The great man-Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi was the greatest son of our motherland, India. He was the leader of Indian freedom movement which led India to get her freedom from the administration of Britishers. He was also the great politician of the world.

Mahatma Gandhi was born on 2^nd October 1869 at Porbandar in Kathiawad, Gujarat. His real name was Mohandas Karamchan Gandhi. His mother was a religious lady and father held a high and responsible post in Porbander. He belonged to a well-to-do Vaishya family. He received his school education in local school. After that he was married to Kasturba.

He went to England to study law and became a qualified barrister for legal profession. Then he returned India and after sometime practicing in Bombay High Court, he went to Natal in South Afric. There he saw humiliation of Indins. Once he, himself was thrown away from a railway compartment, which was only for white Europeans. His self-esteem was challenged and there only, he decided to throw Britishers out of India.

He invented and practiced weapon of fighting for a noble cause, without any cost. This was ‘Satyagraha’. His satyagraha was comprised of two components of Truth and Non-Violence. He liberated indo cultivators of Motihari (Bihar) from the oppression by Europeans in 1917. In 1918 he interrupted in a conflict between mill-owners and labourers in Ahmadabad. Thus Gandhiji came in close contact between Indian masses and dedicated his whole life for the noble cause of Indians. Hence he started stepwise struggle for freedom by non-c-operation movement in 1921 and led the Indian National Congress. During his regime famous historical events like Dandi March and Jallian Wala Bagh episode had taken place. Lastly India got freedom in 1947.

Gandhiji was the first Indian leader, who lived in simple way like mass of India. His aims and dreams were: Hindu-Muslim unity; struggle for untouchability; to raise social status of women in India. He was the person who gave the name ‘Harijan’ for untouchables. He had a strong belief in prayer and his famous prayer was ‘Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram. Patit Pawan Sita-Ram. Alash! This great son of India was shot dead at Delhi, while going to attend prayer meeting on 30^th January, 1948.

Seeing his great soul, he was awarded the title ‘Mahatma’ and called father of the nation.