Biography of

Mahatma Gandhi

1

READER'S DELIGHT

Biography of

MAHATMA GANDHI

READER'S DELIGHT AN IMPRINT OF RAMESH PUBLISHING HOUSE

NEW DELHI

2

Mahatma Gandhi

ISBN 978-93-5012-693-6 Published by: Alok Kumar Gupta for Reader's Delight (An Imprint of Ramesh Publishing House) Admin. Office: 12-H, New Daryaganj Road, Opp. Traffic Kotwali, New Delhi-110002 ) 23261567, 23275224 Telefax: 011-23275124 Showroom: l Balaji Market, Nai Sarak, Delhi-6 ) 23253720, 23282525 l 4457, Nai Sarak, Delhi-6 ) 23918938 E-Mail: [email protected] Website: www.rameshpublishinghouse.com INDEMNIFICATION CLAUSE l This book is being sold/distributed on the condition and understanding that the information given herein are merely

for guidance and reference and must not be taken as authority, and neither the author nor the publishers individually or collectively, shall be responsible to indemnify the buyer/user/possessor of this book beyond the selling price of this book for any reason under any circumstances. If you do not agree to it, please do not buy/accept/use/possess this book. l Though every care has been taken in printing this book, errors or ommissions might have crept inadvertently. The publishers shall be obliged if such error or ommission is brought to their notice. l Subject to Delhi jurisdiction.

© Publisher. No Part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any transformation storage and retrieval system without prior permission from the Publisher.

Price: ` 35 A-26

3

Preface Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was one of the most respected spiritual and political leaders of the nineteenth century. Gandhi helped free the Indian people from British rule through non violent resistance, and is honoured by Indians as the Father of the Indian Nation. He inspired two generations of Indian patriots, shook an empire and sparked off a revolution which was to change the face of Africa and Asia. To millions of his own people, he was the Mahatma — the great soul — whose sacred glimpse was a reward in itself. By the end of 1947 he had lived down much of the suspicion, ridicule and opposition which he had to face, when he first raised the banner of revolt against racial exclusiveness and imperial domination. His ideas, once dismissed as quaint and utopian, had begun to strike answering chords in some of the finest minds in the world. “Generations to come, it may be”, Einstein had said of Gandhi in July 1944, “will scarcely believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon earth.” In this small book we have tried to carry across to the reader the main trends in Gandhi’s thinking and his final conclusions, being as true to the spirit as we could. Whenever possible, I have allowed Gandhi to speak for himself. This book is not a cold analytical study of Gandhi’s. This is not a biography of those years, for it is the essence that has been sought, rather than the facts and details for their own sake. The presentation is generally not chronological, for thinking and feeling must be conveyed in thought groupings and subjects. It is only through making basic changes in ourselves and in our society that we shall be able to build a world of peace and justice. The message of Gandhi must be understood, evaluated and acted upon. Publisher

4

Mahatma Gandhi

Contents Introduction

5

Early Life and Education

9

Marriage

12

Gandhi at London

14

Gandhi in South Africa

19

Gandhi at Sabarmati Ashram

24

Gandhi and Non-cooperation Movement

30

The Dandi March

33

The Round Table Conference

39

Quit India Movement

43

The Partition of India

46

Last Days of Mahatma Gandhi

49

Tribute to Mahatma Gandhi

53

5

INTRODUCTION “There is no religion higher than truth” - Mahatma Gandhi

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who was an ordinary human like most of us, lived, suffered and died in India for Indians. He was a great political and spiritual leader, not only for India but for the whole human race. It is not in relation to India’s destiny alone that his life has significance. We, the present as well as the coming generations, will not only remember him as a patriot, politician and nation-builder but much more. British rule had been established in India when Gandhi was born. British had effectively established their roots in this country, that instead of protesting foreign rule, the then generations of well educated Indians were eager to surrender to their foreign masters. It seemed the British Empire in India was safe for centuries.

