Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, better known as Mahatma Gandhi, is one of the most distinguished Indian names around the world. The father of our nation, Mahatma Gandhi’s contributions and ideologies had a significant role in the freedom movement and independence of India. Gandhi Jayanti, celebrated on October 2nd every year in India, marks the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. The Gandhian philosophy of nonviolent resistance and its relevance are acclaimed by the world, and in honour of Gandhi, the UN (united nations) celebrates October 2 as the International Day of non-violence. As we approach October 2nd, let’s learn a little more about the father of our nation, Gandhi, and why we celebrate Gandhi Jayanti.

Mahatma Gandhi

Born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, a coastal town in today’s Gujarat, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was the youngest child born to the Karamchand-Putlibai couple. Early on in his childhood, the stories of King Harishchandra and his values on truth made a huge impact on Gandhi’s mind. Later, in 1888, he left India and went to London to pursue his law studies. In 1891, he returned to India but left in 1893 to pursue a case in South Africa. The 21 long years Gandhi spent in South Africa gave him perspective on many things, and there he formed his political ideologies and ethics. His philosophies and methodologies, like Satyagraha (holding firmly to truth), were formed during his time in South Africa while fighting discrimination against Indians and Africans; to quote historian Arthur L. Herman, Gandhi’s experiences in South Africa turned him into an “uncompromising non-cooperator.”

In 1915, Gandhi returned to India with the reputation he earned from his work in South Africa and joined the Indian National Congress. You might be already familiar with the rest of the history; Gandhi had a huge role in the Indian independence movement, and he taught us to fight using tools such as ahimsa (non-violence), satyagraha (holding firmly to truth), and the non-cooperation movement. Champaran agitations, Kheda agitations, non-cooperation movement, salt satyagraha, civil disobedience movement, and Quit India movement were all movements that were influenced by Gandhi and created strong waves against the British Raj. Gandhi is an indelible part of India’s movement for independence, and he created and vouched for many ideologies on which our country is built.

Why do we celebrate Gandhi Jayanti?

Like we mentioned before, Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated on the birth anniversary of Gandhi, and October 2 is also celebrated as an international day of non-violence. We celebrate this day to remember Gandhi and his teachings. Non-cooperation as a tool to fight a tyrant government was a novel idea during his time, but it is relevant more than ever now, and most of all, his teachings on non-violence are one of the most valuable ideologies that formulated during the Indian independence movement and spread across the world in the succeeding years.

How do we celebrate Gandhi Jayanti?

Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated across the country by everyone on October 2nd every year. As part of the national celebrations, the prime minister president of our country visits and participates in the prayer meeting at Raj Ghat, Delhi, where Mahatma Gandhi is cremated. Tributes are conducted across the country near statues of Gandhi. Schools and colleges celebrate Gandhi Jayanthi by conducting cultural events and exhibitions. Celebrations are conducted in the form of performances, organised programs, songs, and exhibitions across the country to understand and promote Gandhi and his teachings.

Gandhi’s ideologies and influence are something that transcended borders and inspired leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela to fight for freedom and justice. His ideas, service, and advocacy for peaceful resistance, equality, education, and social upliftment have left an imprint on the Indian soil and celebrating these ideas is essential to creating the better India that he envisioned.

Conclusion

In this article, we just scratched the surface of a big subject and personality, but if you’d like to know more about Mahatma Gandhi, there are several books you could refer to, including his own autobiography called ‘The Story of My Experiments with Truth’. Akshharam Malayalam language reading class online wishes you a very happy and insightful Gandhi Jayanti! Connect with us through our website to learn more about our online Malayalam classes for kids.