About Me
This page is dedicated, with the deepest respect, to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.
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Ghandi was a major political and spiritual leader of India and the Indian independence movement. In India, he is recognized as the Father of the Nation. October 2nd, his birthday, is commemorated each year as Gandhi Jayanti, and is a national holiday.
He was the pioneer of Satyagraha—the resistance of tyranny through mass civil disobedience, firmly founded upon ahimsa or total non-violence which led India to independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. Gandhi is commonly known in India and across the world as Mahatma Gandhi, (from Sanskrit, mahatma: Great Soul) and as Bapu (in Gujarati, Father).
A British-educated lawyer, Gandhi first employed his ideas of peaceful civil disobedience in the Indian community's struggle for civil rights in South Africa. Upon his return to India, he organized poor farmers and labourers to protest against oppressive taxation and widespread discrimination.
Assuming leadership of the Indian National Congress, Gandhi led nationwide campaigns for the alleviation of poverty, for the liberation of women, for brotherhood amongst differing religions and ethnicities, for an end to untouchability and caste discrimination, and for the economic self-sufficiency of the nation, but above all for Swaraj—the independence of India from foreign domination. Gandhi famously led Indians in the disobedience of the salt tax on the 400 kilometre (248 miles) Dandi Salt March in 1930, and in an open call for the British to Quit India in 1942. He was imprisoned for many years on numerous occasions in both South Africa and India.
Throughout his life, Gandhi remained committed to non-violence and truth even in the most extreme situations. A student of Hindu philosophy, he lived simply, organizing an ashram that was self-sufficient in its needs. Making his own clothes—the traditional Indian dhoti and shawl woven with a charkha, he lived on a simple vegetarian diet. He used rigorous fasts, for long periods, for both self-purification and protest. Gandhi's life and teachings inspired Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Steve Biko and Aung San Suu Kyi and through them the American civil rights movement and the freedom struggles in South Africa and Myanmar respectively.
The Hindus, the Sikhs and all others found their lives unsafe in Pakistan. There was no end to their miseries. Their houses were looted, women were abducted; there were forced marriages and forced conversions. Thousands of men, women and children were killed. Millions of people left Pakistan on their way to India as refugees leaving behind all their possessions. Thousands died on the way from starvation, disease and massacre. An equal number of Muslims were fleeing into Pakistan from India on foot.
Riots broke out in Delhi. Gandhiji saw that the Muslims in Delhi were inhumanly treated. He decided to fast unto death. He poured out his heart in the prayer-meetings: 'This makes me hang my head in shame. Oh God, give me strength!'
He commenced his fast on January 13, 1948, at the age of 78! There was deep gloom all over the country. The whole world watched. Finally, on the sixth day, a pact was signed assuring peace between the two communities, and Gandhiji broke his fast.
Some fanatic Hindus did not like this. They thought that Gandhiji was unjustly favouring the Muslims. One of these people threw a bomb at Gandhiji in his prayer meeting at Birla House, on January 20. The bomb missed the target and exploded on a garden-wall which was soon in ruins. Gandhiji was not the least disturbed. He continued his prayer-meeting as if nothing had happened. Somebody told him: ..Bapuji, a bomb exploded!'
..Really?' said Gandhiji, ..perhaps some poor fanatic threw it. Let no one look down on him!
"Death is our true friend. It is our ignorance that makes us suffer."
From Gandhiji's last letter dated 30-1-48
Ten days after this, Gandhiji was coming to his prayer-meeting at five in the evening on 30-1-1948. Suddenly a young man pretending to seek his blessings made a small bow, raised a pistol and shot at him thrice in quick succession. All the bullets hit him. Gandhiji fell uttering Rama! Rama! He was dead.
The whole world experienced a big shock at the death of Gandhiji. The whole world mourned his death, paid him glowing tributes and hailed him as one who will never die.
Gandhiji's body was taken on a five mile long funeral procession to the banks of the Yamuna where he was cremated. This place is known as Rajghat. There stands the Samadhi of Gandhiji. From all over the world, people come here to pay homage to Gandhiji. The ashes of Gandhiji's body were thrown in all the sacred rivers of India. Thousands of memorials are erected all over the country. Seldom will there be a town without a road named after Gandhiji. But the message which Gandhiji wished to give to the world is ill-conveyed by these numerous memorials, because Gandhiji himself said: ..My life is my message!' Let us always keep this in mind.
Nehruji broadcast to the country, his voice choked with emotion: ..The light has gone out and there is darkness everywhere. Our beloved leader, Bapu, as we called him the father of the Nation, is no more. The light has gone out, I said, and yet I was wrong. For the light that shone in this country was no ordinary light. That light will illumine this country for many more years, and a thousand years later that light will still be seen in this country, and the world will see it and it will give solace to innumerable hearts.'
Albert Einstein paid a tribute to Gandhiji in these words: ..Generations to come, it may be, will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.
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