Father of the nation: Mahatma Gandhi
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| Mahatama Gandhi |
This world has seen numerous distinguished personalities who broke the chains passed down for centuries and changed the course of history through their significance, intelligence, and talent.
One of them is Mohandas Karam Chand Gandhi, well known as The father of the nation(Rashtra Pita). His father's name was Karamchand Gandhi, and his mother, Putlibai Karamchand Gandhi, was an orthodox woman who instilled in young Gandhi a deep love and loyalty toward religion and country.
Gandhi was born in 1869 in a small town named Porbandar situated in Gujarat.
His birthday, known as Gandhi Jayanti, is a national holiday in India and is celebrated in every nook and corner of the country as the Day of Non-Violence.
Gandhi started his primary education in Porbandar, Gujarat, where his father was a government employee. Later, his family moved to Rajkot, where he continued his studies at Alfred High School. After passing his high school examination, he joined Samaldas College in Bhavnagar. However, when he returned home after the first year, his eldest brother and family friends suggested that Mohandas go to England for higher studies and become a barrister.
On 4th September 1888, Gandhi traveled from India to England by ship .
When he landed at Southampton, he found everything strange. He saw different people wearing different clothes and living in a culture very different from Indian culture.
He became a member of the Executive Committee of the London Vegetarian Society. Then, he got admission to the Inner Temple in London where he completed his law studies. While in London, he never forgot his principles and culture. Many times, on different occasions, his friends offered him wine and meat, but he simply refused, saying, “Thank you.” He was sure that the boys would make fun of him for refusing meat and wine, but he never cared about this.
The turning point in Gandhi's life:
Once, Gandhiji was travelling by train in South Africa. He was seated in the first-class compartment having purchased a first-class ticket. However a white man complained against him. The railway staff told Gandhiji to move to the third-class compartment. When Gandhiji refused, a White police officer pushed him out of the train, and his luggage was tossed on the platform. At that time,coolies and non- whites were not allowed in first class compartment.
This incident hurt Gandhiji deeply , but he didn't choose violence. Instead, he decided to fight against injustice with truth and non-violence. From this incident, the idea of Satyagraha was born — a peaceful way of fighting for rights.
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| Gandhiji in London |
He spent about twenty years in South Africa fighting against oppression and discrimination.Then he returned to India.
First, he travelled across the country to observe how people lived and the problems they faced.
In Bihar, in the district of Champaran, indigo farming had been going on for almost two centuries. In the beginning the land was owned by the local farmers. But the White landlords grabbed their lands and compelled them to grow Indigo instead of food crops.
Gandhi was unaware of this until a farmer from Bihar, Raj Kumar Shukla, met him in Lucknow and told him what was happening in Champaran. He requested Gandhi to come and see for himself the miserable condition of poor farmers. At that time, Gandhi was attending the Congress meeting in Lucknow and didn’t have time to go immediately. But he promised to visit Champaran after his visit to Calcutta.
He came to Champaran and visited many villages. He examined about 8000 cultivators and recorded their statements. Then he came to the conclusion that the ignorance of the cultivators was one of the main reasons British could easily oppress them. Therefore, Gandhi set up voluntary organizations and started improving the economic and educational conditions of the people.The British tried to stop him and even threatened him to leave.But Gandhi refused to leave Champaran.
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| Gandhiji in Champaran |
He continued his movement peacefully. His method of non-violence and truth inspired the farmers to unite.
Finally, the British government realized Gandhi's strength. They had to set up a committee themselves to investigate the matter. They invited Gandhi to join as a member of this committee, and he agreed.
Gandhi continued his struggle against the indigo system and the oppression of farmers.
As a result, within a few months the Champaran Agrarian Bill was passed, the indigo system was abolished and the farmers were freed from forced cultivation.
This incident, known as the Champaran Satyagraha of 1917, was Gandhi’s first successful Satyagraha in India. It gave him nationwide recognition and it became a turning point in India’s freedom struggle.
Besides this, Gandhi led several major independence movements against British rule. These included the Ahmedabad Mill-Workers Satyagraha (1918), Kheda Satyagraha (1918), Non-Cooperation Movement (1920), Civil Disobedience (1930), the Salt Satyagraha (1930), and the Quit India Movement (1942).
On January 30, 1948, he was assassinated by a Hindu nationalist, Nathuram Godse.
Although he left this world, his teachings and principles continue to inspire people around the world. One of his quotes that inspires me greatly is: “ Live as if you were to die tomorrow, Learn as if you were to live forever ”.
https://knowledge193719.blogspot.com/2025/10/if-you-waste-time-time-will-waste-you.html
Long live India
✍️ Md Humaidullah
