Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on the 2nd of October 1869 in Porbandar, a coastal town on the Kathiawar Peninsula. His father Karamchand Uttamchand Gandhi served as the chief minister or dewan of that small princely state. The family originated from the village of Kutiana in what was then Junagadh State. Mohandas grew up with three siblings including his sister Raliatbehn and two brothers Laxmidas and Karsandas. His mother Putlibai came from a Pranami Vaishnava Hindu family known for deep religious devotion. She would take the hardest vows without flinching and keep consecutive fasts easily. Young Mohandas described himself as restless as mercury playing or roaming about constantly. He twisted dogs' ears during play which became one of his favorite pastimes according to his sister's recollection. The Indian classics especially stories of Shravana and king Harishchandra left an indelible impression on his young mind. These epic characters shaped his early self-identification with truth and love as supreme values.
Gandhi sailed from Bombay to London on the 4th of September 1888 at age eighteen. He attended University College London where he took classes in English literature with Henry Morley. Later he enrolled at the Inns of Court School of Law in Inner Temple to become a barrister. His childhood shyness continued through his teens but he joined a public speaking practice group to overcome it. Gandhi made a vow before leaving India that he would abstain from meat alcohol and women. This promise influenced his time in London significantly. He tried adopting English customs including taking dancing lessons despite finding bland vegetarian food offered by his landlady. He frequently remained hungry until discovering one of London's few vegetarian restaurants. Influenced by Henry Salt's writing Gandhi joined the London Vegetarian Society. He was elected to its executive committee under president Arnold Hills who bankrolled the organization. Hills employed more than six thousand people in East End ironworks. Gandhi defended Thomas Allinson's right to differ on birth control methods though the vote ultimately excluded him from the society. At age twenty-two he was called to the bar in June 1891 before returning to India.
Gandhi arrived in South Africa in April 1893 aged twenty-three to represent an Indian merchant named Dada Abdullah. He spent twenty-one years developing political views ethics and politics there. Immediately upon arrival he faced discrimination due to skin color and heritage. A stagecoach driver ordered him to sit near the floor when he refused to leave first-class seating. Elsewhere he was kicked into a gutter for walking near a house. In another instance he was thrown off a train at Pietermaritzburg after refusing to leave first-class accommodation. He sat shivering all night in the train station pondering whether to return home or protest rights. He chose to protest and was allowed aboard the next day. The Abdullah case concluded in May 1894 but Gandhi extended his stay to oppose discriminatory voting bills. He helped found the Natal Indian Congress in 1894 molding Indians into a unified political force. During the Boer War he formed a group of stretcher-bearers called the Natal Indian Ambulance Corps. He raised one thousand one hundred volunteers who served as auxiliaries during battles like Colenso and Spion Kop. Gandhi received the Queen's South Africa Medal along with thirty-seven other Indians.
Gandhi returned to India in 1915 at age forty-five following Gopal Krishna Gokhale's request. He joined the Indian National Congress introducing himself to local issues through Gokhale's guidance. His first major achievement came in 1917 with the Champaran agitation in Bihar. Local peasants forced to grow indigo appealed to Gandhi for help against Anglo-Indian plantation owners. He won concessions from authorities using nonviolent protest strategies. In 1918 Kheda district suffered floods and famine while peasants demanded tax relief. Gandhi moved headquarters to Nadiad organizing scores of supporters including Vallabhbhai Patel. Peasants pledged non-payment of revenue under threat of land confiscation. The administration refused for five months before finally relaxing payment conditions by May 1918. Gandhi became leader of the Congress in 1920 expanding demands until January 1930 when independence was declared. He launched the Salt March from Ahmedabad to Dandi between March 12th and the 6th of April 1930. Sixty thousand people were imprisoned during this campaign which upset British rule significantly. Churchill ridiculed Gandhi calling him a seditious dictator attacking empire interests.
Gandhi opposed partitioning India along religious lines creating separate Muslim state Pakistan. Direct Action Day on the 16th of August 1946 triggered mass murder of Calcutta Hindus and property torching. Police holidayed missing to contain conflict leading to retaliatory violence across India. Thousands died while tens of thousands injured in cycle following days. Gandhi visited riot-prone areas appealing for peace through fasting and spinning. Independence came the 15th of August 1947 but he spent day fasting instead celebrating. More than half million killed as ten to twelve million migrated across new borders. His final fast ran from January 13th to 18th 1948 just days before assassination. At five seventeen p.m. on the 30th of January 1948 Nathuram Godse fired three bullets into Gandhi's chest at Birla House garden. He died about thirty minutes later as family read Hindu scriptures. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru addressed nation over radio declaring light gone out of lives. Over one million joined funeral procession taking five hours reaching Raj Ghat from Birla house. Ashes immersed at Sangam Allahabad the 12th of February 1948 though some scattered elsewhere including Nile River source near Jinja Uganda.
Gandhi dedicated life discovering pursuing truth called Satya calling movement satyagraha meaning appeal insistence reliance upon Truth. First formulation occurred September 1920 when tabled Resolution On Non-Cooperation before Congress session. Satyagraha based Vedantic ideal self-realization ahimsa nonviolence vegetarianism universal love. Key rooted Hindu Upanishadic texts according Indira Carr. Ideas found traditions within Hinduism Jainism Buddhism particularly those about non-violence vegetarianism universal love. Politicized these ideas synthesizing them uniquely. Most important battle overcoming own demons fears insecurities summarized beliefs saying God is Truth then changed to Truth is God. Satya described term God not separate power but Being Brahman Atman nondual universal pervading all things. Unity God humans meant all beings same soul equality existence same universe. Ahimsa very nature this atman arms individual moral power rather physical power. End implies moral upliftment progress individual society through law suffering doctrine endurance means end. Non-cooperation secure co-operation opponent consistently truth justice while support not universal Muslim leaders Jinnah opposed idea accusing reviving Hinduism political activism. Untouchability leader Ambedkar dismissed ideas loved blind Hindu devotees primitive influenced spurious brew Tolstoy Ruskin.
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Common questions
When and where was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi born?
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on the 2nd of October 1869 in Porbandar, a coastal town on the Kathiawar Peninsula. His father Karamchand Uttamchand Gandhi served as the chief minister or dewan of that small princely state.
What happened when Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi traveled to London in 1888?
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi sailed from Bombay to London on the 4th of September 1888 at age eighteen to attend University College London and later enroll at the Inns of Court School of Law. He made a vow before leaving India to abstain from meat alcohol and women which influenced his time in London significantly.
How did Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi respond to discrimination in South Africa after arriving in April 1893?
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi faced immediate discrimination upon arrival in South Africa including being thrown off a train at Pietermaritzburg for refusing to leave first-class accommodation. He chose to protest these injustices and helped found the Natal Indian Congress in 1894 while forming the Natal Indian Ambulance Corps during the Boer War.
When did Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi launch the Salt March and what was its outcome?
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi launched the Salt March from Ahmedabad to Dandi between March 12th and the 6th of April 1930. Sixty thousand people were imprisoned during this campaign which upset British rule significantly and led to independence declarations by January 1930.
What date did Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi die and how did he pass away?
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi died at five seventeen p.m. on the 30th of January 1948 when Nathuram Godse fired three bullets into his chest at Birla House garden. He died about thirty minutes later as family read Hindu scriptures following an assassination attempt.