gandhigiri
/ɡɑːndiˈɡɪɹi/
Etymology
Borrowed from Bombay Hindi गांधीगिरी (gāndhīgirī), from Hindi गांधी (gāndhī) (the surname of the Indian lawyer and anti-colonial nationalist Mahatma Gandhi (1869–1948) who used non-violent resistance to lead the successful campaign for India’s independence from British rule) + -गिरी (-girī, “suffix meaning ‘the act of; doing’”). The Hindi word was coined in the movie Lage Raho Munna Bhai (Keep Going, Munna Bhai, 2006), in which it was used by the lead character who is a gangster in contrast to dadagiri (“gang rule; intimidating behaviour”).
gandhigiri means the practice of Gandhism (“the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, encompassing tenets such as non-violent activism”), often expressed through unorthodox forms of activism such as depositing flowers or planting trees. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 96 out of 100.
Why this word is great
GANDHIGIRI — [Noun] The pragmatic practice of applying Mahatma Gandhi's principles through symbolic, often theatrical acts of non-violent activism. Borrowed from Bombay Hindi गांधीगिरी (gāndhīgirī), from the surname गांधी (gāndhī, "Gandhi") + the suffix -गिरी (-girī, "the act or practice of"). The term was popularized by the 2006 Hindi film 'Lage Raho Munna Bhai'. Unlike "Gandhism," which codifies a formal political philosophy, or "dadagiri," which denotes bullying strong-arm tactics, Gandhigiri is a vernacular, tactical performance of moral resistance. It is the disarming act of planting a rose in the barrel of a policeman's lathi, returning forged documents with a gentle "I believe these are yours, sir," or publicly offering sweets to an opponent shamed into honesty—a radical gentleness that weaponizes courtesy, proving principle must sometimes wear the costume of spectacle to be seen in a cynical age.
noun
- The practice of Gandhism (“the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, encompassing tenets such as non-violent activism”), often expressed through unorthodox forms of activism such as depositing flowers or planting trees.“"Gandhigiri showed us a way of judging a person's character and this is a tip [I] have been using in office and social gatherings ever since I saw the movie," Shweta [Polanki] says. […] "My impressions of Gandhi have changed post-Gandhigiri. Though I may not implement all that is said in the precise way it was preached by Gandhi, but the message is there at the back of my mind," says Archana Satna”