Mahatma Gandhi (1869 – 1948)

Mahatma Gandhi (1869 – 1948) was a politician, lawyer, activist, and writer, in addition to being the leader of the nationalist movement in India. He is also considered to be the father of the nation state of India.

Gandhi is famous for his use of Satyagraha, or nonviolent protest, to achieve his political goals. Due to his larger than life presence, his perseverance, and his commitment to peace, Gandhi was known by the title Mahatma, or ‘Great Soul’. His selflessness and the fact that throughout his life, he would rather sacrifice himself than instigate violence, made him well-loved throughout the world.

May many people be inspired by the commitment and courage of Mahatma Gandhi and be able to follow the path of peace, tolerance, and courage like this great soul.

Early Life

Gandhi was born on 2^nd October 1869 in a coastal town on the Kathiawar Peninsula, Porbandar State, during the British Raj, which is now part of the Indian state of Gujarat. His parents named him Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. His father, Karamchand Uttamchand Gandhi (1822 – 1885), was the capable Chief Minister (diwan) of Porbandar State, and his mother was Uttamchand’s fourth wife, Putlibai (1844 – 1891). Putlibai was a pious lady who could take the most challenging vows and hold them well. She was known to be able to keep two to three consecutive fasts.

Gandhi’s parents Karamchan Uttamchand Gandhi (left) and his wife, Putlibai (right)

Uttamchand was married four times. His first two wives gave Uttamchand one daughter each, but they passed away at a young age. Because Utttamchand’s third wife was childless, she permitted Uttamchand to marry again. Therefore, Uttamchand married Putlibai, from Junagadh, another city in what is now known as Gujarat. Uttamchand and Putlibai had four children:

1. Laxmidas (1860 – March 1914), a son
2. Raliatbehn (1862 – 1960), a daughter
3. Karsandas (1866 – 1913), a son
4. Gandhi (1869 – 1948), a son

Gandhi as a young boy

Gandhi was a lively child. His sister, Raliatbehn, described her brother as “restless as mercury, either playing or roaming about. One of his favourite pastimes was twisting dogs’ ears.” As a young boy, Gandhi was enthralled by the stories of Harishchandra, a legendary Indian king. The themes of love and truth within the stories were what most appealed to him. In his autobiography, Gandhi admitted:

“It haunted me, and I must have acted Harishchandra to myself times without number.”

In 1874, Uttamchand had the opportunity to move and take a leadership position in Rajkot, where the British regional political agency was located. A closeness with this institution was what provided a measure of security to the state’s diwan. In 1876, Uttamchand was promoted to the position of diwan in Rajkot for his outstanding work, and his family joined him there.

Gandhi and his young bride, Kasturbai (Kasturba)

When he was nine years old, Gandhi attended a local school in Rajkot, where he studied history, arithmetic, geography, and the Gujarati language. At 11 years old, Gandhi was admitted to a high school in Rajkot. He was not a bright student in school and was a shy boy, with no interest in games. It is said that his only companions were books and school lessons.

When Gandhi was 13 years old, in 1883, he was married to the 14-year-old Kasturbai Makhanji Kapadia in an arranged marriage. His wedding was a joint event because his brother and cousin were also married at the same time. Gandhi recalled his early experience of the wedding,

“As we didn’t know much about marriage, it meant only wearing new clothes, eating sweets, and playing with relatives.”

Gandhi’s adolescent years were not without rebellion. His youth was marked with acts of petty thefts, smoking, a secret belief in atheism and, most shocking of all for a member of a respectable Vaishnava Hindu family, the eating of meat. Gandhi’s acts of rebellion could be considered harmless by some, however, they ultimately led him to take extraordinary steps not to repeat them. He made a promise to himself after each adventure that he would never again engage in the same act, and he kept his promises.

