and erections, and also to relieve headaches, cough and hair loss. Mahatma Gandhi described, “Eat raw lettuce, radish, carrot and onion with your meals. Take garlic also, not more than one tola, with curds or with cooked vegetables. I prefer castor oil in small quantity instead of liquid paraffin.”15

References: