Introduction
In this historical document, I am covering the biography of Mahatma Gandhi of India, whoes freedom struggle teached entire world that freedom can be gained through peaceful way.
As British colonialists ruled many nations in the world. But, when the freedom struggle of each of those nations is mentioned, the name of one person comes to mind in the context of each country.
Like for Africa, we know Nelson Mandela as their main leader. So, it is no wonder when you mention the Indian freedom struggle, the name of Mahatma Gandhi comes to mind.
The reason is also so obvious because Mahatma Gandhiji was one of the great freedom fighters and a member of the National Congress Party (NCP).
That time was believed that,
“We cannot achieve rights through peace, it has to be achieved through struggle.”
– Belief of HSRA
But, such an armed movement incites violence. Therefore, Gandhiji taught us to struggle with the non-violent way of Satyagraha. Not only that, with the support of Indian citizens, he also succeeded in the freedom struggle.
Gandhiji encouraged many freedom fighters to participate in independence struggle. Prominent youth revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, Ashfaqulla Khan, Chandrashekhar Azad are also inspired by Gandhiji.
Brief Information of Mahatma Gandhi
| Factors | Information |
|---|---|
| Identity | In the Indian freedom struggle, he fought for peace and Satyagraha. The Indians recognized him as the “Father of the Nation” of India. Besides, he was also an eminent politician, lawyer, Social Worker and writer |
| Birthdate | October 2, 1869 |
| Birthplace | Porbandar, Porbandar district |
| Parents | Mother: Putlibai Karamchand Gandhi, Father: Karamchand Uttamchand Gandhi |
| Wife | Kasturba Mohandas Gandhi |
| Citizenship | Indian |
| Education | L. L. B. from University College London College |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Children | Harilal, Manilal, Ramdas, Devdas |
| Participated movements | Indian Independence Movement |
| His Books | The Story of My Experiments with Truth |
| Date of death | January 30, 1948 |
| Age during Death | 78 |
| Death place | New Delhi |
| Cause of death | Nathuram Godse had shot him dead |
| Monuments of Mahatma Gandhi | Rajghat, Gandhi Smriti, etc. |
| Signature |  |
Mahatma Gandhi Family
Parents of Mahatma Gandhi
Grandfather of Mohandas Gandhi, Uttamchand was the Diwan of Porbandar. He was succeeded by Karamchand Gandhi as Diwan. Like his father Uttamchand Gandhi, Karamchand was a great philosopher.
Mother of Mohandas was Putlibai and she was very religious. She used to perform Hindu religious rituals and fasting according to the rules.
So naturally, in the development of Mohandas Gandhi, Putlibai sowed the seeds of character, while Karamchand Gandhi made him conscientious.
After ten years of schooling, he enrolled in a school near his home. There he attended regular school, and was an ordinary student in school. He was a humble, fickle but very shy person.
Religious family background
As the mother was religious, Tulsi Ramayana was recited regularly in the house of Gandhi. As a child, he was afraid of ghosts, so he learned to chant the name of Lord Rama. We also see the influence of Ramayana on his life.
Raghupati Raghav Rajaram| Patit Pawan Sitaram ||
— Laxmanacharya
Vaishnava Lord Rama devotee Laxmanacharya compiled 108 names of Shri Rama from the cantos of Sanskrit Ramayana of Adikavi Valmiki. The above hymns written by him but Mahatma Gandhi made them famous in India.
When Mohandas was seven years old, his father Karamchand Gandhi quit his job. Karamchand Gandhi then migrated to Rajkot with Mohandas and his entire family.
He was also appointed there as Diwan of Rajkot. Mohandas and his brother Karsandas entered primary school.
Few events in the life of Mahatma Gandhi
One day, near the house of Mohandas a man came with colorful pictures. Among the many paintings in his hand, Mohandas noticed Shravan Bal taking his blind parents on a pilgrimage in yoke. Extraordinary love of Shravan Bala for his parents had a profound effect on Mohandas.
In the same way, one day Mohandas saw the play of Satyavadi Raja Harishchandra. In the play he saw how Harishchandra is following the truth even in a very difficult situation. Watching the play he realised that truth is difficult to follow. But at the end, only those who follow the truth would win in the long run.
This may have inspired Gandhiji to follow the path of truth in the face of adversity.
Marriage of Mohandas Gandhi
That time, Child marriage was a tradition in Indian society. Therefore, marriage of boys and girls was arranged at a very young age. So how will Mahatma Gandhi get rid of this tradition?
At the age of thirteen, Mahatma Gandhi married his mate, Kasturibai. In 1887, Mohandas Gandhi passed matriculation from the Ahmedabad center.
Education of Mohandas
For the graduation purpose, he entered Shyamaldas College in Bhavnagar. However, he left the college in the first semester to study law abroad. To study abroad Laxmidas arranged money who was the elder brother of Mohandas.
Putlibai Initially disagreed with the idea of sending him abroad for education. But on the promise of not having close contact with women, not eating meat, and staying away from addiction, Putlibai allowed them to go abroad.
Mahatma Gandhi’s vows to his mother-in-law enabled him to stay away from many of the lures abroad.
Despite opposition from traditional peoples, he left for the United Kingdom on September 4, 1888. He spent almost 21 years abroad. During this time, he also faced many new problems.
Mohandas took admission to the Inner Temple on November 6, 1888 to study law. Mohandas became a member of the London Vegetarian Board in England. While in this circle, he wrote many articles on Hindu customs and diet.
Many scholars in that circle experimented with diet. Gandhiji regard alcohol and drugs as a disgrace to human civilization and the greatest enemy of mankind.
“A Man is nothing but a Product of His Thoughts. What He Thinks He becomes.”
— Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Gandhi read his English translation of Edwin Arnold at the end of 1889. In the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna describes renunciation as the best form of religion.