1885 was a tragic year for Gandhi. His father, Uttamchand passed away, and within the same year, Kasturbai gave birth to their first child, who only survived a few days. The death of two persons so closely related to him anguished him greatly. Throughout their marriage, Kasturbai and Gandhi had four more sons:

1. Harilal, born in 1888
2. Manilal, born in 1892
3. Ramdas, born in 1897
4. Devdas, born in 1900

In January 1888, after graduating from high school, Gandhi briefly enrolled in Samaldas College in Bhavnagar State. However, because his late father had expressed his hope for him to become a government minister, Gandhi had to set aside his aspiration of becoming a doctor.

Gandhi (right) with his eldest brother, Laxmidas (left), in 1886

To fulfil his family’s aspiration, Gandhi had to first become a barrister. His brother, Laxmidas, raised enough money for Gandhi to study in England. At first, his mother objected to his plan to study in London, but later, she consented after Gandhi made a promise to abstain from alcohol, meat, and women while he was overseas. So, in 1888, Gandhi went to London, England to study law at the Inner Temple, one of the four law colleges in the city.

When he returned to India in 1891, more sad news awaited him. Gandhi learned that his mother had passed away several weeks before his return, but the news was kept hidden from him. Not long after his return, Gandhi set up a law practice in Bombay. However, during his first courtroom case, Gandhi was so nervous that he could not cross-examine the witness. Embarrassed, he reimbursed his client for his legal fees.

After the unfortunate incident, he returned to Rajkot and made a modest living by drafting petitions for litigants. However, this means of living soon stopped after he came into conflict with a British officer. In 1893, another door of opportunity opened for Gandhi. A successful Muslim merchant, named Dada Abdullah, contacted Gandhi and informed him that his cousin in Johannesburg was looking for a lawyer, and he was willing to offer Gandhi a salary of £105 per month in addition to travel expenses. Gandhi accepted the job offer, with the understanding that he had to stay in South Africa for at least one year.

The birth place of Mahatma Gandhi

The Birth of Gandhi’s Activism

Gandhi arrived in South Africa in April 1893 to work as the lawyer for Dada Abdullah’s cousin. He spent 21 years in South Africa, and it was in this place that he developed his ethical and political views.

Gandhi with his secretary, Miss Schlesin, and his colleague, Mr. Polak, in front of his office in Johannesburg, 1905

When he arrived in South Africa, Gandhi considered himself “a Briton first and an Indian second.” However, due to the race-based discrimination in South Africa, Gandhi’s life was challenging. He was not allowed to sit with light-skinned European passengers in stagecoaches and was told to sit near the driver on the floor instead. When he refused, he was beaten. In another incident, he was kicked and pushed to the gutter for walking near a house. On yet another occasion, Gandhi was thrown from a train in Pietermaritzburg after refusing to leave the first-class section. That night, Gandhi stayed in the train station, wondering whether he should stand up for his rights or return to India. In the end, he chose to stand up for his rights.

Gandhi was bothered by the prejudice against him. He wondered how someone could feel superior and derive pleasure or honour from humiliating other people. At the same time Gandhi also questioned his Indian status in the British Empire.

Gandhi as a young lawyer in South Africa

In 1894, Abdullah’s cousin’s case that had brought Gandhi to South Africa was concluded, and Gandhi was preparing to return to India. However, he decided to stay longer because the Natal authorities had issued another discriminatory proposal declaring that the right to vote was an exclusive European right, and other races, such as Indians, were denied the right to do so. One of his efforts was to ask the British Colonial Secretary, Joseph Chamberlain, to reconsider his position on the bill.

Although Gandhi failed in preventing the passage of the bill, his campaigns attracted attention to the unfair treatment suffered by the Indians in South Africa. Gandhi also established the Natal Indian Congress and presented the Indians in South Africa as a unified political force.

Gandhi with the founders of the Natal Indian Congress, 1895

Due to his activism, in January 1897, a group of white settlers attacked Gandhi in Durban. However, Gandhi did not press charges against his attackers.

