Mahatma Gandhi was a great independent soldier who spent his entire life in India's independence movement. The full name of Mahatma Gandhi is Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. He was born on 2 October 1869 in Porbandar, Gujarat, into a Hindu family. His father Karamchand Gandhi worked as a dividend in Porbandar state. His mother's name was Putlibai. He loved to read, and this was one of the reasons for his progressive thinking. His primary education was completed in Rajkot. At the age of fourteen, Mahatma Gandhi married 13-year-old Kasturba Kapadia who later became famous as Kasturba Gandhi.
Mahatma Gandhi's wife Kasturba Gandhi also supported him in various movements and presided over Gandhiji's movement while he was in prison. She supported Mahatma Gandhi till the end and later died at Agakhan Palace, Pune. Mahatma Gandhi joined Samladas School in 1888 but left college and returned to Porbandar. On the advice of a family friend, he went to London to study law and returned to India in 1891. His mother died while in London, but no one informed him of this news so that he could finish his education.
After returning to India as a barrister, he started as a lawyer in Bombay But not succeeding, he returned to Porbandar. At that time, he got a job offer in South Africa. He decided to go to South Africa. At that time there was a British government ruling in South Africa. Indian people were troubled by apartheid there. Through all this experience, Mahatma Gandhi decided to fight against it. It was from here that Mahatma Gandhi's real journey began. He received the title of Mahatma only in South Africa.
He returned to India honouring Gopal Krishna Gokhale's request. After returning from South Africa in 1915, he started fighting against high taxes and discrimination between local farmers and workers. Later in 1921 he joined the National Congress and started contributing to the independence movement. In 1930, Congress declared independent India but the British state did not accept it, but some negotiations were held which gave Indians a chance to join the provincial government. During this time Mahatma Gandhi carried out many movements, satyagrahas and movements. He was successful in the Champaran Satyagraha of Bihar in 1917.
In 1918, Gandhiji called for non-cooperation Satyagraha in the village against excess revenue. Vallabhbhai Patel who represented the farmers had negotiated with the British and suspended the revenue collection and released all the prisoners. In 1919 Gandhiji called for non-cooperation movement. Meanwhile, the Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place. Gandhiji fasted to prevent violence from the people. He then turned his attention to the Swadeshi Mission. Accordingly, he called for the use of indigenous Khadi by boycotting foreign goods. He also called upon the people to boycott British government jobs and titles.
Later the Non-Cooperation Movement increased and the British sentenced Gandhi to 6 years imprisonment. Meanwhile, there was a split in the Congress. Gandhiji was released two years later in 1924. However he still continued his fight. Mahatma Gandhi used non-violence, non-cooperation and satyagraha while fighting against the British. He was often arrested and kept in jail, but he continued to fight against the British without disappointment. He went on to boycott foreign goods, wearing only Khadi dhoti and shawls. In 1930, he travelled to Dandi and called for a satyagraha against the salt tax. Gandhiji travelled 388 km from Ahmedabad to Dandi with thousands of people from 12 March to 6 April. The British jailed 60,000 people during this period.
Gandhiji started the 'Quit India' campaign in 1942. Meanwhile, he shouted "do or die", the British put him under arrest at Aga Khan Palace in Pune. During this time his wife Kasturba Gandhi died and Gandhiji also suffered from malaria. The political atmosphere of the Congress had changed, Muhammad Ali Jinnah was demanding an independent Muslim country. Mahatma Gandhi used all his powers to gain independence from the British. He knew the power of unity of the people and had forgotten all differences of caste, religion, society, age or gender and brought Indians together for independence.
India finally gained independence on 15 August 1947. The British left India but partitioned India and Pakistan. However, Ganghiji could not live for many years to see India's independence. On 30 January 1948, Gandhiji was murdered by a young man named Nathuram Godse at the Birla temple in Delhi.
Mahatma Gandhi was a great personality and devoted his entire life to his motherland. He showed that non-violence and satyagraha can also be a way of making the country independent. His education and life was inspiring to many leaders of the world. Mahatma Gandhi is in the heart of every Indian and so is his teachings and guidance. We cannot forget his sacrifice.
