Siby Kollappallil Joseph
May 19, 2025, marks the 65th anniversary of the surrender of dacoits of Chambal Valley in Madhya Pradesh before Acharya Vinoba Bhave. It was on this day that the dacoits, who terrorized the Chambal Valley, laid down their arms through the power of love and compassion, rather than the power of force or coercion. The title of Vinoba Bhave’s memoirs is “Moved by Love.” This act was indeed moved by love, and it was truly a “loot by love” that helped bring about a change in their hearts, leading them to surrender and embark on a new life.
Once, while addressing communists, Vinoba said, “If you want to loot the people, loot as I do with sincerity and affection.” Vinoba Bhave was featured on the cover of Time Magazine with the tagline “I have come to loot you with love.”
After receiving a message from a condemned dacoit seeking his darshan before execution, Vinoba was moved to action. He believed that no one is born a dacoit and that those who took to dacoity could reform. He saw this as an opportunity for social transformation.
With the help of Maj Gen Yadunath Singh, Vinoba prepared the ground for his mission. On May 13, 1960, Bhave addressed a gathering on the banks of the Chambal River, where he said, “I have come to the glorious land of the brave. This is the land that has produced brave dacoits. They are noble men. The only difference between them and other men is that their train has gotten on the wrong track. I think they are better men than the dacoits of Delhi because they are unsophisticated. A change of heart is easier to achieve among them than among the civilized people of cities, who have formed a hard crust of personal self-interest over their hearts. I want them to respond to my call and surrender. The solution to dacoity lies in surrender—not in firearms. Only non-violence can enable us to solve the problem of dacoity.”
The loving appeal of Vinoba touched the hearts of the dacoits, and as a result, 20 notorious dacoits in the Chambal Valley surrendered, leaving behind their arms and ammunition. Vinoba was overwhelmed and described the atmosphere as filled with a divine aura. Although the dacoits were later sent to jail and tried in court, Vinoba’s mission had a lasting impact on their lives. Tehsildar Singh’s death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.
It is fitting that this day is observed as a revolutionary day of love and presents a concrete example that the transformation of even the most dreaded dacoits is possible. What’s important is that they transformed not through the power of guns but through empathy. The mentality of “There is no alternative” (TINA) needs to change, and an approach of love, compassion, and empathy is worth pursuing. Such an approach gives hope to people who believe in the power of nonviolence in the transformation of individuals and society.
This note was prepared by Dr. Siby K. Joseph, Director, Sri Jamnalal Bajaj Memorial Library and Research Centre for Gandhian Studies, Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan, Sevagram, Wardha – 442102, Maharashtra (INDIA). Email: directorjbmlrc@gmail.com