In 1900, Gandhi wanted to disprove the British assumption that Hindus were not fit to do “manly” tasks that involved danger and exertion. Gandhi recruited 1,100 medically certified volunteers to help the British fight the Boers. In the Battle of Colenso, the last battle of the Boer War, Gandhi’s team worked with the ambulance corps, and at Spion Kop, Gandhi and his team went to the front lines to carry wounded soldiers across difficult terrain. For their heroic contribution, Gandhi and 37 other Indian volunteers received the Queen’s South African Medal.

In the Battle of Colenso, the last battle of the Boer War, Gandhi’s team worked with the ambulance corps.

The Indian Struggle for Independence

In 1915, C.F. Andrews conveyed the request from Gopal Krishna Gokhale, one of the social and political leaders of India’s independence movement, for Gandhi to return to India. When Gandhi returned, he brought with him the reputation of being an Indian nationalist, theorist and community organiser.

Gopal Krishna Gokhale (1866 – 1915)

Upon his return to his homeland, Gandhi joined the Indian National Congress. Gokhale updated Gandhi on politics, Indian issues, and the Indian people. In 1920, Gandhi took leadership of the Congress and escalated the demand for Indian independence from the British government.

On 26^th January 1930, the Indian National Congress declared the independence of India. Although the British government did not recognise this declaration, negotiations between the Congress and the British government ensued, and the Congress was able to play a role in provincial government in the late 1930s. When the Viceroy declared war on Germany without consulting the Congress, the latter withdrew their support for the Raj.

Gandhi (centre, with white hat) and members of the Indian National Congress in 1922

In 1942, tensions between the Congress and the British government escalated when Gandhi demanded immediate independence. The British government responded by imprisoning him and other Congress leaders. Meanwhile, the Muslim league turned against Gandhi to work with Britain and demanded a separate Muslim state of Pakistan. In August 1947, the British partitioned the land for Pakistan and India, and they became separate independent countries.

Role in World War I

Indian troops during World War I

In April 1918, the Viceroy of India invited Gandhi to a war conference. In this conference, Gandhi agreed to recruit combatants to help Britain in the war effort. In June 1918, Gandhi wrote an appeal to Indians to enlist as combatants in World War I. In this appeal, he said:

“To bring about such a state of things we should have the ability to defend ourselves, that is, the ability to bear arms and to use them… If we want to learn the use of arms with the greatest possible dispatch, it is our duty to enlist ourselves in the army.”

Source: Gandhi (1965), Collected Works, Vol. 17. Archived 15 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Chapter 67, “Appeal for enlistment,” Nadiad, 22 June 1918.

“Although outwardly, Gandhi encouraged others to enlist as soldiers, he wrote a letter to the private secretary of the Viceroy that he ‘personally will not kill or injure anybody, friend or foe.'”

Source: Gandhi (1965), Collected Works, Vol. 17. Archived 15 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Chapter 8, “Letter to J. L. Maffey,” Nadiad, 30 April 1918.

Champaran Agitations

In 1917, during the Champaran agitations, the British landlords were supported by the local administration and the peasants were forced to grow indigo, a cash crop whose demand had been decreasing for over two decades. To make things worse, the peasants were forced to sell their crops at a fixed price.

Unhappy with the situation, the peasants went to Gandhi’s ashram in Ahmedabad to appeal for his help. Gandhi agreed to help them and pursued a strategy of nonviolent protests and strikes against the landlords. Finally, the authorities agreed to grant more concessions to the peasantry.

Gandhi during India’s first civil disobedience movement in Champaran

Kheda Agitations

In 1918, Kheda was experiencing famine due to floods and the peasants were demanding relief from taxes. To help the farmers, Gandhi moved to Nadiad and organised supporters and volunteers from the region. He employed a non-cooperation tactic and encouraged the peasants to pledge non-payment of revenue at the risk of losing their land. Gandhi won public support across the country. Finally, after five months, the administration gave in and relaxed the conditions until the famine ended. In Kheda, one of Gandhi’s prominent volunteers, Vallabhbhai Patel, represented the farmers in the negotiations and helped release all prisoners and relieve the peasants of their tax burden.