6

Mahatma Gandhi

After earning an English law degree, Gandhi used his ideas of peaceful civil disobedience struggle for civil rights in South Africa. In India, he organised protest against unlawful taxation and extensive discrimination for the poor Indian farmers and labourers. He carried it forward on the national stage to protest oppressive laws made by the British Government. His way of making appeal to the then Government became a part of lesson to the present generation. While serving the Indian National Congress, Gandhi led the following nationwide campaigns.They were for the betterman of the poor, the liberation of Indian women, brotherhood amongst different communities, end to untouchability, and above all for Swaraj — the complete independence of India. All of his activities were of larger than life struggles. But he carried it out in a very heroic way. His main weapon was ahimsa (non-violence). He introduced Satyagraha— the resistance of tyranny through mass civil disobedience, which led India to independence. He led Indians in the disobedience of the salt tax through the 400 kilometres Dandi March in 1930. He made an open call for the British to Quit India in 1942. His genius was his infinite capacity for taking pains for the causes of others fulfillment. He climbed step by step, till the time we saw him at the height more than a human. Being a disciple of Hindu philosophy he lived a simple life by organizing an ashram. He wore the

7 traditional Indian khadi clothes, woven with a charkha, and ate only vegetarian diet. Introduction

A historical process is not the outcome of a single individual, however great and wonderful he was. A continued succession of remarkable predecessors and contemporaries had laid the foundation stones that he lp ed G andhi to p ave the wa y fo r India’s independence. The people who had already gained intellectual, social and moral consciousness of the genius helped Gandhi to mobilize and direct a grand march. The shyness of Gandhi was the only extraordinary feature about him as a child. It remained as a handicap from w hich he suffered for a long time . This extraordinariness became a latent in his spirit. It later developed into an iron will, which combined with a moral sensibility made him what he became. He was a true servant and friend of man as a man. He worked for Indians only because he was born among them. The humiliation and suffering of the Indians supplied the necessary powers to his moral sensibility. When Gandhi died, he left us a free nation with freedom in all aspects. Thousands had recovered their heritage and the millions had found their voice. All had gained a new light in their future to come. All men and women had won a great battle leading to a process of a moral force to compel the attention and

Mahatma Gandhi 8 the admiration of the world. Rest of the world were there to join with the whole nation with great respect and showed friendliness.

The architect of this miracle is none but only Gandhi himself. This story of the miracle is the story of Gandhi’s life. His grateful countrymen, ever since call him the “Father of the Nation”. Commonly Gandhi is known and addressed in India and across the world as Mahatma Gandhi. His principles were still applicable to all, but difficult. “Generations to come, it may be, will scarce believe”, wrote Einstein, “that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.”

— *** —

9

EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION “At school the teachers did not consider me a very bright boy. They knew that I was a good boy, but not a bright boy. I never knew first class and second class. I barely passed. I was a dull boy. I could not even speak properly.” - Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas was born in a middle class family on October 2, 1869, at Porbandar, Kathiawar. Porbandar is a small town located on the western coast of India. His family belonged to Vaishya or business caste. Karamchand Gandhi was the name of his father and Putlibai, his mother. When Mohandas was born, his father was 48 years old and his mother was in her early twenties. His grandfather was the Prime Minister (dewan) of Porbandar. The position was later on succeeded by Karamchand Gandhi. He was the sixth and youngest child of the family. His father had about Grade 3 education. His mother, Putlibai, was a very religious woman but illiterate. She

Mahatma Gandhi 10 never took meal before seeing the sun. Such characters of his mother deeply impressed him. He applied those influences of his mother to his life.

Mohandas got his early education from an elementary school in Porbandar. At the age of seven, his father became Prime Minister (dewan) of Rajkot, another state in Kathiawar. So, their family shifted to Rajkot. There at Rajkot, he was admitted to a primary school. He continued his further studies at a high school. He was not a bright student and was very shy and timid. He did not take part in sports. But he was very proud of himself for his stand for truth. Once an incident took place in the school. One day, a British school inspector came for inspection to their school. The inspector took a spelling test. Mohandas made a mistake which the class teacher noticed. The class teacher was not happy to see the mistake in Gandhi’s slate. So he prompted Mohandas to copy the correct spelling from his neighbour ’s slate. But Mohandas refused to do so. For his stupidity, later the class teacher scolded him. Once he was influenced by the belief that the British were ruling India because they ate meat which gave them the necessary strength. Mohandas took a piece of meat in protest against the British dominion. He was taken to smoking also.

11 One day he stole a piece of gold from one of the gold-bracelets of his brother and paid off the debt incurred for smoking. But his heart was filled with remorse. He vowed never to steal again. He wrote a confession letter on a piece of paper and put it in the hands of his father who was then sick. Early Life and Education

His father read the letter and without uttering a word, tore up the paper. He was deeply grieved and tears filled in his eyes. From that day, speaking truth became an obsession with him. He loved his father more and more and served him in all possible ways. Gandhi, though a below-average student, became the first person in his family to complete a high school education. He passed the matric examination from the University of Bombay in 1887. Later Mohandas joined the Samaldas College in Bhavnagar, Gujarat. There in the college, he found the studies difficult. He faired very poorly and the atmosphere was also uncongenial. So he dropped out after just three months. Meanwhile, his father had died in 1885. Their family and relatives wanted Mohandas to join the state service in place of his father. For that he needed to become a barrister. In 1888, he left India for England.

