Gandhi Jayanti Special: From Leaders To Icons, How Mahatma Gandhi's Legacy Inspires Millions Worldwide

Gandhi Jayanti Special: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, architect of India's liberation from British rule, was born on 2 October 1869 in a hundred-year-old, three story house, the residence of officials who had served the small Princely State of Kathiawar in Gujarat for 6 generations.

Gandhi's grandfather, Uttamchand (Ota) Gandhi, had risen to become the diwan of Porbandar. Gandhi's father, Karamchand (Kaba) was the diwan of three princely states- Porbandar, Rajkot, and Wankaner. Kaba Gandhi had married thrice, and each time his wife had died, without bearing him any children. At the age of forty he was married for the fourth time to Putlibai, and this union was blessed with one daughter and three sons. Mohandas was the youngest among them. No one at that time knew that this child would be a light for India in future.

Gandhi's First Major Fight For The Rights Of Indians

Gandhi arrived in South Africa on 24 May 1893 to attend to a legal matter of Dada Abdullah Jhaveri. At that time Gandhi was offered a modest fee of 105 pounds.

Gandhi came to South Africa for a short professional stint but ultimately went on to spend 21 long years in the country with brief spells in India and England. After the start of his tenure in South Africa, he was very soon less in demand than his exceptional courage and extraordinary leadership. He became the face and voice of the Indian struggle for legitimate rights.

Gandhi was suggested to name his movement 'Sada-graha'. Gandhi liked the word but not enough and he altered it to now what is a world famous term 'Satyagraha'. Gandhi's first Satyagraha began in 1906 and lasted 8 years in South Africa. After his brief arrests and prolonged protests he finally managed to get passed the Indians' Relief Bill in South Africa that legalised all Sharia and Hindu marriages, the 3-pound tax on Indians was also abolished.

When Gandhi left Durban in July 1914 the then Minister of Defence of South Africa Jan Christiaan Smuts, who latter on became the Prime Minister of South Africa remarked, "The saint has left our shores, I sincerely hope for ever." This Statement was quoted by former Union Minister MJ Akbar in his book 'Gandhi's Hinduism: Struggle Against Jinnah's Islam'.

'The Saint' had other plans. He was to lead a nation to its Independence and acquire a much deserved title 'Mahatma'.

Smuts was more than impressed by Gandhi. He was dining with Winston Churchill in London on 7 August, 1942 and news of the day was Gandhi's call to the British at a Congress session in Bombay to 'Quit India' and his message of 'Do or Die!' to Indians. Smuts told Churchill never to underestimate Gandhi. MJ Akbar writes in his book that Smuts said to Churchill, "He (Gandhi) is a man of God. You and I are mundane people. Gandhi has appealed to religious motives. You never have. That is where you have failed."

Gandhi In India

The Champaran Satyagraha of 1917 was the first Satyagraha movement led by Gandhi in India and is considered a historically important revolt in the Indian Independence Movement.

The Champaran Satyagraha gave direction to India's youth and freedom struggle, which was tottering between moderates who prescribed Indian participation within the British colonial system, and the extremists from Bengal who advocated the use of violent methods to topple the British colonialists in India.

Champaran Satyagraha was followed by movements like Kheda Satyagraha, Khilafat Movement, the world famous Non-cooperation Movement, Civil-Disobedience Movement, and the globally talked the Quit India Movement of 1942. These movements played a great role in shaping the Indian freedom Struggle. Gandhi's every movement stood by the testimony of time and redefines the epitome of wisdom.

Father Of The Nation: The Title

Mahatma Gandhi is revered in India as the Father of the Nation. Not many would know that it was Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose who first addressed Gandhi as 'Father of The Nation' in his condolence message to the Mahatma on the demise of his wife Kasturba Gandhi.

Concerned about Gandhi, Netaji sent the following message to the Mahatma on Azad Hind Radio, Rangoon in June, 1944 - "…Nobody would be more happy than ourselves if by any chance our countrymen at home should succeed in liberating themselves through their own efforts or by any chance, the British Government accepts your 'Quit India' resolution and gives effect to it. We are, however proceeding on the assumption that neither of the above is possible and that a struggle is inevitable. 'Father of our Nation', in this holy war for India's liberation, we ask for your blessings and good wishes."

Death

On 30 January 1869, Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by an extremist while walking to his prayer meeting in the lawn of Birla House, New Delhi. His age was 78 at that time. The light of the century departed to its heavenly abode.

What Leaders and Icons Remarked

Jawaharlal Nehru - "The light has gone out of our lives and there is darkness everywhere and I do not quite know what to tell you and how to say it. Our beloved dear, Bapu as we called him, the Father of the Nation, is no more. Perhaps I am wrong to say that. Nevertheless, we will not see him again as we have seen him for these many years. We will not run to him for advice and seek solace from him and that is a terrible blow not to me only but to millions and millions in this country. And it is a little difficult to soften the blow by any advice that I or anyone else can give you. The light has gone out, I said and yet I was wrong. For the light that shown in this country was no ordinary light. The light that has illumined this country for these many years will illumine this country for many more years and thousand years later, the light will still be seen in this country and the world will see it and it will solace to innumerable hearts."

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel - Gandhiji's imperishable teachings will abide with us. I even feel that Gandhiji's immortal spirit is still hovering over us and will continue to watch over the nation's destiny in future also. The mad youth who killed him was wrong if he thought thereby he was destroying his noble mission. Perhaps God wanted Gandhiji's mission to fulfill and prosper through his death.

Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee - The light that illuminated our motherland and indeed the world amidst darkness and sorrow has suddenly gone out. The passing away of Mahatma Gandhi is the most stunning blow to that could fall on India. That he who made India free and self-reliant, a friend of and enemy of none, loved and respected by millions, should fall at the hands of an assassin, one of his own community and countrymen, is a matter of deepest shame and tragedy.

American Journalist And Author Vincent Sheean - Just an old man in a loincloth in distant India: Yet when he died, humanity wept.

Perhaps, the most critical remarks on Gandhi's death came from Irish playwright and critic George Bernard Shaw, who said, "It (Gandhi's assassination) shows how dangerous it is to be too good."

The remarks of the leaders and icons of that time shows how important figure Gandhi is in world's history. Nevertheless, the light that blew up in 1869 will keep inspiring the world for many upcoming centuries.

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