The protest during Kheda Satyagraha

Khilafat Movement

Gandhi helped the British in World War I by recruiting combatants, hoping that the British government would fulfil their promise to give Swaraj (self-government) after the end of the war. However, the British government did not fulfil their promise; instead, they agreed to provide minor reforms. Due to the British government’s failure to honour their commitments, Gandhi declared he would implement Satyagraha (civil disobedience).

After Gandhi made this declaration, the British officials issued the Rowlatt Act to allow the British government to treat the participants of civil disobedience as criminals and to arrest these people without judicial review.

Gandhi had a good rapport with the Muslim population and this was apparent during the Khilafat movement.

Gandhi felt Muslim-Hindu cooperation was necessary against the British. He gave the Khilafat movement the needed political leverage by supporting Sunni Muslims and the Turkish Caliph. The increasing Muslim support for Gandhi brought to a halt the occasional Hindu-Muslim communal conflict.

Unfortunately, in late 1922, Muslim support for Gandhi evaporated. The Khilafat movement ended, and Muslim leaders had largely abandoned Gandhi and his Congress, and the conflicts between Muslims and Hindus resumed.

Non-cooperation

In his 1909 book, Hind Swaraj, Gandhi stated that British rule was established due to the cooperation of Indians and had survived because of this cooperation. Without it, Swaraj would be implemented, and British rule would collapse.

In February 1919, Gandhi cautioned the British Viceroy not to pass the Rowlatt Act, because if they did, he would appeal to Indians to start civil disobedience. However, this warning went unheeded, and the British government declared they would not bow to threats.

The Satyagraha civil disobedience started, and many people protested the Rowlatt Act. On 30^th March 1919, British officers opened fire on unarmed peaceful protestors. Seven days later, on 6^th April 1919, Gandhi asked the crowd not to use violence against the British, but instead use peaceful methods, such as boycotting British goods, burning British clothing, etc.

Dissatisfied with Britain, the Indians planned to gather in greater numbers to protest. The British government warned Gandhi not to come to Delhi, but Gandhi ignored this warning, and he was arrested on 9^th April 1919. The news of Gandhi’s arrest sparked even more riots, and on 13^th April 1919, many Indians gathered at Amritsar Park to protest. The British troops under the leadership of Reginald Dyer surrounded the protestors and fired on them. The event became known as the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

An artist’s illustration of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre

The next day, Gandhi criticised the Indians “for not exclusively using love to deal with the hate of the British government.” Instead of asking the people to use violence, he requested the Indians to:

“Stop the violence, property destruction, and go on a fast unto death.”

The contrast between Gandhi’s non-violent response and the British massacre moved many people. The British formed an investigation committee, which Gandhi asked Indians to boycott. The event led Gandhi to believe he should turn his attention to Swaraj (self-rule) and Indian political independence because Indians would never be treated equally under British rule.

Gandhi’s non-cooperation movement included the Swadeshi policy and the boycott of foreign-made goods. Because of this, Gandhi was arrested on 10^th March 1922 and sentenced to six years in prison. However, he was released after only serving his sentence for two years due to health reasons.

Salt Satyagraha (Salt March)

Gandhi launched a new Satyagraha against the tax on salt in March 1930. From March 12^th to April 6^th, Gandhi marched 388 km from Ahmedabad to Dandi to make salt. On his way to Dandi, thousands of people, male and female, joined him. This campaign was one of his most successful, rocking the foundations of the British Raj in India. The British government responded by imprisoning over 60,000 people.

Gandhi and his followers during the Salt March

Negotiations with the British Government

Lord Irwin, the 20th Viceroy and Governor-General of India

In March 1931, Gandhi and Lord Irwin, the representative of the British government, met. In this meeting, the British government agreed to free those who were imprisoned for political reasons in return for the termination of the civil disobedience movement. The agreement was documented in the Gandhi-Irwin Pact.

Lord Irwin invited Gandhi to the round table conference in London as the representative of the Indian National Congress. However, Gandhi was disappointed with the conference because the British directed the discussion to the subject of the Indian princes and minorities, and not to the transfer of power.