This chapter had a profound effect on him. You may have heard that the Bhagavad Gita, the holy scripture of Hinduism, has had a positive effect on many people in the world. The Bhagavad Gita also seems to have had a profound effect on the life of Mahatma Gandhi.
Mahatma Gandhi also studied the venerable Bible in Christianity. Finally, on June 10, 1891, Mahatma Gandhi graduated from the Inner Temple as a barrister.
Death of Putalabai
During the three-year career of Mahatma Gandhi, career in London is considered significant. When he reached home on July 8, 1891, after the graduation ceremony of college, a mountain of sorrow fell on him. Because his mother Putalabai would have died.
Activities of Mahatma Gandhi in London
London Vegetarian Board
Mohandas entered the Inner Temple on November 6, 1888 to study law. Mohandas became a member of the London Vegetarian Board in England. While in this circle, he wrote many articles on Hindu customs and diet.
Many scholars in that circle also experimented with diet. He considered alcohol and drugs a stigma on human civilization and the greatest enemy of mankind.
Profound Effect of Bhagavat Gita
Mohandas Gandhi read his English translation of Ramayana by Edwin Arnold at the end of 1889. In the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna describes renunciation as the best form of Dharma. This chapter had a profound effect on them.
You may have already heard that the holy scripture of Hinduism, the Bhagavad Gita, has impacted positively on many people in the world. The Bhagavad Gita seems to have had a great impact on the life of Mahatma Gandhi as well.
Study of Christian religious Holy Bible
Mahatma Gandhi studied the Holy Bible in Christianity. Finally, on June 10, 1891, Mahatma Gandhi graduated as a barrister from the Inner Temple.
Three-year period of Mahatma Gandhi in London is considered significant. He arrived home on July 8, 1891, after the college graduation ceremony. Then, a mountain of sorrow falls on them. Because, his mother Putlibai would have died.
Africa Tour
After that, Mohandas entered the Mumbai court to practice and study Indian law and to get familiar with Indian court.
Meanwhile, he went to South Africa under an agreement with Porbandar traders. After a month of voyage, he reached Durban, South Africa.
Gandhiji lost consciousness after seeing extreme racism in Africa. He felt sorry for the victims of apartheid.
Insult of Mahatma Gandhi in Africa
Insult during a Train Journey in Africa
Gandhiji was travelling in first class coaches to go to the court of Durban. At that time, despite showing him the ticket, TC forced him to go to third class. Gandhi opposed this injustice being done to him. At that point, he pushed out of the train with the luggage.
Contempt of Mahatma Gandhi in the Court in Durban
After he entered the court, the court ordered him to remove the turban. At that time, Gandhiji could not bear this insult, and he left the court in the middle.
A year later, a law was passed in South Africa to abolish the suffrage of Hindi people. At that time, Gandhiji started an anti-apartheid movement in Africa to get the rights of the Hindi people.
Natal Indian Congress
Mohandas founded the “Natal Indian Congress” with the help of African colleagues. He founded this party to solve the problems of the Hindi people in Africa and to improve relations with the white people.
While managing the organization for many years, he presented the problems of Hindi people to the leaders.
Return of Mahatma Gandhi to Homeland
When Mahatma Gandhi was 26 years old, on June 5, 1896, Gandhiji returned to his homeland after inculcating Satyagraha among the freedom fighters of Africa.
Among his great contemporaries after his arrival in India at that time were Nyayamurti Ranade, Surfroz Shah Mehta, Lokmanya Tilak, Gopal Krishna Gokhale and others.
After receiving an important message from Natal in November 1896, Gandhiji had to leave India for Africa with Kasturibai. Therefore, their stay in India was short-lived.
Movement against Hindi people in Africa
The white people had started a movement to expel the Hindi people from Africa. So he had to stay a long way from the port of Durban.
As he disembarked from the ship, Gandhiji was beaten with batons and stones. He even insulted them by blowing up their turbans.
But Gandhiji continued to endure it without any resistance. Even then, he did not take any legal action against him.
“I will not let anyone Walk Through My Mind with their Dirty Feet.”
— Mahatma Gandhi
Self-Reliant, Simple Living & High thinking
Shortly after this, the hatred of white Europeans towards Hindi people reached Shige. At the same time, Gandhiji got into the habit of self-reliance and simple living. He started working in a hospital with a sense of service.
Personal Life: Simplicity Amidst Turmoil
Gandhi’s personal life mirrored his public ethos. He lived in Sevagram Ashram, wearing hand-spun cloth and adhering to a frugal diet. His marriage to Kasturba, though strained by his vows of celibacy, endured through mutual respect.
Defining Traits:
- Spiritual Anchor: Daily prayers and Bhagavad Gita recitations grounded him.
- Experiments with Truth: His autobiography, My Experiments with Truth, candidly chronicled failures, like his early struggles with jealousy and meat-eating.
War between Dutch Colonies & British in 1899
Gandhiji helped the British by showing sincerity to the British Empire. To treat wounded soldiers, he went to the battlefield and treated wounded soldiers. For this, he also formed a group of Hindi people.
After spending about six years in Africa, Gandhi prepared to return to India. On his return to India, his colleagues from Africa made many valuable gifts, including honors.
Short-term departure to India
Participation in Congress session
After returning to India in 1901, Gandhi attended the Congress convention for the first time.
Visit of Mahatma Gandhi to India
When Mahatma Gandhi returned to India, he met many freedom fighters. He traveled all over India to know the current situation of the Indian people. He traveled in third class to learn about the problems that passengers face.
Once Again Departure of Gandhi for Africa
After that, Mahatma Gandhi started his own business again. But, once again, he got telegrams from his colleagues in Africa. So he had to go back to Africa.
Once back in Africa, Gandhiji realized that their next fight would be to stay in Africa. So Gandhi started his career as a lawyer in Johannesburg.
He started his own weekly Indian Opinion to understand the problems of the people of India and solve them.
