HomeRemembering Mahatma Gandhi - A Protagonist of Peace
Remembering Mahatma Gandhi - A Protagonist of Peace
Mahatma Gandhi was born as an ordinary man yet his extraordinary deeds and non-violence philosophy changed the world we see today. Gandhiji's fight for freedom and peace gave voice to many landmark movements in India and South Africa as well. The National Portal of India pays a Heart-warming Tribute to 'Bapu' on his Birth Anniversary through this special Spotlight.
Mohandas or Mohan was the youngest of the three sons of Putlibai and Karamchand Gandhi. He was born in a middle class family. Bapu's mother Putlibai was gentle and devout which left a deep impress on his mind. Gandhiji was seven when his family moved to Rajkot, another state in Kathiawar, where his father, Karamchand Gandhi became Dewan (Prime Minister). In Rajkot, he attended a primary school and later joined a high school. Though conscientious he was a "mediocre student" and was excessively shy and timid.
Gandhiji's mother Putlibai
Bapu was straight and true as steel, known for his steadfastness and loyalty. A little house where Bapu was born is now a memorial temple, known as Kirti Mandir.
Gandhiji's mother Putlibai was the traditional Hindu woman, devoted to her home and family, deeply religious and austere. These qualities left a deep impress on young Gandhiji. Another powerful influence of Bapu's early life was seeing King Harishchandra in the play, who suffers but finally triumphs, and his adherence to truth. The boy Mohan aspired to do no less. Gandhiji showed no particular brilliance, played no games, and avoided going out with friends. He read little beyond his textbooks, but respected his teachers, though, even at his bidding, he would not copy from his neighbour's answers. The other person he was much attached to was his eldest brother, Lakshmidas. When Bapu lost his father, it was Lakshmidas who helped to educate him and sent him to England for legal studies.
Gandhiji's wife Kasturba Gandhi
Kasturba Gandhi was born on 11th April, 1869 in Porbandar to a rich businessman Gokuladas Makhanji. In the first few years of her marriage, Gandhiji decided to teach Kasturba to read and write.
Throughout her life she was a steadfast companion to Gandhiji in all his experiments in South Africa and India. Kasturba followed her husband in word and deed and took to austere and simple Ashram life with ease. She was a deeply religious woman and followed the ideologies of her husband by renouncing all caste distinctions. A delicate, small but elegant lady, she was simple, straightforward and methodical personality. When Gandhiji was in London to pursue his higher studies, Kasturba remained in India to take care of their newborn son Harilal. The couple had 4 sons, Harilal, Manilal, Ramdas and Devdas.
Gandhiji's Primary School, Rajkot
After the high school, Mohandas joined the Samaldas College in Bhavnagar where he found the course difficult and the atmosphere uncongenial.
He lost his father in 1885. A friend of the family suggested that young Gandhiji should go to England and study law. Gandhiji jumped at the idea. The mother's objection to his going abroad was overcome by the young Gandhiji solemn vow not to touch wine, women and meat. When Gandhiji went to Bombay to take the boat for England, people of his caste, who looked upon crossing the ocean as contamination, threatened to excommunicate him if he persisted in going abroad. But Gandhiji was adamant and was thus formally excommunicated by his caste. Undeterred, he sailed on September 4, 1888, for Southampton at the age of eighteen. The first few days in London were miserable for Bapu. Towards the end of his second year, he came across two Theosophist brothers who introduced him to Sir Edwin Arnold's translation in English verse of the Bhagavad Gita. Having finished his studies in England, Gandhiji spent some time in Rajkot but he decided to set up a legal practice in Bombay. However, after having failed to establish himself, Gandhiji returned to Rajkot.
Pietermaritzburg Railway Station
South Africa was a turning point in Gandhiji's life. It confronted him with many unusual experiences and challenges, and profoundly transformed Bapu's life.
Gandhiji had arrived in Durban in 1893 to serve as legal counsel to the merchant Dada Abdulla. Bapu's work in South Africa dramatically changed him entirely, as he faced the discrimination commonly directed at black South Africans and Indians. One day in the court in Durban, the Magistrate asked him to remove his Turban, Gandhiji refused and left the court. On 31st May 1893, Gandhiji was on his way to Pretoria, a white man objected to his presence in a first-class carriage, and he was ordered to move to the van compartment at the end of the train. Gandhiji, who had a first-class ticket, refused, and was therefore thrown off the train at Pietermaritzburg. Shivering through the winter night in the waiting room of the station, Bapu made the momentous decision to stay on in South Africa and fight the racial discrimination against Indians and others. Out of that struggle emerged his unique version of non-violent resistance, "Satyagraha". Today, a bronze statue of Gandhiji stands on Church Street, in the city centre.
Beginning of Satyagraha
Gandhiji suspended his South African struggle after paving a way for the Indian Relief Act. He received hero's welcome upon returning to India from South Africa in January, 1915.
The first year in India, Gandhiji decided to tour the country and studying situations here with "his ears open but mouth shut". At the end of his year's wanderings, Bapu settled down on the bank of the river Sabarmati, on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, where he founded an Ashram in May 1915. He called it the Satyagraha Ashram. This was one of the residences of Gandhiji. The Sabarmati Ashram was subsequently converted into the National Monument by the Government of India because of its significance in the Independence Movement in the form of Dandi March in 1930.
