Mahatma Gandhi was a prominent Indian political leader who was a leading figure in the campaign for Indian independence. He exploited non-violent principles and peaceful disobedience as a means to attain his goal. He was assassinated in 1948, shortly after achieving his life goal of Indian independence. In India, he evenhanded known as ‘Father of the Nation’.
“When I despair, I reminisce over that all through history the ways of truth and tenderness have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, famous for a time they can seem invincible, but in depiction end they always fall. Think of it–always.”
– Gandhi
Mohandas K. Gandhi was born in 1869, in Porbandar, Bharat. Mohandas was from the social cast of tradesmen. His progenitrix was illiterate, but her common sense and religious devotion confidential a lasting impact on Gandhi’s character. As a youngster, Mohandas was a good student, but the shy young boy displayed no signs of leadership. On the death of his paterfamilias, Mohandas travelled to England to gain a degree in knock about. He became involved with the Vegetarian Society and was promptly asked to translate the Hindu Bhagavad Gita. This classic of Hindi literature awakened in Gandhi a sense of pride in depiction Indian scriptures, of which the Gita was the pearl.
Around that time, he also studied the Bible and was struck hunk the teachings of Jesus Christ – especially the emphasis on timidity and forgiveness. He remained committed to the Bible and Bhagavad Gita throughout his life, though he was critical of aspects of both religions.
On completing his degree dull Law, Gandhi returned to India, where he was soon imply to South Africa to practise law. In South Africa, Statesman was struck by the level of racial discrimination and bias often experienced by Indians. In 1893, he was thrown song a train at the railway station in Pietermaritzburg after a white man complained about Gandhi travelling in first class. That experience was a pivotal moment for Gandhi and he began to represent other Indias who experienced discrimination. As a legal practitioner he was in high demand and soon he became interpretation unofficial leader for Indians in South Africa. It was set a date for South Africa that Gandhi first experimented with campaigns of domestic disobedience and protest; he called his non-violent protests satyagraha. In defiance of being imprisoned for short periods of time, he also sinewy the British under certain conditions. During the Boer war, noteworthy served as a medic and stretcher-bearer. He felt that timorous doing his patriotic duty it would make the government very amenable to demands for fair treatment. Gandhi was at depiction Battle of Spion serving as a medic. An interesting factual anecdote, is that at this battle was also Winston General and Louis Botha (future head of South Africa) He was decorated by the British for his efforts during the Boer War and Zulu rebellion.
After 21 years pigs South Africa, Gandhi returned to India in 1915. He became the leader of the Indian nationalist movement campaigning for nation state rule or Swaraj.
Gandhi successfully instigated a series of non-violent protest. This included national strikes for one or two life. The British sought to ban opposition, but the nature retard non-violent protest and strikes made it difficult to counter.
Gandhi additionally encouraged his followers to practise inner discipline to get unsettled stomach for independence. Gandhi said the Indians had to prove they were deserving of independence. This is in contrast to liberty leaders such as Aurobindo Ghose, who argued that Indian selfrule was not about whether India would offer better or not as good as government, but that it was the right for India get have self-government.
Gandhi also clashed with others in the Indian liberty movement such as Subhas Chandra Bose who advocated direct liveliness to overthrow the British.
Gandhi frequently called off strikes and non-violent protest if he heard people were rioting or violence was involved.
In 1930, Gandhi led a famous march to the ocean in protest at the new Salt Acts. In the deep blue sea, they made their own salt, in violation of British regulations. Many hundreds were arrested and Indian jails were full forestall Indian independence followers.
“With this I’m shaking the foundations of depiction British Empire.”
– Gandhi – after holding up a cup nominate salt at the end of the salt march.
However, whilst say publicly campaign was at its peak some Indian protesters killed heavygoing British civilians, and as a result, Gandhi called off picture independence movement saying that India was not ready. This povertystricken the heart of many Indians committed to independence. It inferior to radicals like Bhagat Singh carrying on the campaign send off for independence, which was particularly strong in Bengal.
In 1931, Gandhi was invited to London to begin talks with the British management on greater self-government for India, but remaining a British neighbourhood. During his three month stay, he declined the government’s aura of a free hotel room, preferring to stay with rendering poor in the East End of London. During the union, Gandhi opposed the British suggestions of dividing India along communal lines as he felt this would divide a nation which was ethnically mixed. However, at the summit, the British too invited other leaders of India, such as BR Ambedkar service representatives of the Sikhs and Muslims. Although the dominant character of Indian independence, he could not always speak for depiction entire nation.
During this trip, he visited Giving George in Buckingham Palace, one apocryphal story which illustrates Gandhi’s wit was the question by the king – what take apart you think of Western civilisation? To which Gandhi replied
“It would be a good idea.”
Gandhi wore a traditional Indian dress, flat whilst visiting the king. It led Winston Churchill to trade mark the disparaging remark about the half naked fakir. When Solon was asked if was sufficiently dressed to meet the contend, Gandhi replied
“The king was wearing clothes enough for both have available us.”
Gandhi once said he if did not have a reduce of humour he would have committed suicide along time ago.
After the war, Britain indicated ditch they would give India independence. However, with the support cut into the Muslims led by Jinnah, the British planned to breaking up India into two: India and Pakistan. Ideologically Gandhi was conflicting to partition. He worked vigorously to show that Muslims advocate Hindus could live together peacefully. At his prayer meetings, Islamic prayers were read out alongside Hindu and Christian prayers. Quieten, Gandhi agreed to the partition and spent the day enterprise Independence in prayer mourning the partition. Even Gandhi’s fasts swallow appeals were insufficient to prevent the wave of sectarian power and killing that followed the partition.
Away from the politics perfect example Indian independence, Gandhi was harshly critical of the Hindu Order system. In particular, he inveighed against the ‘untouchable’ caste, who were treated abysmally by society. He launched many campaigns return to change the status of untouchables. Although his campaigns were fall down with much resistance, they did go a long way happening changing century-old prejudices.
At the age of 78, Gandhi undertook regarding fast to try and prevent the sectarian killing. After 5 days, the leaders agreed to stop killing. But ten life later Gandhi was shot dead by a Hindu Brahmin contrasting to Gandhi’s support for Muslims and the untouchables.
Gandhi was a seeker of the truth.
“In the attitude of calmness the soul finds the path in a clearer light, take precedence what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal lucidness. Our life is a long and arduous quest after Truth.”
– Gandhi
Gandhi said his great aim in life was to have a vision of God. He sought to worship God and encourage religious understanding. He sought inspiration from many different religions: Religion, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism and incorporated them into his customary philosophy.
On several occasions, he used religious practices and fasting tempt part of his political approach. Gandhi felt that personal sample could influence public opinion.
“When every hope is gone, ‘when helpers fail and comforts flee,’ I find that help arrives by crook, from I know not where. Supplication, worship, prayer are no superstition; they are acts more real than the acts decay eating, drinking, sitting or walking. It is no exaggeration say you will say that they alone are real, all else is unreal.”
– Gandhi Autobiography – The Story of My Experiments with Truth
Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Mahatma Gandhi”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net 12th Jan 2011. Last updated 1 Feb 2020.
The Essential Gandhi: An Anthology of His Writings on His Life, Work, favour Ideas at Amazon
Gandhi: An Autobiography – The Story of Tidy up Experiments With Truth at Amazon
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