Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

Portrait of Mahatma M.K. Gandhi (www.librarising.com)

On April 5, 1930, one of many fateful days of his life, a humble, peaceable, Indian man kneeled down after an arduous 23-day-long, 240-mile journey, to claim a tiny lump of salt off the shore of the Dandi Beach, only to be mercilessly incarcerated the following month. This tranquil but brave man struggled through non-violent protests and committed small acts of civil disobedience, working to gain the trust and complete support of his fellow impoverished people. However, not even the combined force of his actions and an army of pacifists could prevent the unjust entrapment brought upon him. After several years of inexplicable punishment, this chivalrous paladin of freedom still obstinately continued for his cause. Who could this man be, you ask? Who would sacrifice as much as his own life, for a peace-driven cause against tyranny beyond imagination? His name echoes in the minds of many worldwide; his name is a title of utmost heroism; his name, six letters of defiance, is Gandhi. “I cannot teach you violence, as I do not myself believe in it…whenever you are confronted with an opponent, conquer him with love.” – Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi’s magnanimous reply to enduring grueling years in prison defined his true nature and his pure soul. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, also titled "Mahatma" a.k.a. "The Great Soul", selflessly persevered to accomplish major exploits and supplicated for freedom of his fellow destitute-stricken people against British oppression, while accentuating an ultimate set of virtuous, moral dogmata.

Mohandas K. Gandhi during Childhood (www.desicolours.com)

Mahatma M.K. Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in the Gujarat State of Porbandar, Kathiawar, India to the wealthy, influential chief minister Karamchand, and the deeply Vaishnaya-devoted, Hindu mother, Putlibai. Both Gandhi’s parents were in favor of turning him into a “political weapon” (Wolpert), and Gandhi, being respectfully complaisant to his parents, obliged to pursue their will and desire. Gandhi proceeded with an arranged marriage at the young age of 13 years, and was wedded to Kasturba Makanji, with whom he nurtured his four children, Harilal, Manilal, Ramdas, and Devdas. In 1887, four years after his marriage, Gandhi graduated from high school, an “achievement that in itself marked him among the more privileged of Indian society.” (DISCovering Biography) After acquiring a reasonable sense of independence and maturity, Gandhi set sail for London in 1888, at the age of 19, by the mandate of his parents. He endeavored to gain the status of a ‘knowledgeable lawyer’ as a first-step to his expected political career, but due to his timid nature and his mentality that “the study of Indian Civil Law [is] a ‘tedious business,’" (DISCovering Biography), Gandhi failed to be a notable success in the field of law. However, after his realization that he lacked significant potential as a lawyer, “slowly, Gandhi acquired the sage-like qualities of meditation, fasting, non-violence and impoverishment that would characterize him as a historical figure.” (DISCovering Biography). As these attributes gradually emerged and developed, Gandhi voyaged to South Africa, [“province of Natal”] without his family, in the spring of 1893. When in Africa, Gandhi’s eyes were exposed to a despotic reality beyond his partly luxurious up-bringing in Porbandar, and his revelations became formulations of goals in bringing ultimate change in a tyrannous society; Gandhi’s eternal quest for equality had begun. In an ironic display of contradiction to his initial, feeble character, “…Gandhi launched his first nonviolent noncooperation movement in Johannesburg, against the British colonial government's Asiatic Ordinance Bill [in 1906]” (Wolpert) Starting with this milestone of change, Gandhi continued to mildly, but peacefully, defy and argue against discrimination, which, ultimately, left a mark of hope in South Africa. As Wolpert explains, “On the eve of his final departure from South Africa in 1914, Gandhi reached what he had believed to be a firm agreement with General Jan Smuts to remove that tax [‘the invidious poll tax charged to every Indian’].” Soon after the start of World War I, Gandhi returned to India, joined Gopal Krishna Gokhale [a powerful, influential benefactor in Gandhi’s life; “hailed by Gandhi as ‘my political guru’” (Wolpert)], and commenced with a determined, strong-willed force against discrimination and oppression, however, as Gandhi progressed his diligent efforts to bring harmony in his unforgiving domain, he and his advocates faced pain beyond comprehension. “During one of Gandhi’s peaceful, non-violent protests, on March 30, 1919, police opened fire on a crowd in Delhi, killing several protesters, which led Gandhi to proclaim April 6, 1919 a day of protest and national prayer.” (Wolpert) From a series of merciless, unjust punishments, Gandhi’s pain still was not able to break his boundaries of self morals, values, ethics, and beliefs. Once, Gandhi’s confidence and will-power reached paramount status, he approached his two most successful, widely-known, climactic moments of his life as a human-rights-activist: the boycott against British goods, and his courageous salt tax march. “Gandhi called upon all Indians to boycott British titles and law courts, as well as imported British manufactured cloth, consigning the latter to "freedom pyres." ...[He was] destined to liberate Mother India's children from thralldom to imperial oppressors. In December 1920 … Gandhi won the clear support of an overwhelming majority of new delegates to launch his multiple-boycott noncooperation movement nationwide…” (Wolpert) After such a successful event, Gandhi faced brutality (imprisonments, threats, etc.) from the British government, but focused his life toward an aggrandized level of religious peace. Although the British government diminished in power , they still underestimated the power of the good-willed Gandhi and his nonbelligerent soldiers, by enforcing the taxation on salt and confining those who revolted. Despite foreboded consequences, Gandhi still performed his “most famous satyagraha [“satyagraha—a Sanskrit compound meaning ‘hold fast to the truth.’”], … on March 12, 1930, when he led a band of faithful disciples on his 240-mile antisalt tax march south from Sabarmati ashram to Dandi beach.” (Wolpert) Gandhi’s act of intrepidity resulted in arrest, but as he and his vehement troop of non-violent protestors gradually corroded the British government, on August 15, 1947, India had finally won full independence and emancipation from this oppression. After indescribable strife, Gandhi had quelled a seemingly inescapable force without a sword and without breaking the righteous boundaries that he emphasized. Although many rejoiced at the ‘impossible’ idea of self-government and freedom, the jubilance quickly decimated to melancholy on Friday, the 30th of January, 1948, a year after his great feat, when Gandhi was assassinated by a “hate-crazed Hindu Brahman, Naturam Godse, who called India's saintly father a ‘traitor.’” (Wolpert) As Gandhi lay in the afterlife, his actions, his charisma, and his radiant character will always be remembered through the infinite realm of time.

