The questions in your story are those that a lot of schools already taught — a big picture that chooses to erase his oppression, while simultaneously leaving out the contribution of folks from marginalized communities.

By dismissing how someone who is widely respected, was also misogynistic, casteist and racist, we are erasing the lived experiences of people and communities harmed, at the cost of preserving his image.

These gaps of untold history can lead to folks from privileged backgrounds often being oblivious about how caste, gender, and race continue to impact us all today, at the cost of them continuing to uphold and practice these systems of marginalization.

It’s a gap in redistributing resources, and in acknowledging that what some of us have, comes through oppressive systems that aren’t dismantled — we just notice these systems less because we have the privilege to ignore them, and believe that they’ve already been done away with.

If the energy used to preserve Gandhi’s image was instead used to amplify those who have been historically underrepresented, we would be closer to understanding history honestly, and better equipped to dismantle our internal biases and microaggressions, rather than having marginalized folks having to educate us at every step, which isn’t their responsibility.

This list isn’t exhaustive, but here are some artists and resources documenting history and the present:

https://velivada.com/life-sketch-of-savitribai-phule-timeline/

https://instagram.com/artedkar?utm_medium=copy_link

https://instagram.com/bakeryprasad?utm_medium=copy_link

https://thelifeofscience.com/2020/10/02/grace-comix/

https://instagram.com/thebigfatbao?utm_medium=copy_link

https://instagram.com/dalitqueerproject?utm_medium=copy_link

https://www.lse.ac.uk/library/whats-on/exhibitions