In 1903, Mahatma Gandhi started this weekly in four languages. After assessing people from all walks of life, Gandhiji found the life of a worker meaningful. So he bought a garden in Phoenix.
Here he established settlements and established the importance of labor, which made the settlements self-sufficient.
As Mahatma Gandhi gave priority to simple living, the people of the settlement also practiced his conduct. So the needs are reduced.
The Zulu Rebellion of 1906
Mahatma Gandhi was appointed Sergeant Major in the Hindi contingent. At the risk of his life, Gandhiji crossed a few miles of hills and took the injured Zulus to his service. Gandhiji’s mind got peace due to his attitude of service.
Gandhiji’s Pledge of Celibacy
Sadhana of body and soul cannot be done at the same time. Mahatma Gandhi believed that, along with poverty, as a public servant, observance of celibacy was important. So he vowed to observe celibacy for the rest of his life.
After returning from this battle, they received some shocking news. This is because a government order was issued forcing Asians to obtain a license. Gandhiji called this law a black law against humanity.
The law caused dissatisfaction among the Indian people. On September 11, 1906, Gandhi vowed, “I may die, but I will not abide by this anti-Asian law at all.”
Gandhiji resorted to the weapon of civil disobedience to continue the moral struggle. Mahatma Gandhi was a minister and lawyer of the British Indian Association in Africa. But instead of being a lawyer, he felt compelled to stand in the cage of criminals as a prisoner of politics.
Imprisonment of Mahatma Gandhi
Gandhiji was imprisoned for the first time on January 10, 1918, for violating civil law. After reading the book Satyavir Socrates, Gandhiji felt that all Hindustanis should follow Socrates’ example.
Gandhi Smath Agreement
Fifteen days later, the government released the Satyagrahis from prison on the condition that the black law be repealed, and all Hindi people be given licenses of their own accord. According to the agreement, Gandhiji also gave his fingerprints to get the license.
But the government refused to repeal the black law, threatening the Hindi people by going against the terms of the agreement. So the Holi anti-black law movement started once again, with all the licensing documents being holi.
All the protesters were ready to go to jail at the same time. So controlling them was a big challenge for the government. Due to Mahatma Gandhi, the objectives of his movement were clear to the Hindi people.
Due to this agitation, Gandhiji was again imprisoned for two months. All the freedom fighters showed unprecedented courage. Gandhiji was again imprisoned on January 25, 1990.
Mahatma Gandhi’s Influence on Maharshi Tolstoy
Among those who showed interest in India was the famous writer Maharshi Tolstoy. Gandhiji introduced him to this Satyagraha. He expressed sympathy with the movement and hoped that it would be a success and set an inspiring example for millions of Dalits around the world.
Maharshi Tolstoy also read his biography to get to know Mahatma Gandhi and his struggles. Gandhiji’s dream of establishing a village of Satyagrahis living a simple life in Africa came true in Johannesburg. Mahatma Gandhi named this settlement “Tolstoy Farm”.
In October 1913, people gathered in the city of Newcastle in Transpal to raise their voices against the 3 pound tax imposed on the Hindi people. The people of Africa had great faith in Mahatma Gandhi.
Mahatma Gandhi was imprisoned three times in four days during the agitation from Newcastle. Facing many obstacles, the Hindi people continued this morcha. The British African government charged Gandhi with four counts and sentenced him to one year in prison.
Gandhiji’s faith in Satyagraha and his efforts made him successful. After his success in Africa, Gandhiji felt that his duty in Africa was now fulfilled.
“Nobody can Hurt Me without My Permission.”
— Mahatma Gandhi
Read how Gandhiji learned nonvoilence in Africa?
Return of Gandhiji to India
Therefore, on July 18, 1914, Gandhiji left Africa. Traveling by sea, Gandhi landed at the port of Mumbai on January 9, 1915. At that time, he was warmly welcomed by the then Indian leaders and people.
Mahatma Gandhi had spent most of his life abroad. So the political climate and problems in India were new to him. Therefore, Gandhiji immediately refused to give his opinion to Gopal Krishna Gokhale on public questions.
Wherever Gandhiji went to meet his relatives and friends, he was warmly welcomed. Gandhiji hoped that India would establish friendly relations with the West through this ancient culture.
Meanwhile, Gandhiji was saddened to learn of Gokhale’s death on February 19, 1915. In praise of Gokhale, Gandhiji said, “After traveling all over India, he saw an adventurous soul like Gokhale.”
Establishment of Satyagraha Ashram
He set up a Satyagraha Ashram at Kocharab in Ahmedabad to bridge the gap between sacrifice and service. About twenty-five of his followers pledged truth, non-violence, indigenous khadi, celibacy, abstinence, and the abolition of untouchability.
Freedom from the Blue Curse in Champaran by Gandhiji
In 1917, Gandhiji went to Bihar. Where he had the opportunity to serve the farmers who were devastated by the blue farming in Champaran.
When Gandhiji took notice of the people’s complaint, a new wave of hope spread among all the farmers. After the farmers expressed their grievances, Gandhiji asked the farmers to stop indigo farming.
The hundred-year-old indigo cultivation in Champaran has come to an end. The glory of Satyagraha was first realized by the people by closing down this farm.
Migration of Satyagraha Ashram
In 1917, an epidemic hit India. When the epidemic started in Kocharab village too, Gandhiji shifted the ashram near Sabarmati river. Due to which this ashram is known as “Sabarmati Ashram” by all Indians.
There is a temple of worship in this ashram. In this temple every evening people of all religions would come together and pray in harmony. Work at Sabarmati Ashram was devotional. The rules of the ashram reflect Gandhiji’s personality.
Gandhiji’s health deteriorated due to poor diet and overwork, so he came to Mumbai for treatment.
Due to Mahatma Gandhi’s vows not to take medicine or milk, his condition did not improve quickly. At the request of his wife Kasturba, he started drinking goat’s milk.