Group of Gandhi's Advocates Protesting (www.bhopal.net)

From simple petitions to large-scale protests, Gandhi, with the aid of his determined supporters, laboriously, but peacefully fought for the discriminated people of India, against the unmerciful, unjust forces of British hierarchy. During his mission for equality, Gandhi performed and promoted a boycott against British goods, but in turn, faced humiliation and harsh discouragement from many powerful, influential beasts in society. “India's National Congress, like Barrister Mohammad Ali Jinnah, also disapproved of Gandhi's revolutionary appeals to India's Muslim masses, as well as to illiterate Hindu peasants to ‘boycott’ all British goods and institutions… Mahatma Gandhi listened to his ‘inner voice,’ however, as he launched nationwide satyagraha...” (Wolpert) Gandhi’s initiative to challenge such a force as relentless as the British government reveals that he is a brave soul, able to stand up for his cause, his people, and for the deserved rectitude of his society. Despite the discrimination and limitations set on him, he was triumphant in his efforts of overcoming tyranny, which made him a hero in the eyes of India, but more importantly, he accomplished this task with the virtues of peacefulness and love, which emphasized his heroic character. His qualities and his pure character display exactly what it takes to be a “mahatma”, and furthermore, the fact that he had the will to sacrifice his popularity, his social status, and his life, definitely proves that he was a golden-hearted hero. Shortly after Gandhi’s victorious boycott and salt tax march, he was successful in gaining full independence for his motherland, India. Gandhi knew very well that once the battle with Britain was over, he would also face an equally drastic struggle: substantially maintaining a newly self-governed nation. The British then granted the option to Gandhi to “opt-out” for his own benefit, but despite the potential personal gain, and despite possible avoidance of a massive struggle, Gandhi refused. “[The British] promised complete independence as soon as the war ended and offered an "opting out" clause…Gandhi dismissed the British offer out of hand…” (Wolpert) Needless to say, Gandhi depicted and proved his selfless nature in addition to his determined attitude toward obstacles, blocking the path to the greater good of his beloved country. His undaunted approach to the challenge of harmonizing and healing the damage brought to India, shows that he was a saint-like being, especially due to the fact that he sacrificed his own potential benefit. These many actions performed by Gandhi unveil a set of authentic characteristics that exceed the expectations of the norm and prove that he is a hero on many levels (from his goals, to his purity, and to his ethics). In the end, Gandhi was able to pull off a major task that no one would have imagined feasible, thus giving him the rightful title of a heroic savior.

