Ritz-Carlton Magazine - Fall 2012 - (Page 140)

H E R I TA G E Mahatma Gandhi & the Aga Khan T H E R I T Z , L O N D O N , S E P T. 2 9 , 1 9 3 1 140 W W W. R I T Z C A R LT O N . C O M HULTON-DEUTSCH COLLECTION/CORBIS They were the most unlikely of co-conspirators, pulled together by the unravelling of British rule in India: the Aga Khan, Muslim leader and suave statesman; Mahatma Gandhi, inspirational activist and ascetic guru. They were in London to attend the three-month Round Table Conference, organized by the British government to discuss constitutional reforms in India. Nowhere were their differences more apparent than in their choice of accommodations. The Aga Khan held court in his suite at The Ritz, while Gandhi stayed in a welfare hostel in the East End slums, occupying a tiny cell on the roof. London wasn’t sure what to make of the charismatic man in sandals. A few days before going to The Ritz, Gandhi accepted an invitation to meet Charlie Chaplin, though it turned out he had no idea who Chaplin was. Days later, he celebrated his 62nd birthday at a lavish lunch, hosted by the British Labour Party, for 400 guests at the Houses of Parliament. But his real purpose in London was to secure self-rule for his country, under terms that would quell the growing violence between Hindu and Muslim factions. In this, he sought the Aga Khan’s support, but the meeting was inconclusive. Gandhi later privately confided that he knew his mission in England was failing. He would stay in London until early December, as the situation in India deteriorated. Upon arriving home, he was arrested; as always, he confounded his jailers by using his confinement as an opportunity to reflect and strengthen his resolve. It would take another 15 years for India to achieve independence, and then under conditions — the separation of Hindus and Muslims — that Gandhi bitterly opposed. But his example of nonviolent protest changed the face of politics and has inspired such contemporary figures as Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama and Aung San Suu Kyi. http://WWW.RITZCARLTON.COM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Ritz-Carlton Magazine - Fall 2012

Ritz-Carlton Magazine - Fall 2012
Contents
Contributors
Editor’s Letter
President’s Letter
Falling in Love With ... San Francisco
Design
Technology
On the Boulevards
Shopping
Jewelry
Watches
Art
Gourmet Travel
Wellness
Golf
Okinawa
Culinary
Let Us Stay With You
Heritage

Ritz-Carlton Magazine - Fall 2012