India observes Gandhi''s death anniversary as Martyrs'' Day in the memory of its freedom fighters.
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi(Oct 2,1869 - Jan 30,1948) was
the preeminent leader of Indian Nationalism in British Ruled India who
employed Non-violent Civil Obedience and led India to independence and
inspired movements for non-violence, civil rights and freedom across the
world.
Gandhi's Personal Life
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born in in Porbandar, a coastal town which was then part of the Bombay Presidency,British India.
Gandhi's
father,Karamchand Gandhi(1822-85) belonged to the Hindu Modh
Community,served as the Diwan of Porbandar State,a small Princely State
in the Kathiawar Agency of British India.
In
May 1883, the 13-year-old Gandhi was married to 14-year-old Kasturbai
Makhanji in an arranged child marriage , according to the custom of the
region.
In 1885, when Gandhi was 15, the couple's first child was born, but survived only a few days.
Gandhi and Kasturba had 4 more children, all sons -
- Harilal born in 1888
- Manilal born in 1892
- Ramdas born in 1897 and
- Devdas born in 1900
Gandhi Studied Law in London,U K
In 1888, Gandhi travelled to London, England, to study law at University College London,
where he studied Indian law and jurisprudence and to train as a
Barrister at the Inner Temple (one of the four (professional
associations for Barristers and Judges in London)
Gandhi's attempts at establishing a law practice in Bombay
failed because he was too shy to speak up in court. He returned to
Rajkot to make a modest living drafting petitions for litigants but was
forced to close it when he ran afoul of a British officer.
Gandhi in South Africa
In
1893, he accepted a year-long contract from Dada Abdulla & Co., an
Indian firm, to a post in the Colony of Natal,South Africa ,then part
of the British Empire.
Mahatma Gandhi (sitting in centre), who was practing as an attorney in
South Africa, with H.S.L. Polak (left), then Gandhi's clerk, Schlesin
(right), a Russian, and two office clerks behind
Gandhi spent 21 years in South Africa, where he developed his political views, ethics and political leadership skills.
In South Africa, Gandhi faced the discrimination directed at all coloured people. He was thrown off a train at
Pietermaritzburg Railway Station after refusing to move from the first-class. He protested and was allowed on first class the next day.
Pietermaritzburg Station in South Africa where whre he was foced out a white only compartment - turning point of his life
Travelling
farther on by stagecoach, he was beaten by a driver for refusing to
move to make room for a European passenger.He suffered other hardships
on the journey as well, including being
barred from several hotels.
In another incident, the magistrate of a Durban Court ordered Gandhi to remove his turban, which he refused to do
These events were a turning point in Gandhi's life and shaped his social activism and awakened him to social injustice.
Gandhi Returns to India
In
1915, Gandhi returned to India permanently. He brought an
international reputation as a leading Indian nationalist, theorist and
organizer. He joined the Indian National Congress(INC) and was
introduced to Indian issues, politics and the Indian people primarily by
Gopala Krishna Gokhale.
Gandhi's first major
achievements came in 1918 with the 'Champaran and Kheda Agitations of
Bihar and Gujarat. The Champaran agitation pitted the local
peasantry against their largely British landlords who were backed by the
local administration.
In 1919 Gandhi became 'Khilafat Movement's' most prominent spokesman and attracted a strong base of
Muslim support with local chapters in all Muslim centers in India .
Assuming leadership of the Indian National Congress(INC)
in 1921, Gandhi led nationwide campaigns for easing poverty, expanding
women's rights, building religious and ethnic amity, ending
untouchability, increasing economic self-reliance, and above all for
achieving Swaraj —the independence of India from British Rule.
In Dec 1929
Lahore session of INC adopts the goal of complete independece-poorna Swaraj for India
Gandhi led Indians in protesting the national salt tax with the 400 km (250 mi) 'Dabdi March'
March 12 to April 5, 1930
In March 1931 Gandhi Irwin Pact Signed and
Civil Dosobedience Movement Suspended.
Gandhi demanded the British to immediately 'Quit India' in 1942
In Sep 1942
Subhas Chandra Bose establish the Indian National army (Azad Hind Fauz)
In Oct 1943 Subhash Chandra bose proclaims the formation of Provisional Government of free India
In Dec 1943 Karachi Session of Muslim League adopts the slogan Divide and Quit.
