The Mahatma Gandhi Biography
by Krysta CardinaleMahatma Gandhi was perhaps the greatest political figure and spiritual leader of India ever. He was the pioneer for the Indian independence movement using mass non-violent means of civil disobedience. The life of Mahatma Gandhi was full of selfless acts for suppressed people not just in his homeland of India but South Africa as well. Up until the day he died, Mahatma fought for peace and the rights of all individuals. His final years were spent fighting for harmony among the Sikhs, Hindus, and Muslims. He is regarded as the “Father of the Nation” in India and his birthday, October 2nd, is honored annually as a national holiday.
The Life of Mahatma Gandhi: His Early Years
On October 2, 1869 Mohandas Gandhi was born to his father, Karamchand, and his fourth wife, Pulibai. His family was Hindu and lived in Porbandar, Gujarat, India. Karamchand was the Chief Minister of Porbandar. At a very early age Gandhi learned not to harm living things, vegetarianism, tolerance, and self-purification through fasting.
At the young age of thirteen, Mahatma had an arranged marriage to Kasturba Makhanji in May 1883. Kasturba was also only thirteen years old. Between 1888 and 1900 the couple had four sons, Harilal, Manilal, Ramdas, and Devdas.
Throughout the life of Mahatma Gandhi, he was never more than just an average student. In 1887, he just barely passed the matriculation exam for the University of Bombay. Upon this he attended Samaldas College, but was unhappy here. His family wanted him to become a lawyer for civil cases. When Mahatma was 18 he jumped at the chance to study in London and on September 4, 1888 joined the University College of London. Here he studied to be a lawyer, specifically a barrister.
Once he gained his bar of England and Wales, Mahatma returned to India to start up a law practice. He had very little success, and even applied to become a part-time school teacher but was turned down. In 1893, he accepted a contract for a position in a South African firm at Natal for a year.
The Years of South Africa (1893-1914)
South Africa caused a dramatic change in Mohandas Gandhi as a person. He was frequently faced with discrimination in this country and was even asked to remove his turban by a magistrate one day in court; he refused and stormed out of the room. Another example would be when he was beaten and thrown off a train for riding first class and refusing to sit in third, even with a valid ticket. Other instances occurred and many say have been the turning point in the life of Mahatma Gandhi. He began to question the racism and prejudice against Indians in South Africa, and then his own people in his own society.
After a year, the end of his contract was near and Mahatma prepared for India. Gandhi had a farewell party thrown for him where he happened to see a newspaper. In it there was an article about a bill being considered in South Africa to deny the Indians a right to vote. He decided to stay and help fight against the bill. He put together several petitions to both the Natal Legislature and the British Government, but he did not stop it from being passed. However, he did draw much needed attention to the injustices against the Indian population in South Africa.
He was responsible for founding and running the Natal Indian Congress in 1894, and published several documents describing the evidence of discrimination against the Indians in South Africa. In 1897, Gandhi was attacked by a white mob in an attempt to lynch him. He never pressed charges against his assailants. Right before the South African War, he argued that the Indians need to support the war for a chance to gain full citizenship. Mohandas Gandhi organized the Indian Ambulance Corps from three hundred free Indians and eight hundred indentured laborers. However, after the war there was not much improvement for the Indian population.
The next step was for the Indians of South Africa to deny the law and strike. They were to stay non-violent and accept the punishments, this was a method called “satyagraha.” For over seven years, the struggle continued and thousands of Indians were imprisoned, but the protesters refused to quit. The South African government was forced to negotiate a compromise with Gandhi and his fellow protestors.
India’s Independence Movement (1916-1945)
The Indian Independence Movement was an effort to oust Britain, France, and Portugal from India, and gain their independence. It consisted of rebellions, political organizations, and philosophies starting as early as 1857.
From 1918 to 1922 the movement was at its strongest. Mohandas Gandhi led the Indian National Congress, and launched a series of civil disobedience campaigns that were completely non-violent. He organized large numbers of people and created unity among different cultures, religions, and political beliefs.
On March 10, 1922 Gandhi was arrested for sedition and sentenced to six years in jail, but only served about two years when he was released in February of 1924. The once unified group that he had created was beginning to split and the bond wasn’t as strong. He performed a three-week fast in the fall of 1924 and many other attempts to strengthen the splitting group, but he saw little success. In response, he remained uninvolved for almost the rest of the 1920’s.
From March 21 through April 6, 1930 Gandhi marched 248 miles during the infamous Salt March. He was opposing and striking against the tax on salt that had been levied. Thousands upon thousands of Indians joined him on his march to the sea to makes his own salt. It was one of the most successful campaigns ever and resulted in over 60,000 people being imprisoned. This forced the signing of the Gandhi-Irwin Pact of March 1931. It set all political prisoners free in the agreement of the end of the civil disobedience movement.
In 1939 World War 2 broke out. At first he favored the British involvement in the war, but then found out that other Congress leaders were offended the unilateral inclusion of India into the war when its people had no say about it. Gandhi changed his position on this matter and said that he could not support the efforts of the war to spread democracy, when his own country was not benefiting from it. As the war raged on, so did his attempts to gain independence for India as he drafted a document calling it “Quit India.” This movement became the most forceful in history. There were large amounts of violence and arrests. Gandhi made it clear that India would not support the war until they were granted their own freedom.
On August 9, 1942 Gandhi and the rest of the Congress Working Committee was arrested and imprisoned for two years. During his jail time, his wife Kasturba died of failing health. The Indian National Army was formed to force the end of British rule. Over 100,000 political prisoners were released by the British at the end of World War II. Gandhi was released from jail after suffering a major malaria attack and his health continued to deteriorate.
The Assassination
On January 30th, 1948, the life of Mahatma Gandhi ended with murder. The people had renamed Mohandas to Mahatma meaning “great soul.” The 78-year-old spiritual leader of India’s independence movement was shot to death on his way to prayer in Delhi by a Hindu, who was maddened by Gandhi’s efforts to reconcile Hindus and Muslims. Only five days before, Mahatma had concluded a five-day fast to encourage friendship. And only five months earlier, his life efforts came to fruition. India won independence from Great Britain through passive resistance. The loss of the strongest voice for peace and unity in a turbulent new nation of three hundred million people was an incalculable loss to India. Tens of thousands wept openly as the body passed by them.
Laid on a hastily converted army truck, the body was driven into the vast crown lining the roads to the cremation ground. They strewed saffron garland petals over the roof. While at the funeral pyre, the relatives and friends built mounds of flowers and perfumed spices high on the sandalwood log.
Gandhi married by the age of thirteen, and defied custom by going abroad to study law in London. He then went to South Africa and became the first so called colored lawyer and built a huge practice. In 1915, he returned to his homeland. His interests turned to the problems of fellow Indians who were treated as inferiors. He worked to reconcile all classes and religious sects, especially Hindus and Muslims, and fought to lift the barriers against untouchables. He was a gentleman, a devout Hindu with lion cored determination, whose goal was to win India’s independence from Britain non-violently. In prison three times in his fight for freedom, nothing could change his convictions. It took forty years, but Mahatma’s peaceful revolution succeeded and the British went home. Ironically, the news of his death set off riots between Muslims and Hindus allover India. Gandhi, the father of his nation was dead. The entire world joined India in mourning.
In every age, great men are born. Gandhi was one of these. In the rising flames, the spirit of a great man passed to his Gods.
