Mahatma Gandhi’s biography: His life, legacy, and nonviolent movement

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, revered globally as Mahatma Gandhi (“Great Soul”), stands as an unparalleled icon of peace and civil disobedience. His life’s work profoundly reshaped India’s destiny, inspiring millions to embrace truth-force against oppression.

Through his philosophy of satyagraha, Mahatma Gandhi championed nonviolent resistance, steering India toward independence and establishing a lasting legacy of moral leadership for freedom movements worldwide.

The formative years of Mahatma Gandhi

Born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, a coastal town in present-day Gujarat, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was the youngest child of Karamchand Gandhi, the diwan (chief minister) of Porbandar, and Putlibai, his devoutly religious fourth wife. His early life was marked by a shy and unremarkable demeanor, though he occasionally experimented with forbidden activities like meat-eating and smoking, later regretting these youthful indiscretions deeply. This period of self-discovery laid foundational elements for his later commitment to asceticism and moral purity.

Despite an initial inclination towards medicine, family tradition and the strong influence of an uncle guided Mahatma Gandhi towards a career in law. In 1888, he journeyed to London, England, to study at the Inner Temple, a challenging transition for the young Indian who was unfamiliar with Western customs. He diligently pursued his legal education, adopting English manners and attire, yet remaining rooted in his vegetarian principles, often facing social difficulties due to his dietary choices.

Upon completing his studies and being called to the bar in 1891, Mahatma Gandhi returned to India with high hopes of establishing a successful legal practice. However, he quickly encountered significant obstacles; his shyness hindered his courtroom performance, and competition was fierce. A brief stint in Bombay proved largely unsuccessful, leaving him disheartened and struggling to find his professional footing in the Indian legal system, which often reflected the complexities of British colonial administration.

It was this initial professional setback in India that ultimately led him to accept a one-year contract for a legal case in South Africa in 1893. This decision, seemingly a minor professional detour, proved to be the pivotal turning point in his life. The experiences he would gather in South Africa would not only redefine his personal convictions but also forge the radical political and ethical leader that the world would come to know as Mahatma Gandhi.

Mahatma Gandhi’s transformative years in South Africa

Mahatma Gandhi‘s 21 years in South Africa, from 1893 to 1914, were profoundly transformative, shaping his political ideology and establishing the principles of his nonviolent resistance. Upon his arrival, he was immediately confronted with the harsh realities of racial discrimination and segregation faced by Indian immigrants under the apartheid regime. A particularly infamous incident involved being thrown off a train in Pietermaritzburg for refusing to move from a first-class compartment despite holding a valid ticket, simply because of his race. This personal experience ignited his resolve to fight for justice.

It was in this crucible of injustice that Mahatma Gandhi began to develop and articulate his philosophy of satyagraha, which translates to “truth-force” or “soul-force.” This wasn’t merely passive resistance but an active, unwavering commitment to truth and nonviolence in the face of aggression, intended to awaken the moral conscience of the oppressor. He believed that genuine suffering by resisters, borne without retaliation, would ultimately compel oppressors to recognize the injustice of their actions and lead to reconciliation.

During these two decades, Mahatma Gandhi organized the disenfranchised Indian independence community in South Africa, mobilizing them against discriminatory laws. He led numerous peaceful protests, marches, and civil disobedience campaigns against unjust legislation such as the Transvaal Asiatic Registration Act, which mandated Indians to carry passes. These campaigns, though often met with violent repression, arrests, and imprisonment, showcased the power of collective nonviolent action and laid the crucial groundwork for his later struggle for Indian independence.

Beyond political activism, Mahatma Gandhi also established self-sufficient communities, such as the Phoenix Settlement in 1904 and Tolstoy Farm in 1910. These ashrams served as laboratories for his social and economic ideals, promoting communal living, manual labor, self-reliance, and the practice of nonviolence. Here, he educated his followers in the principles of satyagraha, fostering a generation of activists who would carry his vision forward, demonstrating the practical application of his transformative ideology.

