The light has gone out of our lives
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The light has gone out of our lives is a speech that was delivered
ex tempore ''Ex tempore'' (Latin for "out of the moment“) is a legal term that means 'at the time'. A judge who hands down a decision in a case soon or straight after hearing it is delivering a decision ''ex tempore''. Another way a judge may deliver a de ...
by
Jawaharlal Nehru Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (; ; ; 14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was an Indian anti-colonial nationalist, secular humanist, social democrat— * * * * and author who was a central figure in India during the middle of the 20t ...
, the first
Prime Minister of India The prime minister of India (IAST: ) is the head of government of the Republic of India. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and their chosen Council of Ministers, despite the president of India being the nominal head of the ...
, on January 30, 1948, following the
assassination of Mahatma Gandhi Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated on 30 January 1948 at age 78 in the compound of Birla House (now Gandhi Smriti), a large mansion in central New Delhi. His assassin was Nathuram Vinayak Godse, a Chitpavan Brahmin from Pune, Maharashtra, a ...
earlier that evening. It is often cited as one of the great speeches in history.


Assassination of Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...
was assassinated by
Nathuram Vinayak Godse Nathuram Vinayak Godse (19 May 1910 – 15 November 1949) was the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi. He was a Hindu nationalist from Maharashtra who shot Gandhi in the chest three times at point blank range at a multi-faith prayer meeting in Birl ...
, a Hindu fundamentalist and former member of the Hindu Mahasabha, at Birla House, Delhi on 30 January 1948 while Gandhi was heading for a prayer meeting. At 6.00 PM that evening, the
Government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...
announced over
All India Radio All or ALL may refer to: Language * All, an indefinite pronoun in English * All, one of the English determiners * Allar language (ISO 639-3 code) * Allative case (abbreviated ALL) Music * All (band), an American punk rock band * ''All'' (All a ...
, in a carefully worded statement that "Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated in New Delhi at twenty minutes past five this afternoon. His assassin was a Hindu." Messages of condolence for his death came in from across the world. As world leaders paid homage to Gandhi,
Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from ...
acerbically noted that "It shows how dangerous it is to be good." To show its respect, the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
lowered its flag to
half-mast Half-mast or half-staff (American English) refers to a flag flying below the summit of a ship mast, a pole on land, or a pole on a building. In many countries this is seen as a symbol of respect, mourning, distress, or, in some cases, a salu ...
. In India, the news of the assassination plunged the country into deep shock. At the mourning chamber in Birla House, the
Governor General Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...
,
Lord Mountbatten Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma (25 June 1900 – 27 August 1979) was a British naval officer, colonial administrator and close relative of the British royal family. Mountbatten, who was of German ...
brought Nehru and
Patel The Patel is an Indian surname or title, predominantly found in the state of Gujarat representing the community of land-owning farmers and later (with the British East India Company) businessmen, agriculturalists and merchants. Traditionally th ...
closer telling them what Gandhi told him earlier that day, "They listen to you more than they do to me. Do your best to bring them together." Mountbatten informed them that "That was his dying wish". Visibly moved, Patel and Nehru embraced. Mountbatten then asked Nehru to address the nation as the people were now looking upon him to lead them. Nehru replied: "I can't. I am too upset. I am not prepared. I don't know what to say". Mountbatten told him not to worry since God would tell him what to say.


