Mahatma Gandhi

It's a fact
Gandhi although was a Hindu, ate mutton as a child. But after he went to England for studies at the age of 18, he disliked his Landlady's mutton and cabbage so much he became a vegetarian.

Mahatma Gandhi
```````````````(1869 - 1948)
~~~~~~Father of Modern Day India

Born: 2 October 1869 Porbandar, Kathiawar Agency, British India 
Died: 30 January 1948 New Delhi, Union of India 
Cause of death: Assassination 
Nationality: Indian 
Other names: Mahatma Gandhi 
Education: University College London 
Known for: Indian Independence Movement 
Political party: Indian National Congress 
Religious beliefs: Hinduism 
Spouse(s): Kasturba Gandhi 
Children: Harilal, Manual, Ramdas, Devdas 

In the end of 19th century, India was a colony of Britain. Various Indian Leaders were agitating for independence from Britain around this time. Among them was a lawyer who graduated from University College, University of London who took this Herculean task of liberating India and believed in peace as the medium of message he sent across the country. He is none other than Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, better known as Mahatma Gandhi.

Gandhi was identified with the name Mahatma because of his integrity and non-violent principles and means "Great Soul". It should be noted that Gandhi started his career as a lawyer not in India, but in South Africa. Around the turn of 20th century, South Africa was a country divided in the principles of segregation and inequality and discriminated against non-whites. After getting racially abused himself in South Africa, Gandhi opposed legislation that discriminated against the immigrant Indian population. 

After staying in South Africa through the Boer War, Gandhi returned to India in 1915. Soon afterwards he supported the Indian National Congress and made a rousing speech which was able to convey his message of independence for India. He said staying in cities like Bombay would not work and the message of non-violent protest should be taken to the villages across India. 

Even in South Africa as well as in India the message he began to teach was the policy of non-violence, non-cooperation with the British imperialistic masters and passive resistance against the English rule. Gandhi was inspired in this endeavour with the teachings of Jesus Christ, Lord Buddha and the work of the writers Leo Tolstoy and Henry David Thoreau. Later Gandhi came to the conclusion that passive resistance and civil disobedience inadequate for his purposes, and coined another term " Satyagraha". (meaning truth and firmness).

After the Indian parliament passed a law named RowLau Act, that gave powers to the Indian colonial authorities to deal with what they interpreted as revolutionary activities",Indians protested. As a protest for this Indians resigned .from public offices, and even school children were withdrawn from government schools. Later Gandhi was arrested and jailed. 

Gandhi's message of non-violence, home rule for India and welfare for all people irrespective of caste or religion, was the formula, he advocated for restoring India's glory in the modern world. He was passionate about restoring homecrafts and later even boycotted Western clothes made in England. He covered himself with simple loin and cotton clothes. He even spun cloth from a simple spinning wheel used in the villages. Gandhi was arrested around 1930 when he led a pilgrimage about 400 km to the sea to collect salt as a protest against British governments monopoly of the salt industry. 

Despite arrests, Gandhi continued to protest and was again arrested on several occasions. He firmly believed that violence should not be encouraged and held regular fasts as a protest against violence in the independence struggle. Gandhi said," An eye for an eye makes the whole world go blind".

After WWII, Britain finally agreed for home rule for India. The division of India to Hindu and Muslim parts greatly saddened Gandhi. During this time Gandhi tried to reconcile these two faction without much success. In 1948, Gandhi was shot dead by a Hindu fanatic, Nthuram Godse. Gandhis last words were, "don't harm that man". 

Posted in: Greatest Leaders