Shivani Bothra
Given that the Anuvrat Movement places emphasis on the moral and spiritual foundation of an individual, the second President of India S. Radhakrishnan said, "Freedom from fear (abhaya), nonviolence (ahimsa) and non-attachment (asanga) are three essentials of a spiritual life. The Anuvrat sangha[46] has established this and is working for the moral improvement of the individual, and therefore, of society."[47] The above quotation, which serves as evidence for the widespread recognition of the movement in its first few decades, was certainly echoing the pan-Indic values of mainstream Indian spirituality. Another significant factor that contributed to the success of the movement was Tulsi's charismatic leadership and the support of many other politicians and intellectuals who contributed to the developing ideology of the movement.
In order to understand the success of Tulsi's movement, I will now examine how Tulsi's movement compared in its origins and philosophy to several other contemporary movements that were either continuations of the efforts of Gandhi's followers or inspired by Gandhi's efforts. From my early research, some important questions arose: Was the charismatic quality of a leader essential to the success of the movement, and how effective were each of these movements in addressing the difference between philosophy and action?
Furthermore, in this section, I will delve more deeply into the Sri Lankan Sarvodaya Movement, which is rooted in Buddhist philosophy and inspired by Gandhi's Sarvodaya. There are more similarities than differences in this alternative model of social activism relative to our ongoing discussion on the Anuvrat Movement.