Even while ill, he learned to spin. This spinning wheel became a symbol of peace.
Roulette Act of 1919
In February 1919, the Rowlatt Act, which suppressed national movements, was enacted. Gandhiji started a civil disobedience movement against this law which was strangling the rights of the citizens.
Despite the opposition of Hindustani members in the Legislative Assembly, the government passed this black law on March 18, 1919.
As per the call made by Mahatma Gandhi to the countrymen, April 6, 1919 was celebrated all over the country as “Satyagraha Day”. The imprisonment of all the protesters led to a reduction in imprisonment across the country.
Jallianwala Bagh massacre
Gandhiji’s challenge started the civil disobedience movement all over the country. According to Gandhiji, all the people of the country responded spontaneously to the agitation.
In such a revolutionary environment, the Sikh brothers also came together to support the movement.
The Sikh community started the Satyagraha movement in a non-violent and peaceful way at Jallianwala Bagh in the heart of the city of Amritsar.
At that time, a detachment of Brigadier General Dyer was passing through the city of Amritsar. He entered the Jallianwala Bagh area through a small window.
General Dyer ordered the firing on thousands of protesters without warning. The firing continued until they ran out of ammunition.
Thousands of helpless men, women and children were also brutally murdered in the village. Thousands were injured and 375 were killed.
Punishment of Law Breakers
During the lawlessness movement, the British government punished people by crawling on the ground and beating innocent people. Gandhiji was offended by this punishment.
The frightened masses slowly began to take violent action. Gandhiji felt that he did not want to start a law-breaking movement before the whole country knew the meaning of Satyagraha. Therefore, on 18th April 1919, the Satyagraha movement was suspended.
The Amritsar Congress in December 1919, in the court of Motilal Nehru, approved Gandhiji’s mantra of Swarajya through indigenous income and a proposal to revive the ancient handicrafts.
Because India was a thriving agro-industrial country, India’s progress depended on plows and spinning wheels. Gradually, Mahatma Gandhi’s chanting started all over India.
Mahatma Gandhi believed that India’s moral and economic renewal could only be achieved through the revival of the Charkha, not by the sound of weapons.
“Happiness is When What You Think, What You Say, and What You Do are in Harmony.”
— Mahatma Gandhi
Participation of Gandhiji in Khilapat Movement
Gandhiji also joined the Khilafat movement against the unjust conditions imposed by Britain on Turkey. Even in this movement, Gandhiji’s non-violent non-cooperation was effectively implemented.
Death of Lokmanya Tilak
Gandhiji choose an August day to start this non-cooperation movement. Lokmanya Tilak died on the night of August 1.
Expressing grief over his death, Gandhiji said, “We have lost the male saffron of India forever. Future generations of India will remember him as the creator of modern India.
Probably no other leader in India has done as much for the cause of Swarajya as Tilak did. Due to Tilak, the feeling of Swarajya had spread all over India at that time ”.
Congress Convention at Nagpur
At the Congress convention in Nagpur in December 1920, Gandhiji’s proposal for a just and peaceful way of self-government in just one year was accepted by a majority. Therefore, his idea was also recognized in the constitution to allow the Congress to control the power of the common people.
Beginning of the Gandhian Era in India
Thus the Gandhi era began with the recognition of Mahatma Gandhi’s ideas in India. While touring India, Gandhiji considered many questions. Among them poverty was a big problem in front of them.
Flag of Swarajya
Respecting the wishes of Mahatma Gandhi, Charkha got a place in the flag of Swarajya. It was the flag of Swarajya, the holiness of all religions and unity. The flag has three colors, the first is white, the second is green and the third is red.
Born in 1921, the national flag was a symbol of non-violent revolution and ideal life. Gandhiji protested against the boycott of foreign clothes in Mumbai on 31st July 1921 by holding a Holi of foreign clothes. The protest was supported all over the country.
The Renunciation of Clothes by Mahatma Gandhi
When he came to Mumbai while touring the country, he realized that millions of poor people across the country could not buy new indigenous clothes immediately after Holi.
So Gandhiji himself promised to give up his hat, turban and kurta. For this, he shaved his head on the morning of September 21 and promised to spend the rest of his life in one robe.
The atmosphere of revolution reached its peak during the Congress session in Ahmedabad. All the leaders in the Congress preferred the non-violent non-cooperation movement to the armed movement. The Congress party also gave all the privileges to Gandhiji.
Gandhiji’s Suspension of Civil Disobedience Movement
In a letter to the Viceroy, Gandhiji said that Bardoli taluka in Gujarat would be the first front of non-violent people’s revolution.
However, due to the violence against the British police in a village called Chaurachauri in Gorakhpur district on 5th February 1922, the civil disobedience movement in Bardoli was suspended.
Mahatma Gandhi Arrested for Writing Anti-State Articles
Gandhi was arrested on March 10, 1922, on charges of writing a sedition article in Young Indian. The trial began on March 18 at the Circuit House in Ahmedabad. At the time, he was accused of writing three sedition articles.
In the first two articles, he challenged the British government to be dishonest, while in the third article, he challenged the authorities who were exploiting the Dalits.
In the third article, he said, “As long as the British government’s hunting paw is on our chest, how can there be a deal.”
Gandhiji confessed himself as a farmer, a worker. In his defense, he said, “The British government has enslaved India. I consider it my religion to be dishonest against such a government. For this I have been given no severe punishment.
The case was decided and Gandhiji was sentenced to six years in prison. They did not see humanity anywhere in the prison. Gandhiji was kept in seclusion away from other prisoners.
Every prison rule was imposed on them. He was released from prison and returned to prison after a thorough investigation. After the first twenty-two months, Gandhiji’s health was greatly affected.
Meanwhile, on the night of January 12, 1924, he was undergoing surgery at Sassoon Hospital in Pune.
Sudden power outage results in all lights are turned off during surgery. At that time, doctors perform Gandhiji’s surgery only in the light of a lantern.
