MovieChat Forums > Gunga Din (1939) Discussion > 'Nice diaper, Mahatma.'

'Nice diaper, Mahatma.'

posted 16 years ago by Bilwick1
4 replies | jump to latest

That's what I would have said to him if I had been around then.

[–] Skye_Reynolds 16 years ago

It would make for a nice quote to showcase the bigoted views of many of the British Army's men, except that Mahatma Gandhi didn't start his movement until 1893, one year after the time in which the film is set.

[–] Bilwick1 16 years ago

True enough, except that I believe "Mahatma" was an honorific, and I suspect predated Mohandas Gandhi. In the tongue-in-cheek example I gave, the sarcastic speaker would be using it the way we in America often use, "Chief." As in, "Don't be so pedantic, chief."

[–] dolphin_nosed_bottle 16 years ago

Literally, Mahatma means 'great soul'

Its use in the Brahmin caste of Hinduism parallels most closely that of 'Saint' in Christianity

Vanity plates; too expensive...I'll just change my name to: "Juliet Whiskey Tango 649"

[–] The_Dying_Flutchman 16 years ago

Strange you should mention that as just recently I was at an auction where they auctioned off Elmo Lincoln's loin cloth. Truly rewarding.

Nothing is more beautiful than nothing.