May 28, 2013
The Beliefs Gandhi Bestowed on the World “How can I make difference so that I may bring peace to this world that I love and cherish so much?” (Gandhi) Mahatma Gandhi says this while still believing in truth and justice for mankind. He made a change in the world that was once filled with turmoil. He brought his followers and the world to a cessation of non-violent peace and independence. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi also known as Mahatma Gandhi was born on October 2nd, 1869 in Porbandar, India. His name was honored to him as “Great Soul”. Gandhi was born into a Hindu Modh family. His family was very wealthy; they were from one of the higher Indian social classes. Gandhi had four brothers, and he was the last son of Karamchand Gandhi. His father was a Chief Minister in India and Gandhi described his mother, Putlibi Gandhi, as an extremely religious woman. As a child, Gandhi had a longing for studying medicine. This was not to be associated with his caste, so he could not follow his ambition. So his father influenced him to study law. In 1888, Gandhi traveled to London, England and attended the University College London to major in law. As he went into college he made a promise to his mother not to become associated with alcohol and meat. She was constantly fasting for her religion to where she would not eat for a couple of days. He was truly inspired by his mother and kept her promise all the way up to her fate. Years before he traveled back to India, Gandhi’s mother, Putlibi, passed away while he was in London. In India, child arranged marriages were common in Hindu families. At thirteen, Gandhi was required to marry Kasturba. This young girl was also thirteen years old. Gandhi and Kasturba had 4 sons. Harlai was the oldest, following Manilal, Ramdas, and Devdas. Gandhi’s wife Kasturba supported him in everything he strived to accomplish even while she was suffering from chronic bronchitis. Kasturba suffered a couple of heart attacks and medicines failed to make her healthier. As days for Kasturba became more difficult to see, Mahatma Gandhi decided that doctors should stop prescribing her medications. Kasturba then passed away in January of 1944. After Gandhi returned from his studies in London, England his father had passed away. He came back to India, determined to find work to support his family and his mother but it was an extreme difficulty to find what he was longing for. His law studies came in handy when he was offered a years contract to work for an Indian firm in Natal, South Africa in 1893. As he arrived to South Africa, he witnessed all of the Indians residing in the country treated unfairly by the British. Gandhi was also thrown off of a segregated train because of his color, and he had a first class ticket in hand. He was opposed to the results of this encounter, so in response he began a non-violent disobedience campaign to expose the evil of racial classification. (Open Democracy) His way of protest was called Satyagraha. Satyagraha is two words joined together meaning truth and force. This was the beginning of his nonviolent protest philosophy and many arrests in defending Indian People.
Gandhi had returned to India during a crisis with the Indians and the British. The Brits had a Salt Act that prohibited Indians from collecting or selling salt. Salt was a primary ingredient to the Indian’s daily diet. They were forced to buy salt, which had an extremely high sales tax. India's poor suffered most under the tax because they were required to pay the highest percent. Gandhi’s goal here was to strive for India’s independence. On the 30th of January in 1948, Gandhi was to attend a prayer meeting at the Birla House in Delhi, India. As he