Government pardons Gandhiji’s sentence
On February 4, 1924, the British government revoked Gandhiji’s sentence and released him. The 39th Congress session was held on December 26, 1924 in Belgaum. Addressing the Congress party at the convention, he said,
Meaning of Satyagraha
In this convention, Gandhiji explained the meaning of Satyagraha to the people. Gandhiji called the search for truth Satyagraha. Swarajya is our birthright, and Satyagraha is our birthright.
Gandhiji, who considers untouchability a great insult, says, “Untouchable is one who is against the national interest. Man is not untouchable.”
After the convention, Gandhiji’s presidency of the Congress was completed. After that, Gandhiji kept his silence in the political arena and vowed to retire. According to Mahatma Gandhi, silence is a form of worship.
As a result, Gandhiji got physical relief and his condition improved. Inspired by Gandhiji’s ideas, the farmers of Bardoli staged an agitation against the tax hike under the leadership of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Movement Against the Simon Commission
Inspired by the spirit of nationalism, citizens from different parts of the country raised their voices against the Simon Commission.
Meanwhile, Lala Lajpat Rai, a leader of a non-violent anti-Simon front in Punjab, was severely injured when he was ordered to be lathicharged. He died a few days later during treatment.
Paying homage to him, Gandhiji said, “Leaders like Lalaji will remain immortal as long as the sun and moon shine.”
Calcutta Congress Session
In December 1924, the Congress convention in Calcutta was held under the chairmanship of Motilal Nehru.
Prominent youth leaders, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhash Chandra Bose, opposed all-party reports in favor of Sansthan Swarajya.
Gandhi declared the treaty and gave the British government one year to grant colonial independence. At the same time, Gandhi warned the British government that “all demands must be met by December 31, otherwise the goal of complete self-government will stand in front of the Congress.”
After that, the political atmosphere became unstable. At the same time, Bhagat Singh Batukeshwar Dutt bombed the assembly. The purpose of the attack was to awaken the British government and convey the voice of the oppressed masses to them.
The one-year term of Gandhiji before the British government came to an end. Jawaharlal also expressed his interest in socialism and democracy.
Gandhiji’s efforts finally paid off, and at midnight on 31 December, the British government approved a proposal for full self-government as soon as the new year began. The flag of the front was hoisted announcing the victory of India and Inquilab Zindabad.
Preparations for the agitation started on 26th January 1930 by celebrating Independence Day all over the country. Seeing the spirit and enthusiasm of nationalism among the people, the confidence required to resume Gandhiji’s movement increased.
Gandhiji made a manifesto of eleven points which included important issues like reduction of alcohol, land revenue, expenditure of soldiers and abolition of salt tax.
He wrote that water, air, food and salt are the most essential things for human health. “If the letter I have written has no effect on your mind, then on the eleventh of this month I will respect the government’s salt law,” he wrote.
After receiving a negative reply from the Viceroy, Gandhiji just happened.
“This is probably my last speech on the shores of Sabarmati. In this peaceful and non-violent struggle, we are all determined to use every means at our disposal,” he said. Gandhiji also encouraged women to join the movement.
Gandhiji said that the agitation should continue even after this violation of law with the strength of Satyagraha.
“The Weak can Never Forgive. Forgiveness is an Attribute of the Strong.”
— Mahatma Gandhi
On the dawn of March 12, 1930, thousands of people gathered near the ashram at the instigation of Gandhiji. Gandhiji left the Sabarmati Ashram and set out for the coastal village of Dandi.
Hundreds of men and women accompanied him. Dandi is a village located at a distance of 241 km.
With Mahatma Gandhi, all the pilgrims will cover a distance of about ten miles daily. They will be welcomed in every village on the road.
Gandhiji also preached on the issues of abstinence from alcohol, child marriage and other bad practices in those villages. He also used to inspire people to take advantage of salt as soon as they get a warning.
As Gandhiji’s Dandi Yatra was moving towards the beach, the enthusiasm of the people of the country was increasing. It took Gandhiji twenty-four days to complete the long journey from Sabarmati to Dandi.
After entering the village, Gandhiji called a meeting to prepare all the Satyagrahi. At the meeting, Gandhiji clarified everything, saying, “Those who are afraid of the British government should leave, and those who are ready to be shot in the chest or go to jail, should come with me tomorrow morning.”
After bathing in the sea in the morning, Gandhiji broke the black law by taking a handful of salt in his hand. As soon as the warning of violation of law was received, agitation started in many places across the country.
As a result, many Satyagrahis had to face these and atrocities. Nevertheless, all the Satyagrahis remained calm and endured everything.
Warning to the Viceroy
Gandhi lived for some time in a mango orchard in Karadi village near Dandi. In the meantime, he warned the viceroy in a letter to break the law non-violently over a salt disease.
In this letter, Gandhiji says, “If I do not allow the British government to make full use of our sharp Punjab and allow the Satyagrahis to face the maximum crisis, it will be my cowardice.”
Gandhiji Arrested again by British Government
On the night of May 4, 1930, a detachment of armed British troops entered Gandhiji’s hut. However, under Article 25 of 1827, Mahatma Gandhi was arrested by the British government.
Before going to jail, Gandhiji raised the self-esteem of Satyagrahis all over the country and said, “Hindustan’s self-esteem is in the salt in the hands of Satyagrahis. Therefore, even if the fist is crushed, do not voluntarily hand over the salt to the government.
Mahatma Gandhi further said that people want all people to learn to live life by sacrificing their lives.
This was the situation of Hindustan during the dictatorial British rule. The British government was trying to become more unjust and ruthless in order to crush Gandhiji’s movement.
Boycotts on Foreign Clothing and Alcohol
According to Gandhiji, all the Satyagrahis were on guard at liquor dens across the country. As a result, the rate of addiction among the youth of the country has come down.
