Life Of Mahatma Gandhi Essay, Research Paper

There are many people, who have greatly influenced the lives of other people. These people are regarded as Semi Gods in their country. They have endured great hardships to help their country. One such person is Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Gandhi is famous for his method of direct social action based on nonviolence and truth called Satyagraha. He believed that the way people behave is more important than what they achieved. Satyagraha promoted non violence and civil disobedience.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, popularly known as the Mahatma, a Divine Soul,

emerged as the leader of the Indian National Congress. Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869 in Porbandar, India. He became one of the most respected

spiritual and political leaders of the 1900’s. Gandhi helped free the Indian people from British rule through nonviolent resistance, and is honored by his people as the father of the Indian Nation.

His father died before Gandhi could finish his schooling, and at thirteen he was married to Kasturba, who was even younger. In 1888 Gandhi set sail for England,where he had decided to pursue a degree in law. Though his elders objected,Gandhi could not be prevented from leaving. After one year of a none too successful law practice, Gandhi decided to accept an offer from an Indian

businessman in South Africa, Dada Abdulla, to join him as a legal adviser. The

Indians who were living in South Africa were without political rights. During his stay in South Africa, Gandhi became aware of European racism.

Gandhi returned to India in early 1915. He traveled widely for one year. Over the next few years, he was to become involved in numerous local struggles, such as at Champaran in Bihar, where workers on indigo plantations complained of difficult working conditions, and at Ahmedabad, where a dispute had broken out between management and workers at textile mills. His interventions earned Gandhi a considerable reputation. Over the next two years, Gandhi initiated the

non-cooperation movement, which called upon Indians to withdraw from British

institutions. The movement was suspended in February 1922 when a score of

Indian policemen were brutally killed by a large crowd at Chauri Chaura, a small

market town in the United Provinces. Gandhi was arrested and sentenced to

imprisonment for six years. He believed it was honorable to go to jail for a just cause.

Owing to his poor health, Gandhi was released from prison in 1925. Over the

following years, he worked hard to preserve Hindu-Muslim relations. Gandhi had

ideas, from hygiene and nutrition to education and labour, and he relentlessly

pursued his ideas in one of the many newspapers which he founded.

In early 1930 the nationalist movement was revived of resistance against British rule. On March 2, Gandhi addressed a letter to the Viceroy, Lord Irwin, informing him that unless Indian demands were met, he would be compelled to break the salt laws. His letter was received with confusion, and Gandhi set off, on the early morning of March 12, with a small group of followers towards Dandi on the sea.They arrived there on April 5th: Gandhi picked up a small lump of natural salt, and gave the signal to hundreds of thousands of people to similarly defy the law, since the British controlled the production and sale of salt. This was the beginning of the civil disobedience movement: Gandhi was arrested again, and thousands of others were also hauled into jail.

In 1942, Gandhi issued the last call for independence from British rule. He

delivered a stirring speech, asking every Indian to lay down their life, if necessary,in the cause of freedom. He gave them this message: “Do or Die”; at the same time,he asked the British to leave. The response of the British government was to place Gandhi and the entire Congress leadership under arrest.

India was granted independence in 1947, and partitioned. To Gandhi’s despair,

however, the country was partitioned into Hindu India and Muslim Pakistan.

Rioting between Hindus and Muslims followed. He did his best for the peaceful

harmony of Hindu-Muslims and was against the partition. However, when the

partition became inevitable and civil war broke, he had no option but to go for it.

On Independence day, when the whole nation was celebrating, he was in Bengal,

where he walked from house to house preaching Hindu-Muslim brotherliness.

The last two months of his life were spent trying to end the appalling violence. On January 13, 1948, at the age of 78, he began a fast with the purpose of stopping the bloodshed. After 5 days the opposing leaders pledged to stop the fighting and Gandhi broke his fast. Twelve days later, in January 1948, at the age of 79, he was killed by an assassin, someone who did not want the Hindus to tolerate the Muslims, as he walked through a crowed garden in New Delhi to take evening prayers. Gandhi blessed his assassin: He Ram! He Ram!