Who’s yo daddy?
Since today is George Washington’s birthday, let’s compare how India and America honor their respective fathers of their nations.
Washington doesn’t even get his own day - it’s widely known as Presidents Day. Gandhi’s day is called Gandhi Jayanti.
Washington’s mug is on the one dollar bill. Gandhi’s is on every bill.
On Washington’s day, government employees skip work, and people hang flags. In India, babus shirking work is a daily occurrence. But on Gandhi’s day, people weep at his memorial.
Washington owned slaves but left instructions to free them after his wife’s death. Gandhi bitterly opposed reservations but marched to improve Dalits’ living conditions.
Washington had no kids, though his wife did from a prior marriage, and may have been sterile. Gandhi had four sons, Harilal, Manilal, Ramdas and Devdas; lived ascetically; and famously tested himself with naked female disciples.
Washington grew hemp and left this note for Harold and Kumar: “Make the most of the Indian hemp seed, and sow it everywhere!” Gandhi spun cotton.
Washington led troops which established a great nation. Gandhi led a movement which re-established a great nation.
But, Washington’s day is a bank holiday. Gandhi’s is a dry day, and alcohol is available only from dodgy back-alley liquor shops. Advantage: definitely Washington :)
on Monday, February 18th, 2008, 2:24 pm in History, Holidays, Humor › 
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And in Canada we have the newly coined non-descript ‘Family Day’. The jury’s out on what it really means. Manitoba got it right though, and calls it Louis Riel* Day. That’s a colorful personality who DESERVES a day after him, and no more of the FatherOtheNation type of anointment.
*Louis Riel, btw, was a Metis revolutionary who rebelled against the federal government, saw spirits in the dark, was put in an asylum, escaped, led an armed rebellion, was deemed a traitor, had the government build a railway line so they could send the army to put the Metis uprising down, and was hanged at the end. [how's that for a 1/2 minute career synopsis].
Story time.
I was in Hyderabad during Gandhi’s birthday, and one of the other visiting fac (from Germany) heard that it was a “dry day.”
In order to show his respect for Gandhi, the poor soul abstained from drinking water for the entire day. He found out about his mistake at dinner, when he saw the rest of us and our water glasses.
You are ridic sometimes, Manish Uncle.
Also, Washington’s secretary was called Gandhi, and Gandhi’s secretary was called Washington. Coincidence? I think not!
No, Washington’s secretary was called Ghandi and Gandhi’s secretary was called Whasington.
Did you know that they met when Whasington flipped burgers at the McDonald’s opposite Ghandi’s gas station?
man this is great blog entry manish..very imaginative..comparing washington and Gandhi… thanks re..
movie was made after Gandhi..dont know if a movie was made on washington name..
Gandhis adopted daughter dynasty and name continues till today and may be for another 100 generations while washingtons name did not go anywhere except for streets in every city in US… I doubt if Gandhi had a city/state named after him like washington..
Well, Gandhi was no rich, white, slave-owning, male christian who didn’t want to pay his taxes, was he?
Oh! I thought it was when Whasington rearended Ghandi’s elephant with his SUV.