Apart from using foreign clothes, many Hindustanis accepted Swadeshi. The decision of the farmers not to be ashamed also started showing good results at the national level.
Because such an event increased people’s faith in the strength of the nation. The people of the country were now eager to revolt. Many members of the Legislative Assembly also resigned. The British government declared several congressional committees illegal. The mass arrests led to a reduction in prison.
A Congress leader was imprisoned. But the movement did not stop because other leaders led the movement. Despite many efforts, the government could not control the situation. They martyred thousands of Hindustanis in this agitation. This agitation lasted for a few months.
Finally, with the permission of the Viceroy, Tej Bahadur Saparu and Mukundrao Jayakar went to Yerwada Jail to meet Gandhiji for an opportunity.
After they released unconditionally Gandhiji on January 26, 1931, he had to move to Ahmedabad as he wanted to do Karad because Motilal Nehru’s health suddenly deteriorated and he died on February 6, 1931.
The Salt Satyagraha Aftermath and Round Table Conferences (1931-1932)
In the wake of the Salt Satyagraha that captured the world’s imagination, Gandhi found himself navigating a complex political landscape. The year 1931 marked a crucial turning point. The air in India crackled with possibility as Lord Irwin, the Viceroy, recognized the futility of keeping the nationalist leader imprisoned. Their negotiations culminated in the Gandhi-Irwin Pact of March 5, 1931—a bittersweet triumph that saw the release of political prisoners and the right for coastal villagers to collect salt, but fell short of addressing broader constitutional questions.
With characteristic humility that belied his growing international stature, Gandhi boarded the SS Rajputana in August 1931, bound for London. The Round Table Conference awaited him—the lone representative of the Indian National Congress amidst a carefully curated delegation of India’s princes and minority representatives. London’s fog greeted him, as did throngs of curious onlookers and journalists eager to glimpse this dhoti-clad man whose moral force had shaken an empire.
“I have nothing new to teach the world,” he told reporters who gathered at his modest quarters in London’s East End. “Truth and non-violence are as old as the hills.”
The conference proved frustrating. British politicians, including Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald, listened politely but offered little substantive movement toward independence. Gandhi’s impassioned pleas for a united India fell on strategic deaf ears as British officials expertly played to divisions between Hindus and Muslims.
During his stay, Gandhi made an extraordinary impact beyond political circles. He visited textile workers in Lancashire, whose livelihoods had been affected by his boycott of British cloth. Instead of hostility, he found warmth as he explained the desperate poverty of Indian weavers. His visit to Buckingham Palace raised eyebrows when he appeared before King George V in his simple loincloth. When questioned about his attire, Gandhi quipped with gentle humor, “The King had enough on for both of us.”
Upon returning to India in December 1931, the political situation had deteriorated. Lord Willingdon had replaced Irwin as Viceroy, bringing a harsher approach. By January 1932, Gandhi found himself arrested once again, and the civil disobedience movement was outlawed. From the confines of Yeravda Prison, a new crisis emerged that would test Gandhi’s resolve like never before.
The Poona Pact and Championing the Untouchables (1932-1933)
The British government’s announcement of the Communal Award in August 1932 threatened to fracture Indian society along caste lines by granting separate electorates to various groups, including the “untouchables” (whom Gandhi called Harijans or “children of God”). For Gandhi, this represented an existential threat to Hindu unity and would perpetuate the marginalization of the lower castes.
From his prison cell, Gandhi made the dramatic announcement that he would fast unto death in protest. The fast began on September 20, 1932, sending shockwaves through the country. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the brilliant lawyer and champion of the untouchables, initially opposed Gandhi’s position, arguing that separate electorates would give his community political power. But as Gandhi’s health deteriorated rapidly, the weight of potential tragedy forced negotiations.
Six days into the fast, with Gandhi’s life hanging by a thread, the Poona Pact was signed. The agreement replaced separate electorates with reserved seats for depressed classes within the Hindu electorate—a compromise that averted immediate crisis but left lingering tensions between Gandhi and Ambedkar’s approaches to caste reform.
The fast revealed the complexity of Gandhi’s character: unyielding in principle yet strategic in timing, combining spiritual conviction with political calculation. Upon recovery, he intensified his campaign against untouchability, launching the Harijan weekly newspaper and embarking on a nationwide tour of villages to challenge caste prejudice.
“I do not want to be reborn,” he told a gathering in Tamil Nadu. “But if I have to be reborn, I should be born an untouchable so that I may share their sorrows, sufferings, and affronts leveled at them.”
Individual Satyagraha and the Quit India Movement (1933-1942)
The mid-1930s saw Gandhi stepping back from direct political leadership, focusing instead on village reconstruction, basic education, and the promotion of khadi (handspun cloth). He established his ashram at Sevagram in 1936, living in a simple hut and developing his concept of trusteeship—wherein the wealthy would act as trustees of their wealth for society’s benefit rather than as owners.
When World War II erupted in 1939, India was declared a belligerent by the British without consultation. Gandhi faced a moral dilemma: his non-violence rejected war, yet he felt compassion for Britain’s existential struggle against Nazism. The Congress, under his guidance, offered conditional support if Britain would promise independence after the war—an offer promptly rejected.
In response, Gandhi launched Individual Satyagraha in 1940, a limited civil disobedience movement in which selected individuals would publicly oppose the war effort. His chosen first satyagrahi was Vinoba Bhave, who simply declared “I am against war” before being arrested. This measured response reflected Gandhi’s reluctance to hamper the war effort against fascism while still maintaining pressure for independence.
The entry of Japan into the war brought the conflict to India’s doorstep. In March 1942, the British government sent Sir Stafford Cripps to India with proposals for dominion status after the war. The offer, falling short of full independence and immediate self-government, was rejected. With Japanese forces reaching India’s eastern borders, Gandhi sensed both danger and opportunity.