In Feb 1947 Bfritish Prime Minister Clement Atlee declared that the British would leave India by not later than June 1948
In 1946, Mahatma Gandhi seen sitting next to a spinning wheel, a device used to
make yarn or thread; the now-famous image came to symbolize the notion
of Indian self-sufficiency — and thus independence from British rule
In 1948, Mahatma Gandhi is seen ending his last fast, which was intended to persuade Hindus and Muslims to work towards peace
Death - Jan 30,1948
Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, was shot at 5-12 p.m.
and he died fifteen minutes later. Gandhiji left his room in Birla House
for the prayer meeting a few minutes after the conclusion of his talk
with Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He passed through the garden leaning on
the shoulders of Ava Gandhi and Manu Gandhi, grand daughter-in-law and
grand niece.
As he walked up the four steps leading to the prayer mandap, a young
man, aged about 35, came before Gandhiji and, bending his body forward
at a distance of less than two yards, offered pranam. Gandhiji returned
the salute, when the young man remarked “You are late to-day for the
prayer.” Gandhiji smiled and replied, “Yes, I am”; but just at that
moment, the young man pulled out his revolver and rang out three shots
from point-blank range, the bullets piercing the frail body of the great
leader just below the heart and stomach. Immediately, Gandhiji
collapsed; but Ava Gandhi and Manu Gandhi stuck to their place by his
side and held him firmly. But that was the last of the Nation’s Father.
It was then 5.12 p.m.
The last act Gandhiji did was to lift both his hands as a sign of prayer
in the direction of the large gathering which had assembled for the
prayer. Thereafter, he was speechless and the loss of blood, at his age
and so soon after his fast, made death inevitable. He was beyond medical
aid even from the start when shock had its effect. Lord Mountbatten and
Cabinet Ministers, including Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar
Vallabhbhai Patel and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and others soon arrived.
The Ministers present held consultations among themselves as to the
future course of action.
The assassin, soon after he fired the shots, was seized by the people
who had come to attend the prayer. His revolver — a six-chambered one —
and some cash were recovered. It appears he was beaten by the crowd and
was slightly injured. The police have taken him into custody and
investigation is proceeding. It is learnt that the name of the assassin
is Nathuram Vinayak Godse (aged 36), a Mahratta. He described himself as
the Editor of a daily paper called
Hindu Rashtra published in Laxmipet, Poona
.
Mahatma Gandhi's five-hour funeral procession stretched over five and a half
miles through the streets of Old and New Delhi, and included some 4,000
troops and more than a million mourners
Mahatma Gandhi Statues Across the World
1)In 1956 Kenya was the 1st country to have/unveil Gandhi Statue in Royal Technology College in Nairobi,Kenya
2)In 1968 England was the 2nd country to have/unveil Mahatma Gandhi's statue in Tavistock Square Garden London,England
3)In 1984 Denmark have/unveil Mahatma Gandhi's statue in Copenhagen (Denmark)
4)In 1986 USA have/unveil Mahatma Gandhi's statue in Union Square Park,
New York City,USA
5)In 1988 USA have/unveil Mahatma Gandhi's statue in Ferry Building, San Francico,USA
6)In 1990 USA have/unveil Mahatma Gandhi's statue in Kapiolani Park, Honolulu, Hawaii,USA
7)In 1993 South Africa have/unveil Mahatma Gandhi's statue in
Church Street, Pietermaritzburg
8)In 1998 USA have/unveil Mahatma Gandhi's statue in Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site in Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
9)In 1998 Argentina have/unveil Mahatma Gandhi's statue in Plaza Sicilia, Buenos Aires
10)In 1999 Uganda have/unveil Mahatma Gandhi's statue in
Memorial Garden, Jinga
11)In 2003 USA have/unveil Mahatma Gandhi's statue in Houston Garden Center, Hermann Park, Houston, Texas,USA
12)In 2003 South Africa have/unveil Mahatma Gandhi's statue in
Johannesburg
13)In 2004 USA have/unveil Mahatma Gandhi's statue in
Heritage Park, Skokie, Illinois,USA
14)In 2005 USA have/unveil Mahatma Gandhi's statue in Inn Plaza, Riverside, California,USA
15)In 2006 USA have/unveil Mahatma Gandhi's statue in Indian Cultural Garden, Rockefeller Park, Cleveland, Ohio,USA
16)In 2007 Switzerland have/unveil Mahatma Gandhi's statue in Ariana Park, Geneva,Switzerland
17)In 2008 USA have/unveil Mahatma Gandhi's statue in Toledo Area Sculptors Guild,Gibsonburg, Ohio
18)In 2009 England have/unveil Mahatma Gandhi's statue in Belgrave Road, Leicester,England
19)In
2009 USA have/unveil Mahatma Gandhi's statue in Gandhi Park, Old County
Courthouse, Trade & Alexander Streets, Charlotte, North Carolina
(USA)
