Gandhi Jayanti(2nd Oct 1869)-India to celebrate Mahatma Gandhi's birthday
"Be the change that you wish to see in the world", the man behind this inspiring thought is none other than immortal soul of the nation Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi and Bapu. He was the preeminent leader of Indian nationalism in British-ruled India. Using his ideas of non-violent civil disobedience, Gandhi led India to independence and inspired movements for non-violence, civil rights and freedom across the world.
In the memory of the legendary figure, we celebrate 2nd October "Gandhi Jayanti" which is observed as a National holiday in the country.
His birth date is also affirmed as a dry day (ban on selling alcohol) in India whereas strict orders are imposed for not cutting animals too on this day because of his non-violence sprit that he carried with himself till his last breath.
The son of a senior government official, Gandhi was born on 2nd October 1869 in a Hindu Bania community in Porbander, Gujarat, and studied law in London. He was married to Kasturba in 1883, Mohandas and Kasturba had four children, Harilal (1888), Manilal (1892), Ramdas (1897) and Devdas (1900).
Mahatma Gandhi became famous by fighting for the civil rights of Muslim and Hindu Indians in South Africa, using new technique of non-violent civil disobedience that he developed. Returning to India in 1915, he started organizing poor farmers, urban laborers to protest against excessive land-taxes and discrimination.
A lifelong opponent of "communalism" (i.e. basing politics on religion) he reached out widely to all religious groups. He became a leader of Muslims protesting the declining status of the Caliphate. Assuming leadership of the Indian National Congress 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 domination.
He was associated with many movements as Khilafat movement, Non-cooperation movement, salt-satyagrah, civil rights movement in South Africa and World War 1st.
On his struggle to get independence for India there were many others who strongly counter the ideas and thoughts of Gandhi ji and demanded that his ideas should be discarded completely.
With the same reason conspirators were planning to end the chapter of Gandhi ji, and consequently his assassination was planned and accomplished by Nathu Ram Godse.
The killer of Gandhiji has his apologies to justify the assassination on the following arguments:
1: Mahatma Gandhi supported the idea of a separate state for Muslims. In a sense he was responsible for the creation of Pakistan.
2: In spite of the Pakistani aggression in Kashmir, Bapu fasted to compel the government of India to release an amount of Rs. 55 crores to Pakistan.
3: The antagonism of Muslims was a result of Gandhi ji's policy of appeasement.
The assassination of Gandhi ji was a culmination of decades of systematic brain-washing. Gandhiji had become a thorn in the flesh of the hardcore Hindus and in course of time this resentment turned into a phobia. Beginning with the year 1934 over a period of 14 years on as many as six occasions attempts were made to kill Gandhiji. The last one by Godse on January 30 1948 was successful.
Mahatma Gandhi was shot at point-blank range by Nathuram Godse. Gandhi ji was outside on the steps of a building where a prayer meeting was going to take place. He was surrounded by some of his family members and some followers when three consecutive gunshots killed him.
Gandhi ji's death was mourned nationwide. Over two million people joined the five-mile long funeral procession that took over five hours to reach Raj Ghat from Birla house, where he was assassinated. Gandhi ji's body was transported on a weapons carrier, whose chassis was dismantled overnight to allow a high-floor to be installed so that people could catch a glimpse of his body.
The engine of the vehicle was eliminated; instead four drag-ropes manned by 50 people each pulled the vehicle. All Indian-owned establishments in London remained closed in mourning as thousands of people from all faiths and denominations and Indians from all over Britain converged at India House in London.
By Hindu tradition the ashes were to be spread on a river. Gandhi ji's ashes were poured into urns which were sent across India for memorial services. Most of them were immersed at the "Sangam" on 12 February 1948 which is known as a sacred place in Hindu religion for sinking the remains of dead body which is situated at Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh.
Mostly everyone knows 2nd of October as a birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, but this day is also significant for India as our second Prime Minister of Republic India and leader of National Congress party, Lal Bahadur Shastri, who was also born on the same day. He became a national hero acquiring the victory in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965. His slogan of "Jai Jawan Jai Kisan" ("Hail the soldier, Hail the farmer") became very popular during the war and is remembered even today.
