Mahatma Gandhi

A CHILDHOOD WITHOUT SIGHT OR SOUND

“It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Albert Einstein once said that “Mahatma Gandhi’s views were the most enlightened of all the political men in our time. We should strive to do things in his spirit: not to use violence in fighting for our cause, but by non-participation in anything you believe is evil.” However, Gandhi did not start out in life as such an important person. Gandhi, whose real name is Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, was born on October 2, 1869 in Porbandar, a coastal town in India. As a child he was shy and quiet; he preferred to be left alone. He was terrified of the dark and did not like to play outdoors. In school, Gandhi’s grades were just good enough to get by. His health was not the best either, and he would suffer from being frail for the rest of his life.

LIVING TO LEARN

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

After he turned 13, Gandhi was married to a girl who was also the same age. The two remained married until her death many years later. They had one son. Gandhi continued his education in high school followed by one year of college before he left school and decided to travel to Britain alone to study law. Even though his traditional roles as a father and son meant he could not go away to study law, Gandhi stuck by his decision. As a result, the elders of his caste, which is the social group of which he was born into, voted Gandhi out of the caste. He no longer belonged to his community, and was considered the lowest form of social class--an untouchable.

While studying in England, he learned a lot about the world. He studied English from an Irish teacher; as a result his English would have an Irish accent for the rest of his life. Gandhi dressed like the English in fitted suits and hats, and even took up dancing to be more like the British. Yet he would soon face discrimination that no change of language or clothing could prevent.

Gandhi travelled to South Africa in 1893 to work for the British Embassy as a lawyer. However, due to his ethnicity, he was tossed off of a train in Pietermaritzburg for refusing to get up and go to the third class section even though he had a first class ticket. Later on his journey, Gandhi was beaten up because he refused to move over so another passenger of European descent could board the coach. He was also prevented from staying in hotels during his time in South Africa. The final straw was when he was told to remove his turban during a court proceeding. After that incident, Gandhi began to reflect on social injustice and prejudice, and he quit working for the British. He vowed a life of poverty so he could dedicate his life to those who were poor and without hope. In fact, on the day of his death, he only had the equivalent of three dollars’ worth of possessions to his name.

LEADING WITH THOUGHT

“A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.”~ Mahatma Gandhi

One of Gandhi’s most memorable social activist campaigns was a 240-mile Salt March. In 1930 he led 78 of his devoted followers on foot to the ocean in order to collect salt from the waters. The reason for the march was to protest the British rule and the Salt Law, which stated that anyone who purchased salt from someone other than the government would be imprisoned. This act of defiance led to civil disobedience throughout India as Indians continued to challenge and break the British laws. Eventually hundreds of Indians were arrested, including Gandhi. A year later after a peace pact with the British government was signed by Gandhi, the movement ceased. Gandhi and other followers were released from prison, but the British authority’s power had weakened.

After this, the British and India continued to attempt to negotiate for peace. Once again Gandhi was imprisoned, but this time he took on a hunger fast as a nonviolent protest. Gandhi refused to eat anything until the British government came to some agreement with the Indians. The fast was broken when an agreement, also known as the Poona Pact, was signed giving more rights in leadership to the Indians.

A GREAT SOUL

“My life is my message.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Eventually, in 1945 the British government had lost a great deal of power in India, so they withdrew their rule. It was bittersweet. The two main groups in India-the Hindus and the Muslims--had to share power, which was seemingly impossible task in itself. Civil war broke out killing thousands. Gandhi continued his approach of nonviolent demonstration by going on hunger strikes and meeting with leaders on both sides to discuss peace.

In 1948, after years of intense fighting and riots, Gandhi continued to pray for peace with hundreds of followers in New Delhi. On January 30, a gunman entered the grounds where Gandhi was going to lead in prayers and shot him three times. Afterwards when Gandhi died, the entire country of India came together to mourn the beloved peacekeeping martyr.

Even though Gandhi started out in life with little direction, he became one of the world’s most famous mediators. With nothing more directing him than his own conscience and personal experiences, Gandhi was able to change the direction of an entire nation. As a result of his lifelong labour of love, Gandhi has received the utmost respect and acknowledgement. In 1930, he was named the Man of the Year by Time Magazine and is still quoted by people all over the world today, as a great humanitarian and peacemaker.