— *** —

12

Mahatma Gandhi

MARRIAGE “Intellectually, mentally, and spiritually, woman is equivalent to a male and she can participate in every activity.” - Mahatma Gandhi

Mohandas married Kasturba Bai at the age of thirteen. He was still in high school when his parents made arrangement for wedding. Kasturba Bai was the daughter of a ric h busine ss ma n. Go kula da s Ma khanji o f Porbandar was the name of her father. She was of same age with Mohandas.

13 The marriage affected his schooling a little. He was unable to concentrate much on his studies. But he realised and soon he tried to make up. Thus the marriage no longer hampered his further studies. Marriage

She was illiterate. Mohandas taught her how to read and write. He declared that there is no school better than home and there is no teacher better than family. He opined that men and women are equal, but not identical. They had four sons; Harilal, Manilal, Ramdas and Devdas. There was a big gap between him and his wife intellectually. But it did not affect their family life. He said that Kasturba followed him more than was expected of her. When his wife passed away, Gandhi grieved that without her, his life would have been meaningless. That was the bondage of his marriage.

— *** —

14

Mahatma Gandhi

GANDHI AT LONDON “I would continually think of my home and country... Everything was strange— the people, their ways and even their dwellings. I was a complete novice in the matter of English etiquette, and continually had to be on my guard. There was the additional inconvenience of the vegetarian vow. Even the dishes that I could eat were tasteless insipid.” - Mahatma Gandhi After convincing his mother by promising that he would not touch meat, women and wine, his mother agreed to sent him abroad. His brother sold some of the family land and his wife sold most of her jewellery to raise the necessary funds. Ga ndhi we nt t o the University College, London on September 4, 1888; at the age of 18. His caste people looked upon crossing the

15 ocean as contamination. So they warned to outcaste him from their society. Gandhi at London

On September 4, 1888 while Gandhi was sailing for England he found it very difficult to mix with the passengers on the steamer. An elderly Englishman befriended him and urged him to eat meat. He refused the offer in very polite way and took only the eatable food that he had brought from home. Gandhi was asked to provide certificates from people confirming that he was a vegetarian. He was nervous for a while. Then he requested the elderly gentleman to write him one. The gentleman promptly wrote a letter for him. From India, Gandhi accompanied many introductory letters for London. Among the letters, the prominent one was Dadabhai Naoroji. Dadabhai Naoroji was the first Indian MP, representing Battersea for the communist party. In London Gandhi stayed at the Victoria Hotel. He met Dr. Mehta in the journey. Dr. Mehta arranged accommodation for Gandhi with an Anglo Indian family in West Kensington. The first few days in London were miserable. His vegetarianism caused a great problem to him. In his autobiography he wrote that though he was of small build he had a voracious appetite. He lived mainly on bread. The Anglo Indian lady had two daughters. They often pressed him to have more slices of bread. But he could not have more than one.

Biography Books Series

Book Code A-70 A-71 A-72 A-73 A-74

Book Name Subhash Chandra Bose Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Dhirubhai Ambani Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya

Book Code A-75 A-76 A-77 A-78 A-79

Book Name Chandra Sekhar Azad Lala Lajpat Rai Rani Lakshmibai Chhatrapati Shivaji Dr. C.V. Raman

Book Code A-25 A-26 A-27 A-28 A-29

Book Name Rabindranath Tagore Mahatma Gandhi Indira Gandhi Mother Teresa Sarojini Naidu

Book Code A-30 A-31 A-32 A-33 A-34

Book Name Swami Vivekananda Sardar Patel Bal Gangadhar Tilak Jawahar Lal Nehru Kalpana Chawla Book Code : A-26 ISBN 978-93-5012-693-6

9 789350 126936

AN IMPRINT OF RAMESH

PUBLISHING HOUSE, NEW DELHI

12-H, NEW DARYAGANJ ROAD, OPP. TRAFFIC KOTWALI, NEW DELHI-110002 www.rameshpublishinghouse.com email: [email protected]