Later, Lord Willingdon, Lord Irwin’s successor, was not open to the idea of India as an independent nation. He launched a campaign to subdue and control the nationalist movement. Gandhi was arrested again. However, the British government did not manage to negate his influence by separating him from his followers.

Winston Churchill, a prominent British politician who would later become prime minister, was Gandhi’s critic, opposing his long-term plans. Churchill often ridiculed Gandhi, as can be seen in his 1931 speech:

“It is alarming and nauseating to see Mr. Gandhi, a seditious Middle Temple lawyer, now posing as a fakir of a type well-known in the East, striding half-naked up the steps of the Vice-regal palace… to parley on equal terms with the representative of the King-Emperor.”

Source: Arthur Herman (2008). Gandhi & Churchill: The Epic Rivalry that Destroyed an Empire and Forged Our Age. Random House, p. 359. Archived from the original on 1 January 2016.

“Churchill’s dislike of Gandhi was widely recorded. He accused Gandhi as ‘seditious in aim’, ‘a dictator’, ‘a Hindu Mussolini’. Churchill’s criticism of Gandhi garnered support for both parties among the Europeans. Churchill was worried the ‘British themselves would give up out of pacifism and misplaced conscience.'”

Source: Arthur Herman (2008). Gandhi & Churchill: The Epic Rivalry that Destroyed an Empire and Forged Our Age. Random House, pp. 378–381. Archived from the original on 13 September 2014.

Round Table Conferences

The British Government and Gandhi held round table conferences between 1931 and 1932. However, the parties did not see eye-to-eye because:

• Gandhi was looking for a constitutional reform that would prepare for the end of British rule in India
• The British were looking for a constitutional reform that would keep India as a British colony

During these conferences, the British representatives also questioned the authority of Gandhi to speak on behalf of India. Gandhi started another Satyagraha after he returned from the second round table conference. The British arrested and imprisoned him again in Yerwada Jail, Pune.

Mahatma Gandhi during the Second Round Table Conference in London, November 1931

Congress Politics

In 1934, Gandhi resigned from the Congress, because he felt that if he resigned, his popularity would stop stifling the party’s membership, and the many elements within the Congress (i.e., socialists, communists, students, trade unionists, religious conservatives, and those with pro-business convictions) would have the opportunity to be heard. Although he returned to active politics two years later, a new generation of leaders had become established in the Congress.

World War II and Another Arrest

Gandhi did not agree to provide any support to the British war effort during World War II because he believed Indians could not participate in a war to preserve democracy and freedom, while they themselves were being denied such freedoms. Gandhi also condemned Fascism and Nazism. However, his demands were largely ignored because, despite what he said, over 2.5 million Indians volunteered and joined the British military.

The Quit India Movement

As the war progressed, Gandhi intensified his demands for independence. In 1942, Gandhi delivered his most controversial speech, “British to Quit India,” which aimed to secure British exit from India. Within hours after delivering this speech, Gandhi and all the Congress Working Committee members were arrested. On hearing the news of this arrest, the Indians retaliated by burning government owned railway stations, police stations, and cutting down telegraph wires.

Gandhi was released from prison on 6^th May 1944 due to his failing health and his need for medical treatment. He came out from prison to find that the political scene had changed (e.g. the Muslim League now occupied the centre of the political scene, and the other organisations that supported the war had become stronger, while the leaders of the Congress were imprisoned).

At the end of World War II, the British finally provided clear indications that power would be transferred to the Indians. Gandhi terminated the struggle, and approximately 100,000 political prisoners were released, including the leaders of the Congress.

The Murder of Mahatma Gandhi

30^th January 1948 was a tragic day for India, when a Hindu extremist named Nathuram Godse murdered Mahatma Gandhi by firing three bullets into his chest. Gandhi was immediately carried to his bedroom, where he passed away 30 minutes later, while the verses from the Hindu scriptures were being recited to him. Some sources said he passed away immediately.

