Shaila dewan biography of mahatma gandhi
After Partition in , he continued to work toward peace between Hindus and Muslims. Gandhi was shot to death in Delhi in January by a Hindu fundamentalist. His father was the dewan chief minister of Porbandar; his deeply religious mother was a devoted practitioner of Vaishnavism worship of the Hindu god Vishnu , influenced by Jainism, an ascetic religion governed by tenets of self-discipline and nonviolence.
Upon returning to India in mid, he set up a law practice in Bombay, but met with little success. He soon accepted a position with an Indian firm that sent him to its office in South Africa. Along with his wife, Kasturbai, and their children, Gandhi remained in South Africa for nearly 20 years. Did you know? The march resulted in the arrest of nearly 60, people, including Gandhi himself.
Gandhi was appalled by the discrimination he experienced as an Indian immigrant in South Africa. He advocated for non-cooperation with the British authorities, urging Indians to withdraw from British institutions, return honors conferred by the British empire, and boycott British-made goods. On March 12, , Gandhi began a mile march from his ashram in Sabarmati to the coastal village of Dandi on the Arabian Sea.
His aim was to produce salt from the sea, which was a direct violation of British laws. Over the course of the day march, thousands of Indians joined him, drawing international attention to the Indian independence movement and the injustices of British rule. The march culminated on April 6, when Gandhi and his followers reached Dandi, and he ceremoniously violated the salt laws by evaporating sea water to make salt.
This act was a symbolic defiance against the British Empire and sparked similar acts of civil disobedience across India. The Salt March marked a significant escalation in the struggle for Indian independence, showcasing the power of peaceful protest and civil disobedience. In response, the British authorities arrested Gandhi and thousands of others, further galvanizing the movement and drawing widespread sympathy and support for the cause.
The impact of the Salt March was profound and far-reaching. It succeeded in undermining the moral authority of British rule in India and demonstrated the effectiveness of non-violent resistance. Gandhi vehemently opposed the age-old practice of untouchability in Hindu society, considering it a moral and social evil that needed to be eradicated.
He believed that for India to truly gain independence from British rule, it had to first cleanse itself of internal social evils like untouchability. This stance sometimes put him at odds with traditionalists within the Hindu community, but Gandhi remained unwavering in his belief that social reform was integral to the national movement.
By elevating the issue of untouchability, Gandhi sought to unify the Indian people under the banner of social justice, making the independence movement a struggle for both political freedom and social equality. He argued that the segregation and mistreatment of any group of people were against the fundamental principles of justice and non-violence that he stood for.
The talks were often contentious, with significant disagreements, particularly regarding the partition of India to create Pakistan, a separate state for Muslims. Gandhi was deeply involved in these discussions, advocating for a united India while striving to alleviate communal tensions. Despite his efforts, the partition became inevitable due to rising communal violence and political pressures.
On August 15, , India finally gained its independence from British rule, marking the end of nearly two centuries of colonial dominance. The announcement of independence was met with jubilant celebrations across the country as millions of Indians, who had longed for this moment, rejoiced in their newfound freedom. Gandhi, though revered for his leadership and moral authority, was personally disheartened by the partition and worked tirelessly to ease the communal strife that followed.
His commitment to peace and unity remained steadfast, even as India and the newly formed Pakistan navigated the challenges of independence. The geography of the Indian subcontinent was dramatically altered by the partition, with the creation of Pakistan separating the predominantly Muslim regions in the west and east from the rest of India.
This division led to one of the largest mass migrations in human history, as millions of Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs crossed borders in both directions, seeking safety amidst communal violence. Gandhi spent these crucial moments advocating for peace and communal harmony, trying to heal the wounds of a divided nation. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi married Kasturba Makhanji Kapadia, often referred to as Kasturba Gandhi or Ba, in an arranged marriage in , when he was just 13 years old.
Shaila dewan biography of mahatma gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi Tolstoy Farm. Mahatma Gandhi Satyagraha Ashram at Kochrab. Mahatma Gandhi Day Fast. Mahatma Gandhi At the Lahore Session. Mahatma Gandhi Time Magazine. Mahatma Gandhi With Jawaharlal Nehru. Kasturba Gandhi Death. Mahatma Gandhi And Nobel Prize. The greatest omission in our year history is undoubtedly that Mahatma Gandhi never received the Nobel Peace Prize.
Geir Lundestad. Mahatma Gandhi With Rabindranath Tagore. Mahatma Gandhi Soviet Union Stamp. Mahatma Life of Gandhi, — Later, one of his family friends Mavji Dave Joshi pursued further studies i. Gandhiji was not satisfied with his studies at Samaldas College and so he became excited by the London proposal and managed to convince his mother and wife that he will not touch non-veg, wine, or women.
In the year , Mahatma Gandhi left for London to study law. Thereafter 10 days after arrival, he joined the Inner Temple, one of the four London law colleges, and studied and practiced law. In London, he also joined a Vegetarian Society and was introduced to Bhagavad Gita by some of his vegetarian friends. Later, Bhagavad Gita set an impression and influenced his life.
In May he went to South Africa to work as a lawyer. There he had a first-hand experience of racial discrimination when he was thrown out of the first-class apartment of the train despite holding the first-class ticket because it was reserved for white people only and no Indian or black was allowed to travel in the first class. This incident had a serious effect on him and he decided to protest against racial discrimination.
He further observed that this type of incident was quite common against his fellow Indians who were derogatorily referred to as coolies. In a short period, Gandhi became a leader of the Indian community in South Africa. Tirukkural ancient Indian literature, originally written in Tamil and later translated into various languages. Gandhiji was also influenced by this ancient book.
He was influenced by the idea of Satyagraha which is a devotion to truth and in implemented a non-violent protest. He returned to India in , after spending 21 years of his life in South Africa, and no doubt, there he fought for civil rights and at this time he was transformed into a new person.