Hazarimal's Dharmashala
Gandhi, the exponent of the Satyagraha movement, staged his first Satyagraha in Champaran, Bihar. It was in 1917. The poor peasants, the indigo growers, of the district invited Gandhi to see the grievances of the exploited peasants there.
Gandhiji was ordered to leave the district by the administration. He refused to give up Satyagraha, therefore the embarrass magistrate postponed the trial and released him without bail. The success of his first experiment in Satyagraha in India greatly enhanced Bapu's reputation in the country.
Non-Cooperation Movement
The Gandhi Era of the Indian Independence Movement begins with the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920. The main idea of the Non-Cooperation Movement in India was based on the nonviolent resistance to the British Government and Civil Disobedience.
Gandhiji and the entire Indian National Congress headed the movement. Many Indians renounced their titles and honours, lawyers gave up their practice, students left colleges and schools and thousands of the city-bred went into the villages to spread the message of non-violence, non-cooperation and to prepare the masses to defy the law. Gandhiji also reached out to the masses in his two weeklies, Young India and Navjivan. Bonfires of foreign clothes lit the sky everywhere and the hum of the spinning wheel rose in thousands of homes. Women, secluded for centuries, marched in the streets with men.
Gandhiji's Autobiography
Gandhiji's autobiography 'The Story of My Experiments with Truth' was published in 1927. Within a span of three and a half years, 3 lakh copies were sold. The autobiography was also translated in many Indian and foreign languages.
Salt Satyagraha - Dandi March
The Salt Satyagraha was a campaign of nonviolent protest against the British Salt Tax in colonial India which began with the Salt March to Dandi on March 12, 1930.
Gandhiji was arrested on 5 May 1930, and the Government struck hard to crush the movement, but failed. So Gandhiji was set free on 26 January 1931; and following a pact between Bapu and the British Viceroy, Lord Irwin (5 March 1931), he was prevailed upon to represent the Congress at the second Round Table Conference in London. Gandhiji was completely disillusioned with the attitude of the British, which had renewed its policy of ruthless repression. As a result the Civil Disobedience Movement was resumed in January 1932.
Fast for a Cause
Gandhiji was in prison when the Communal Award was announced in August 1932, providing for the introduction of separate electorate for the Depressed Classes.
He opposed this attempt to divide the Hindu community and threatened to fast unto death to prevent it. He started his fast on 20 September 1932. It created consternation in the country, but the situation was saved by the conclusion of the Poona Pact, which provided for special reservation of seats for the Depressed Classes in legislatures, but under joint electorate. On 8 May 1933 he announced a fast for 21 days for the Harijan cause. After coming out of prison Gandhiji devoted himself exclusively to the cause of the 'Harijans'. The weekly Harijan now took the place of the Young India, which had served the national cause from 1919 to 1932. After 1934 Gandhiji settled down in Sevagram near Wardha to form a new Centre for his enlarged Constructive Programme, which included Basic Education (1937), designed to bring about the universalisation of education.
Quit India Resolution
In 1942, his 'Quit India' slogan was to serve as the final signal to British dominion in India. The partition of India and Pakistan came as a personal shock to Gandhiji.
When the nation was rejoicing independence (1947), Gandhiji went to Naokhali to ameliorate the conditions of the communal riot victims. The man of the century had the courage of heart and spirit of the unafraid. His life and teaching reflect the values of this country and the values of humanity. He had been a beacon light to an army of freedom fighters who practised non-violence in world and deed.
Gandhiji's wife Kasturba Gandhi
Kasturba suffered from chronic bronchitis. Stress from the Quit India Movement's arrests and hard life at Sabarmati Ashram caused her to fall ill. She was cremated at Aga Khan Palace Prison.
The last journey
Ten days after a bomb was thrown at him, Nathu Ram Godse came to Gandhiji's prayer meeting on the evening of January 30, 1948 whipped out his pistol and fired three shots on Gandhiji's chest. Gandhiji fell instantly with the words 'Hey Ram' (Oh! God). Bapu was cremated on the banks of the Yamuna.
Gandhi Smriti
Gandhi Smriti, housed in the Old Birla House on 5, Tees January Marg, New Delhi, is the sacred place where Gandhiji's epic life ended. Gandhiji had lived in this house from 9 September 1947 to 30 January 1948.
Thus, the hallowed house treasures many memories of the last 144 days of his life. The Old Birla House was acquired by the Government of India in 1971 and was converted into a National Memorial of the Father of the Nation and was opened to the public on August 15, 1973. The preserves include the room where 'Bapu' lived and the prayer ground where he held a mass congregation every evening. The building and the landscape have been preserved as they were in those days. Gandhiji's legacy lives on even after his death. Bapu's universal teachings on non-violence and peace continue to inspire people around the world even today.
International Day of Non-Violence
'Gandhi Jayanti' is celebrated every year to mark the birth anniversary of Gandhiji, fondly known as 'Bapu' or 'Father of the Nation' in India. Gandhiji is a symbol of peace and humanity.
The United Nations has also declared October 2 as the International Day of Non-Violence. According to the UN General Assembly resolution of 15 June 2007, which established the commemoration, the International Day is an occasion to "disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness". The resolution reaffirms "the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence" and the desire "to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence".
Thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi
"Ahimsa is the highest duty. Even if we cannot practice it in full, we must try to understand its spirit and refrain as far as is humanly possible from violence."
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."
"Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes."
"It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of nonviolence to cover impotence."
"It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err."
"You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty."
"Honest differences are often a healthy sign of progress."