The body of Mahatma Gandhi before cremation

Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru made a statement about this tragic accident via All-India Radio:

“Friends and comrades, the light has gone out of our lives, and there is darkness everywhere, and I do not quite know what to tell you or how to say it. Our beloved leader, Bapu as we called him, the father of the nation, is no more. Perhaps I am wrong to say that; nevertheless, we will not see him again, as we have seen him for these many years, we will not run to him for advice or seek solace from him, and that is a terrible blow, not only for me, but for millions and millions in this country.”

Source: Jai Raj, Janak Dr., Commissions and Omissions by Indian Prime Ministers.

Gandhi’s assassin, Godse, did not try to escape. He was seized and arrested. Later, it was revealed that Godse murdered Gandhi due to his complacence towards the Muslims, and he blamed Gandhi for the partition of the Indian subcontinent into India and Pakistan. In 1949, Godse was found guilty and later executed for his crime.

Gandhi’s passing affected Indians nationwide. More than two million people joined the five-mile long funeral procession. Thousands of people from all religious denominations and faiths gathered in India House in London to mourn this great man.

Gandhi’s body was cremated in accordance with the Hindu tradition. His ashes were stored in urns and sent across India and overseas. The Birla House, where Gandhi was assassinated, has become a memorial, named Gandhi Smriti. The site of his cremation near Yamuna is now called Raj Ghat Memorial.

The residents of Andhra Pradesh created a play on Gandhi in the Telugu language that combined the legends and Indian mythology and connected them to Gandhi’s ideas, portraying Gandhi as a messiah. In this play, Gandhi was considered the reincarnation of Indian saints and nationalist leaders.

VIDEO: The Funeral of Mahatma Gandhi

Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/GandhiFuneral2.mp4

Legacy

Today, almost 70 years after his death, Gandhi’s legacy can still be felt around the world. Statues and busts resembling his likeness can be seen in notable places across the globe. Many are still inspired by his courage and his ideas of humanity, peace, and nationalism.

The statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Geneva, Switzerland

The statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Tavistock Square in London, United Kingdom

The 70-feet tall statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the historic Gandhi Maidan, Bihar, India

The statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Church Street, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

The statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Copenhagen, Denmark

The image of Mahatma Gandhi at the Garden of Peace in Vienna, Austria

The statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Canberra, Australia

The statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the Memorial Garden in Jinga, Uganda

The bust of Mahatma Gandhi in Plaza Sicilia, Buenos Aires, Argentina

The statue of Mahatma Gandhi in San Francisco, California, USA

The statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the India Garden in Cleveland, Ohio, USA

The statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Johannesburg, South Africa

The statue of Mahatma Gandhi and two women in Mahatma Gandhi Park in Bengaluru, India

Recommended Reading (Free Download)

Abridged Autobiography (click to download PDF)

All Men Are Brothers (click to download PDF)

An Autobiography (click to download PDF)

From Yeravda Mandir (click to download PDF)

Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule (click to download PDF)

India of My Dreams (click to download PDF)

Gandhi’s Autobiography: Moral Lessons (click to download PDF)

Satyagraha in South Africa (click to download PDF)

Selected Letters of Mahatma Gandhi (click to download PDF)

Selections From Gandhi (click to download PDF)

The Story of My Life (click to download PDF)

The Law and The Lawyers (click to download PDF)

The Mind of Mahatma Gandhi (click to download PDF)

Trusteeship (click to download PDF)

Ruskin Unto This Last (click to download PDF)

The texts above were sourced from legitimate book-hosting services offering these texts for free download. They are made available here for purely educational, non-commercial purposes.

Sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahatma_Gandhi
• https://www.biography.com/people/mahatma-gandhi-9305898
• http://www.history.com/topics/mahatma-gandhi
• https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mahatma-Gandhi
• https://www.theguardian.com/film/2007/aug/10/india
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasturba_Gandhi
• http://www.history.co.uk/biographies/mahatma-gandhi
• https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/mahatma-gandhi-55.php

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