On August 8, 1942, at the Bombay session of the All India Congress Committee, Gandhi delivered one of his most electrifying speeches, launching the Quit India Movement with the simple, powerful slogan: “Do or Die.” The following day, before the movement could properly organize, the British arrested Gandhi, Nehru, and the entire Congress leadership.
“The mantra is: ‘Do or Die.’ We shall either free India or die in the attempt,” Gandhi declared, adding with characteristic strategic ambiguity: “Here is a mantra, a short one, that I give you. You may imprint it on your hearts and let every breath of yours give expression to it: ‘Karo ya maro’—’Do or Die.'”
What followed was unprecedented—leaderless mass rebellion erupted across India. Villages and towns rose in spontaneous resistance; government buildings were occupied, rail lines sabotaged, police stations attacked. The British response was brutal: firing on unarmed crowds, mass whippings, and even aerial machine-gunning of protesters. By the time the uprising was suppressed, thousands lay dead, tens of thousands imprisoned.
From his detention at the Aga Khan Palace in Poona, Gandhi could only follow news of the upheaval. Personal tragedy struck when his secretary Mahadev Desai died of a heart attack shortly after imprisonment, and then his beloved wife Kasturba succumbed to illness in February 1944. Her passing, after 62 years of marriage, left him profoundly bereft. They had grown together from arranged child bride and groom to partners in the struggle for justice—she had become his anchor, conscience, and greatest critic.
At her deathbed, witnesses reported that Gandhi gently stroked her hair, whispering, “Ba, you are leaving me now.” Her final gift was dying in his arms rather than while he was away serving the nation, as had happened with his mother decades earlier.
The Path to Freedom and Partition (1944-1947)
Released in May 1944 due to failing health, Gandhi emerged to a transformed political landscape. The Muslim League under Muhammad Ali Jinnah had gained strength, advancing their demand for a separate Muslim state of Pakistan. The war was turning in the Allies’ favor, and Britain, exhausted and debt-ridden, recognized that its imperial days were numbered.
Kasturba’s death in 1942 shattered him. Holding her hand, he whispered, “Ba, you were my rock.” Her absence deepened his solitude, yet he marched on.
In 1944, Kasturba Gandhi died but he kept experimenting different aspects of life. People even argued on some of the experiments of Gandhiji which he use to test his celibacy.
Gandhi engaged in a series of talks with Jinnah in September 1944, attempting to find common ground, but the ideological gulf proved insurmountable. Gandhi envisioned a united India where Hindus and Muslims lived as brothers; Jinnah insisted that Muslims constituted a separate nation requiring their own homeland.
The end of World War II brought a Labor government to power in Britain, committed to Indian independence but uncertain about how to achieve it. The Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946 proposed a federal structure, but mutual suspicion between Congress and the Muslim League led to its failure. Communal violence erupted in Calcutta in August 1946, with thousands killed in what became known as the “Great Calcutta Killing.”
As the country spiraled toward civil war, Gandhi undertook perhaps his bravest journey. At 77, he walked barefoot through the riot-torn villages of Noakhali in East Bengal (now Bangladesh), where Muslims had attacked Hindu minorities. Living in abandoned huts, he moved from village to village, restoring courage to terrified survivors and shaming attackers. Later, he performed the same miracle in Bihar, where Hindus had massacred Muslims in retaliation.
A British journalist who tracked him through the mud and rain of Noakhali wrote with awe: “The flame of faith burned so bright in him that he could walk fearlessly in darkness, and bring light.”
By early 1947, the new Viceroy, Lord Mountbatten, accelerated the timetable for British withdrawal. On June 3, 1947, the partition plan was announced—India would be divided into Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan. Independence would come not in June 1948 as originally planned, but in August 1947—just ten weeks away.
Gandhi, the apostle of unity, faced his greatest defeat. The country would be free but broken in two. “Cut me in two if you wish,” he reportedly told Congress leaders, “but don’t cut India.” Nevertheless, he accepted the inevitable, focusing his energies on preventing violence during the transfer of power.
While the country erupted in celebration on August 15, 1947, Gandhi was conspicuously absent from official ceremonies in Delhi. Instead, he spent the day fasting and spinning in a Muslim quarter of Calcutta where communal tensions had previously exploded into violence. His presence achieved what armies could not—peace held in Calcutta while much of the new border regions burned.
The Final Chapter and Martyrdom (1947-1948)
The joy of independence was marred by the horror of partition. As millions crossed the new borders—Hindus and Sikhs fleeing Pakistan, Muslims fleeing India—violence engulfed the Punjab and Bengal. Trains arrived at stations filled with the dead; columns of refugees stretched for miles; women were abducted and raped; children orphaned. Estimates suggest up to one million people perished in the partition violence.
While others governed, Gandhi became a one-man peace mission. In September 1947, he returned to Delhi, where tensions boiled as Hindu and Sikh refugees from Pakistan poured in, seizing Muslim homes and seeking revenge. Gandhi began what would be his final fast on January 13, 1948, vowing to eat only when the violence ceased and Muslims were guaranteed safety. Miraculously, Delhi’s warring communities came to him with written pledges of peace.
His moral victory was short-lived. On January 30, 1948, as he walked to an evening prayer meeting at Birla House in Delhi, Nathuram Godse, a Hindu extremist who viewed Gandhi’s tolerance toward Muslims as betrayal, approached him. Gandhi greeted his assassin with folded hands. Three shots rang out. Gandhi fell, uttering “Hey Ram” (Oh God) as life left his frail body.
Prime Minister Nehru’s voice broke as he addressed the nation: “The light has gone out of our lives, and there is darkness everywhere… Our beloved leader, Bapu as we called him, the father of the nation, is no more.”
In death as in life, Gandhi worked miracles. Violence subsided as a shocked nation mourned. His funeral procession stretched for miles as millions came to bid farewell. His ashes were divided and sent to all states of India for memorial ceremonies, then scattered in rivers across the world.