Gandhi Defying Injustice and Showing Satyagraha ( www.gandhifoundation.org)

While accomplishing the major, unbelievable feat of bringing India to its self-governed status in freedom, Gandhi also was able to maintain and display an assemblage of core values and morals, even during inexplicable hardship. Gandhi used his influence to promote, emphasize, and teach these certain ethics (including love, righteousness, ahisma [non violence], purity, non-violence, and eternal peace) to his people, in order to create a more harmonious society. “The powers of truth and love were so great, Gandhi argued, that united they could ‘move the world.’ Such was the force he focused against British imperialism in its final four decades of the first half of the twentieth century.” (Wolpert) Gandhi used, emphasized, promoted, and proceeded with ethical values that seem regular to the ordinary human-being, but are much harder displayed than recognized. As Gandhi tolerated the countless hardships he faced, he still argued that love could ‘move the world’, despite seeing the overwhelming hate devouring India. Gandhi was an idol and an inspiration because he was able to display and teach these ethical principles (in this case, “truth” and “love”) in order to make a more balanced world, and his methods proved true as British oppression decimated in the face of love & purity. Another point that makes Gandhi a hero was the fact that was able to use these values to “defeat” ruthless, brute British force (“imperialism”) in its “final four decades”. In addition to the values that he emphasized, using his social influence, Gandhi also carried the traits of benevolence, magnanimity, and selflessness, as portrayed in his actions and reactions. “Gandhi risked his own life fighting this ‘age-long prejudice,’ arousing the ire of many orthodox Brahmans, who viewed him as a ‘traitor’ to his faith. In 1932, when British prime minister J. Ramsay MacDonald classified ‘untouchables’ as ‘separate’ from ‘upper caste Hindus,’ … Gandhi launched a fast-unto-death, determined to sacrifice his life rather than allow ‘perfidious Albion’ further to divide and thus longer to rule over India's ‘enslaved’ population.” (Wolpert) Gandhi encumbered the burden of strict opposition from even his own people, yet still didn’t retaliate. He faced heavier discrimination from both sides of the war at hand, but nonetheless, persevered to bring freedom to even the people who disapproved his efforts. This brings up another one of Gandhi’s emphasized rules from his personal dogmata: always respect and always love. Even during utmost discrimination, and even during his rebellion to the prime minister, Gandhi managed to incorporate a sense of love and respect even to those ‘orthodox Brahmans’ who betrayed his will, and this displays an exceptional standard of purity and heroism. His dedication, his strife, and his zealous fervor to break the bounds discrimination, while maintaining the boundaries of ethical behavior, are all very inspirational qualities of Gandhi.

Gandhi in Later Years of Life (www.gandhifoundation.org)

All in all, since he was able to defeat a force of pure darkness without shedding one drop of blood, since he stood up for his people during a time of oppressive chaos, and since he portrayed a set of morals while accomplishing these major feats, Gandhi rightfully earned his title as the “Great Soul”. His sacrifice was beyond comprehension, his toil was unimaginable, and his golden soul, despite caliginosity and ensnarement, still radiated with hope. From Porbandar, India, to the whole sub-continent, Gandhi has left an indelible mark of great achievement, of pride & self-government, of courage, and the message that any one person can make a difference to benefit any righteous cause. Gandhi was and will always be a generously gallant “mahatma”, an amicable paladin of freedom, and of course, a true hero.