Speech

All_India_Radio_ All_or_ALL_may_refer_to: _Language *_All,_an__indefinite_pronoun_in_English *_All,_one_of_the_English_determiners *_Allar_language_(ISO_639-3_code) *_Allative_case_(abbreviated_ALL) _Music *_All_(band),_an_American_punk_rock_band *__''All''_(All_a_...
._His_speech_was_delivered_in_English_spontaneously_and_without_preparation._The_speech_began_by_Nehru_telling_his_"friends_and_comrades_that_the_light_has_gone_out_of_our_lives"._He_identifies_himself_with_the_Indian_masses_in_their_sorrow_by_expressing_his_own_helplessness_and_stated,_"I_do_not_know_what_to_tell_you_or_how_to_say_it"._Nehru_then_went_on_to_warn_the_masses_of_the_dangers_of_communalism_(South_Asia).html" "title="File: The light has gone out Nehru addressed the nation later that evening on
All India Radio All or ALL may refer to: Language * All, an indefinite pronoun in English * All, one of the English determiners * Allar language (ISO 639-3 code) * Allative case (abbreviated ALL) Music * All (band), an American punk rock band * ''All'' (All a ...
. His speech was delivered in English spontaneously and without preparation. The speech began by Nehru telling his "friends and comrades that the light has gone out of our lives". He identifies himself with the Indian masses in their sorrow by expressing his own helplessness and stated, "I do not know what to tell you or how to say it". Nehru then went on to warn the masses of the dangers of communalism (South Asia)">communalism Communalism may refer to: * Communalism (Bookchin), a theory of government in which autonomous communities form confederations * , a historical method that follows the development of communities * Communalism (South Asia), violence across ethnic ...
and asked them to take a solemn pledge to work for unity, fraternity and peace as the best tribute they can pay to Gandhi's memory. In the speech, Nehru compared Gandhi to an eternal beacon and predicted that a thousand years later,
”That light will be seen... the world will see it and it will give solace to innumerable hearts. For that light represented something more than the immediate present; it represented the living, the eternal truths, reminding us of the right path, drawing us from error, taking this ancient country to freedom.”
Nehru then turned to the more mundane matter of giving the details of the funeral arrangements. The speech was noted for its grace and poise, conveyed through Nehru's choice of phrases and images. He warned his listeners about the 'poison of communalism' and referred to the assassin as a 'madman'. The speech was noted as a great example of oration because of its content and language, as seen in the wholeness of its sentences and themes, the almost poetic choice of words, and the narration's use of variation and ordering of themes and repetition of key images. The sense of calmness with which Nehru talks about the funeral arrangements, his warning to the people and his call for peace and combating communalism at a time of such deep loss conveyed a sense of solemnity and dignity of his office.


John Paul II

During Pope John Paul II's first visit to
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
in 1986, he addressed the nation at Raj Ghat, the samadhi of Gandhi, where he referred to Nehru's eulogy. Nehru's words "The light that shone in this country was no ordinary light" were said by the Pope to have "expressed the conviction of the whole world". In further concurrence with Nehru's words
The light has gone out, I said, and yet I was wrong. For the light that shone in this country was no ordinary light. The light that has illumined this country for these many years will illumine this country for many more years...
The Pope went on to note that Gandhi
who lived by non-violence appeared to be defeated by violence. For a brief moment the light seemed to have gone out. Yet his teachings and the example of his life live on in the minds and hearts of millions of men and women. Yes, the light is still shining, and the heritage of Mahatma Gandhi speaks to us still. And today as a pilgrim of peace I have come here to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi, hero of humanity.


Cartier-Bresson's photography

Henri Cartier-Bresson Henri Cartier-Bresson (; 22 August 1908 – 3 August 2004) was a French humanist photographer considered a master of candid photography, and an early user of 35mm film. He pioneered the genre of street photography, and viewed photography as cap ...
, who had been to
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
shortly after and was one of the last people to meet and photograph Gandhi, famously captured an image of Nehru on the gate of Birla House to announce Gandhi's death. The photographs covering Gandhi's final hours before his assassination, the arrangements for his funeral and the masses attending the funeral have been described as "not the portrait of any man, but the portrait of a nation in the deepest moment of its sorrow" and have been shown all over the world.


In popular culture

Nehru's speech figures in Amitava Kumar's novel ''Nobody Does the Right Thing''.


See also

* Tryst with Destiny *
Melville de Mellow Melville de Mellow (also de Mello) (1913 - 1989) was an Indian radio broadcaster with the All India Radio. He is remembered for his high-quality reports and commentary on various events in independent India, the most notable of which was a seven ...


References


External links


The full text of Jawaharlal Nehru's address, broadcast over All India Radio on 30 January 1948.Light Has Gone Out - Jawaharlal Nehru's Speech (Audio)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Light has gone out of our lives Works about the Mahatma Gandhi assassination 1948 in India Political history of India Nehru administration 1948 speeches Jawaharlal Nehru Laments