Legacy and Global Impact
Gandhi left behind no wealth, no property, no official titles, and no monuments to himself. His possessions could fit in a small bundle—a watch, spectacles, eating bowl, two pairs of sandals, and his spinning wheel. Yet his legacy has proved inexhaustible.
In India, his vision shaped the new republic’s ideals, if not always its practices. The Constitution abolished untouchability, and under the leadership of his disciple Nehru, India established itself as a secular democracy committed to social justice—though the gap between ideal and reality remained vast.
Globally, his methods of non-violent resistance inspired movements across continents and decades. Martin Luther King Jr. in the American civil rights movement, Nelson Mandela in South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle, Lech Wałęsa in Poland, Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar, and countless others adapted Gandhian techniques to their own circumstances.
His intellectual legacy lives through his writings, comprising over 100 volumes, where he developed ideas on trusteeship economics (an alternative to both capitalism and communism), environmentalism before it became a movement (“The earth provides enough for everyone’s need but not for everyone’s greed”), religious pluralism, and the dignity of labor.
Albert Einstein perhaps best captured Gandhi’s universal significance: “Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.”
In an age that witnessed unprecedented violence and the development of weapons capable of destroying civilization itself, Gandhi demonstrated an alternative path—not of passive acceptance but of active, love-based resistance to injustice. His methods were sometimes questioned, his personality was not without contradictions, but his fundamental message resonates with increasing urgency: that means and ends are inseparable, that violence begets violence, and that even the most entrenched injustice can be overcome through truth, courage, and love.
As humanity faces the challenges of the 21st century—climate change, religious extremism, economic inequality, and threats to democracy—Gandhi’s voice echoes across time: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
Gandhi’s philosophy of Ahimsa (nonviolence) transcended borders, inspiring icons like Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela. His emphasis on sustainability and village-centric economics resonates in today’s climate activism and social justice movements.
Enduring Lessons:
- Power of Peace: The Salt March remains a blueprint for civil rights campaigns.
- Simplicity as Strength: Modern minimalism echoes his call to “live simply so others may simply live.”
Reflective Question:
What would Gandhi say about today’s polarized world? Perhaps, “The future depends on what you do today.”
Significant Events
| Date/Period | Event |
|---|---|
| October 2, 1869 | Birth in Porbandar, Gujarat |
| 1883 | Marriage to Kasturba at age 13 |
| 1888-1891 | Law studies in London |
| 1893-1914 | Work in South Africa; development of Satyagraha |
| 1915 | Return to India |
| 1917-1918 | Champaran and Kheda Satyagraha |
| 1919 | Rowlatt Satyagraha; Jallianwala Bagh Massacre |
| 1920-1922 | Non-Cooperation Movement |
| 1922 | Sentenced to six years’ imprisonment (served two) |
| 1930 | Salt March and Civil Disobedience Movement |
| 1931 | Gandhi-Irwin Pact; attended Round Table Conference in London |
| 1932 | Began fast against separate electorates; Poona Pact signed |
| 1933-1934 | Harijan campaign against untouchability |
| 1932 | Retired from Congress to focus on rural upliftment through Sarvodaya. |
| 1940 | Started Individual Satyagraha against British war efforts |
| August 1942 | Launched Quit India Movement; arrested along with Congress leadership in Aga Khan Palace, Pune. |
| February 1944 | Death of Kasturba Gandhi in detention |
| 1946-1947 | Worked to prevent Hindu-Muslim violence in Noakhali and Bihar |
| August 15, 1947 | India gained independence and was partitioned |
| January 1948 | Undertook last fast for communal harmony in Delhi |
| January 30, 1948 | Assassinated by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist, during evening prayers in New Delhi |
Death: The Martyr’s Sacrifice
On January 30, 1948, Gandhi walked to his final prayer meeting in Delhi. As crowds gathered, Nathuram Godse fired three bullets. Gandhi’s last words—“Hey Ram” (Oh God)—sealed his legacy as a martyr for unity.
Global Mourning:
- Albert Einstein lamented,
“Generations to come will scarce believe such a man walked this earth.”
Impact Table
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Philosophy | Nonviolent resistance (Satyagraha), communal harmony, rural empowerment. |
| Global Influence | Inspired civil rights movements worldwide. |
| Cultural Impact | Gandhi Jayanti (October 2) observed as International Day of Non-Violence. |
FAQs About Mahatma Gandhi
Q: Why is Gandhi called ‘Mahatma’?
A: The title ‘Mahatma’ means ‘Great Soul’ in Sanskrit. It was first applied to Gandhi by the Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore. Gandhi himself never used this title and preferred to be called simply ‘Bapu’ (Father) by his followers.
Q: Did Gandhi win the Nobel Peace Prize?
A: Surprisingly, Gandhi never received the Nobel Peace Prize despite being nominated five times (1937, 1938, 1939, 1947, and posthumously in 1948). The Nobel Committee later expressed regret for this omission, and when the Dalai Lama received the award in 1989, the chairman of the committee said it was “in part a tribute to the memory of Mahatma Gandhi.”
Q: What was Gandhi’s attitude toward technology?
A: Gandhi was not against technology itself but opposed its misuse that created unemployment and concentrated wealth. He advocated for appropriate technology that empowered village economies and promoted self-reliance, which is why he championed the spinning wheel as a symbol of economic independence.
Q: Did Gandhi and Nelson Mandela ever meet?
A: No, they never met. Gandhi died in 1948, while Mandela rose to prominence in the 1950s. However, Mandela was deeply influenced by Gandhi’s philosophy and often cited him as an inspiration for the South African freedom struggle.
Q: What were Gandhi’s religious beliefs?
A: While born Hindu, Gandhi embraced elements from various religions. He regularly read the Bhagavad Gita, but also studied the Bible, Quran, and other religious texts. He believed in the equality of all religions and that they were different paths to the same truth.
Featured image by Harryarts: www.freepik.com
