Gandhi and Peace in the Museums of the World

The article is about Gandhi’s musealization as a pacifist leader in the world. Particular emphasis has always been placed on the figure of Gandhi as a symbol of peace, a concept that encompasses many aspects of his vision. Gandhi’s pacifism is not only a rejection of war, passive nonviolence, but it is an active force, which, in order to be realized through satya (Truth) and ahiṃsā (nonviolence), acts on two levels, spiritual and political. This includes a transformative dialogue between individuals and nations, the renunciation by the great powers of imperialist designs, nuclear disarmament, the ideal of the sarvodaya (universal uplift), and practicing voluntary poverty. To understand whether these aspects are evaluated, the author analyzes significant museums for peace in India and outside India, taking into account the particular historical and cultural contexts to which they belong. These institutions give audiences access to witnessing aspects of the universality of the Gandhian message, reflecting a communion between East and West. While recognizing that in museum’s choices we sometimes witness the exploitation and trivialization of the Mahatma, for the purpose of commercialization, they have the capacity to restore, if not the entirety and complexity of the historical figure and his message, at least a part of it and an invitation to deepen and explore its meaning.