Leading India to independence: Mahatma Gandhi’s nonviolent movement

Returning to India in 1915, Mahatma Gandhi swiftly immersed himself in the national struggle for independence from British rule. Guided by the revered nationalist Gopal Krishna Gokhale, he initially spent a year traveling across India, observing the social and political landscape. His firsthand exposure to the widespread poverty and colonial exploitation solidified his conviction that India’s liberation required a mass movement rooted in nonviolence and self-reliance, distinct from the more moderate or revolutionary factions of the time.

By 1920, Mahatma Gandhi had assumed the leadership of the Indian National Congress, transforming it from an elite body into a mass movement encompassing millions. He initiated nationwide campaigns of non-cooperation and civil disobedience, urging Indians to boycott British goods, institutions, and legal systems. This era saw a series of significant movements that galvanized public support and brought international attention to the plight of India, including the Champaran satyagraha for indigo farmers and the Kheda peasant movement.

Perhaps the most iconic demonstration of his leadership was the Salt March of 1930. In defiance of the British salt monopoly, which taxed one of life’s basic necessities, Mahatma Gandhi led thousands of followers on a 240-mile trek to the Arabian Sea to illegally make salt from seawater. This simple yet powerful act sparked widespread civil disobedience across India, resulting in mass arrests but also uniting diverse segments of society and igniting the global conscience against British imperialism. The movement profoundly showcased the efficacy of nonviolent resistance as a potent political weapon.

As the Indian independence movement intensified, Mahatma Gandhi continued to employ innovative strategies, including widespread boycotts, fasts unto death, and prayer meetings, all while maintaining an unwavering commitment to nonviolence. His “Quit India” Movement in 1942, demanding an immediate British withdrawal, led to his arrest and the imprisonment of thousands of Congress leaders. Despite the setbacks and severe repression, the momentum for Indian independence became unstoppable, a testament to Mahatma Gandhi‘s persistent moral force and strategic genius.

The personal philosophy and family life of Mahatma Gandhi

Philosophy of satyagraha and ahimsa

Mahatma Gandhi‘s personal philosophy was a complex tapestry woven from diverse spiritual and intellectual threads, most prominently emphasizing ahimsa (non-harm) and satya (truth). Deeply influenced by Hindu scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita, Jainism’s strictures against violence, and the teachings of figures such as Jesus Christ, Leo Tolstoy, and Henry David Thoreau, he synthesized these into his unique concept of satyagraha. This active nonviolent resistance was not merely a political tool but a moral imperative, a quest for truth through love and self-suffering. His belief was that true courage lay not in aggression but in the steadfast refusal to inflict harm, even when faced with it.

He lived a life of profound simplicity and asceticism, seeing these practices as integral to his spiritual and political mission. Mahatma Gandhi famously wore only a homespun loincloth, advocating for the traditional spinning wheel (charkha) as a symbol of economic self-sufficiency and resistance against industrial exploitation. He established ashrams like Sabarmati and Sevagram, which served as vibrant communities dedicated to his ideals of equality, manual labor, and constructive social work. These centers became laboratories for his vision of a self-reliant India, where villagers could live with dignity and independence, guided by principles of truth and community service.

Mahatma Gandhi’s family and personal struggles

Mahatma Gandhi married Kasturbai Mohandas Gandhi at the age of 13, in an arranged child marriage. Their partnership, which lasted 62 years until Kasturbai’s death in 1944, was foundational to his personal life, though often strained by his rigorous spiritual demands and public commitments. They had four sons: Harilal, Manilal, Ramdas, and Devdas. While his public life was dedicated to broad societal uplift, his personal life, particularly his relationship with his eldest son, Harilal, was fraught with profound challenges and emotional turmoil.

Harilal Mohandas Gandhi, born in 1888, often found himself at odds with his father’s austere principles. Despite Harilal’s early involvement in the Indian independence movement, leading to six imprisonments as a satyagrahi and earning him the nickname ‘Chhote Gandhi’ (Little Gandhi), a deep rift developed. Harilal yearned for a Western education to become a barrister, like his father, but Mahatma Gandhi firmly opposed this, believing it would detract from the struggle against British rule. This disagreement proved to be a breaking point, leading Harilal to renounce all family ties in 1911.

