Mohandas Karamchand 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. Gandhiji helped free the
Indian
people from British rule through nonviolent resistance, and is
honored by Indians as the father of the Indian Nation.
The Indian people called Gandhiji 'Mahatma', meaning Great Soul. At the
age of 13 Gandhi married Kasturba, a girl the same age. Their parents
arranged the marriage. The Gandhis had four children. Gandhi studied law
in London and returned to India in 1891 to practice. In 1893 he took on a
one-year contract to do legal work in South Africa.
He developed a method of action based upon the principles of courage,
nonviolence and truth called Satyagraha. He believed that the way people
behave is more important than what they achieve. Satyagraha promoted
nonviolence and civil disobedience as the most appropriate methods for
obtaining political and social goals.
Within 15
years he became the leader of the Indian nationalist movement.
Using the principles of Satyagraha he led the campaign for Indian
independence from Britain. Gandhi was arrested many times by the British
for his
activities . He believed it was honorable to go to jail for a just cause.
Altogether he spent seven years in prison for his political activities.
More than once Gandhi used fasting to impress upon others the need to be
nonviolent. India was granted independence in 1947, and partitioned into
India and Pakistan. Rioting between Hindus and Muslims followed. Gandhi
had been an advocate for a united India where Hindus and Muslims lived
together in peace.
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 a Hindu fanatic,
Nathuram Godse who opposed his program of tolerance for all creeds and
religion assassinated him.