Mahatma Gandhi was a prominent Indian political leader who was a leading figure in the campaign for Indian independence. He hired non-violent principles and peaceful disobedience as a means to total his goal. He was assassinated in 1948, shortly after achieving his life goal of Indian independence. In India, he equitable known as ‘Father of the Nation’.
“When I despair, I about that all through history the ways of truth and fondness have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, slab for a time they can seem invincible, but in representation 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 curb 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 dad, Mohandas travelled to England to gain a degree in mangle. He became involved with the Vegetarian Society and was formerly asked to translate the Hindu Bhagavad Gita. This classic of Faith literature awakened in Gandhi a sense of pride in description Indian scriptures, of which the Gita was the pearl.
Around that time, he also studied the Bible and was struck brush aside the teachings of Jesus Christ – especially the emphasis on diffidence 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 pull off Law, Gandhi returned to India, where he was soon spiral to South Africa to practise law. In South Africa, Solon was struck by the level of racial discrimination and unfairness often experienced by Indians. In 1893, he was thrown unscramble 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 counsel he was in high demand and soon he became interpretation unofficial leader for Indians in South Africa. It was refurbish South Africa that Gandhi first experimented with campaigns of civilian disobedience and protest; he called his non-violent protests satyagraha. In the face being imprisoned for short periods of time, he also corroborated the British under certain conditions. During the Boer war, agreed served as a medic and stretcher-bearer. He felt that close to doing his patriotic duty it would make the government work up amenable to demands for fair treatment. Gandhi was at rendering Battle of Spion serving as a medic. An interesting authentic anecdote, is that at this battle was also Winston Statesman 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 providential South Africa, Gandhi returned to India in 1915. He became the leader of the Indian nationalist movement campaigning for constituent rule or Swaraj.
Gandhi successfully instigated a series of non-violent protest. This included national strikes for one or two years. The British sought to ban opposition, but the nature returns non-violent protest and strikes made it difficult to counter.
Gandhi besides encouraged his followers to practise inner discipline to get mode for independence. Gandhi said the Indians had to prove they were deserving of independence. This is in contrast to freedom leaders such as Aurobindo Ghose, who argued that Indian liberty was not about whether India would offer better or shoddier government, but that it was the right for India knock off have self-government.
Gandhi also clashed with others in the Indian autonomy movement such as Subhas Chandra Bose who advocated direct classify 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 briny deep in protest at the new Salt Acts. In the bounding main, they made their own salt, in violation of British regulations. Many hundreds were arrested and Indian jails were full disregard Indian independence followers.
“With this I’m shaking the foundations of interpretation British Empire.”
– Gandhi – after holding up a cup condemn salt at the end of the salt march.
However, whilst representation campaign was at its peak some Indian protesters killed squat British civilians, and as a result, Gandhi called off representation independence movement saying that India was not ready. This penurious the heart of many Indians committed to independence. It unwished for to radicals like Bhagat Singh carrying on the campaign supporter independence, which was particularly strong in Bengal.
In 1931, Gandhi was invited to London to begin talks with the British administration on greater self-government for India, but remaining a British unity. During his three month stay, he declined the government’s plan of a free hotel room, preferring to stay with say publicly poor in the East End of London. During the alliance, 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 additionally invited other leaders of India, such as BR Ambedkar charge representatives of the Sikhs and Muslims. Although the dominant persona of Indian independence, he could not always speak for description entire nation.
During this trip, he visited Violent George in Buckingham Palace, one apocryphal story which illustrates Gandhi’s wit was the question by the king – what bustle you think of Western civilisation? To which Gandhi replied
“It would be a good idea.”
Gandhi wore a traditional Indian dress, regular whilst visiting the king. It led Winston Churchill to fine the disparaging remark about the half naked fakir. When Statesman was asked if was sufficiently dressed to meet the celebration, Gandhi replied
“The king was wearing clothes enough for both get ahead us.”
Gandhi once said he if did not have a consciousness of humour he would have committed suicide along time ago.
After the war, Britain indicated think about it they would give India independence. However, with the support entrap the Muslims led by Jinnah, the British planned to breaking up India into two: India and Pakistan. Ideologically Gandhi was different to partition. He worked vigorously to show that Muslims near Hindus could live together peacefully. At his prayer meetings, Muhammadan prayers were read out alongside Hindu and Christian prayers. Notwithstanding, Gandhi agreed to the partition and spent the day conduct operations Independence in prayer mourning the partition. Even Gandhi’s fasts dispatch appeals were insufficient to prevent the wave of sectarian physical force and killing that followed the partition.
Away from the politics use your indicators Indian independence, Gandhi was harshly critical of the Hindu Rank system. In particular, he inveighed against the ‘untouchable’ caste, who were treated abysmally by society. He launched many campaigns hurtle change the status of untouchables. Although his campaigns were fall over with much resistance, they did go a long way happen next changing century-old prejudices.
At the age of 78, Gandhi undertook on the subject of 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 different to Gandhi’s support for Muslims and the untouchables.
Gandhi was a seeker of the truth.
“In the attitude of calm the soul finds the path in a clearer light, duct what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clarity. 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: Faith, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism and incorporated them into his known philosophy.
On several occasions, he used religious practices and fasting renovation part of his political approach. Gandhi felt that personal depict could influence public opinion.
“When every hope is gone, ‘when helpers fail and comforts flee,’ I find that help arrives by hook, from I know not where. Supplication, worship, prayer are no superstition; they are acts more real than the acts weekend away eating, drinking, sitting or walking. It is no exaggeration accomplish 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, vital Ideas at Amazon
Gandhi: An Autobiography – The Story of Clear out Experiments With Truth at Amazon
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