His life subsequently spiraled into personal tragedy and estrangement. After the death of his wife, Gulab Gandhi, during the 1918 influenza pandemic, Harilal became increasingly detached from his children and succumbed to alcoholism. His erratic behavior and financial struggles often became public, causing considerable distress to his father. In 1925, an incident involving Harilal lending Mahatma Gandhi‘s name to a firm, prompting a legal notice to Young India, led Gandhi to publicly state that while Harilal was indeed his son, their ideals differed, and he had been living separately since 1915. This was a painful acknowledgment of their profound disconnect.

Further complicating their relationship, Harilal publicly converted to Islam in 1936, naming himself Abdullah Gandhi, before later reconverting to Hinduism. The difficulties of Harilal’s life deeply affected Mahatma Gandhi, who once wrote to his son in 1935, accusing him of “alcohol and debauchery” and confessing that Harilal’s problems were more challenging to deal with than the struggle for an independent India, even alleging rape in one letter. Harilal appeared in poor health at his father’s funeral in 1948 and tragically died of tuberculosis just four months later, aged 59, in a Mumbai hospital, with his family only discovering his hospitalization after his death. Their complex relationship has been explored in various works, notably the film and play Gandhi, My Father.

The legacy and lasting impact of Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi‘s final years were consumed by the agonizing partition of India in 1947 into Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan. He vehemently opposed this division, viewing it as a betrayal of his lifelong dream of a united, secular nation where all faiths could coexist peacefully. As sectarian violence erupted, threatening to engulf the newly independent nations, Mahatma Gandhi undertook fasts and led prayer meetings, courageously putting his own Gandhi’s life on the line to promote communal harmony. His tireless efforts are widely credited with significantly de-escalating riots in Calcutta and Delhi, showcasing his extraordinary moral authority even amidst political turmoil.

Tragically, on January 30, 1948, Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated in New Delhi by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist who bitterly opposed Gandhi’s inclusive vision and his efforts toward Hindu-Muslim unity. His death sent shockwaves across the globe, robbing India of its greatest moral compass just months after achieving independence. Yet, his martyrdom solidified his place as a universal symbol of peace, justice, and the power of nonviolent action, paradoxically intensifying the global resonance of his message.

The legacy of Mahatma Gandhi transcends national boundaries, establishing him as the foremost pioneer of nonviolent resistance and a beacon for civil rights movements worldwide. His methods of peaceful protest, civil disobedience, and self-sacrifice directly inspired iconic leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. in the American Civil Rights Movement and Nelson Mandela in the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa. These figures, among countless others, consciously adopted and adapted Gandhi’s principles, demonstrating the universal applicability and profound effectiveness of his satyagraha.

Even decades after his passing, Mahatma Gandhi‘s philosophy remains intensely relevant, offering a compelling alternative to violence in resolving conflicts and pursuing social change. His autobiography, An Experiment with Truth, continues to be studied as a foundational text on ethics, personal integrity, and the practical application of nonviolence. He fundamentally reshaped the landscape of political activism, proving that moral force, when wielded with unwavering conviction and compassion, can indeed overcome even the most entrenched systems of oppression.

References

BIOGRAPHY.COM. “Mahatma Gandhi”. Available at: https://www.biography.com/ BRITANNICA.COM. “Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi”. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/ COLUMBIA.EDU. “Mahatma Gandhi”. Available at: https://www.columbia.edu/ EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG. “Mahatma Gandhi”. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MahatmaGandhi EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG. “Harilal Gandhi”. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HarilalGandhi IEP.UTM.EDU. “Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869—1948)”. Available at: https://iep.utm.edu/gandhi/ WORLDHISTORY.ORG. “Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi”. Available at: https://www.worldhistory.org/MohandasKaramchandGandhi/

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