Mahatma Gandhi

Brandon Walton
Becich, 4
English 10
10 February 2014
The Great Soul
“Whenever I despair, I remember that the way of truth and love has always won. There may be tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they may seem invincible, but in the end, they always fail. Think of it: always.” – Mohandas Gandhi. Aroused by the massacre of Amritsar in 1919, Gandhi put all his life’s effort into breaking free from the clutches of Great Britain. As the principal figure used his influential philosophy of non-violent confrontation, he inspired political activists with many persuasions throughout the whole world. Not only was Mohandas Gandhi a glorious diplomat, but also his effort to achieve liberty and equality for all people were greatly acknowledged. Gandhi’s alternative method of leadership gained him the love of a nation and eventually enabled him to lead the independence movement in India. Gandhi’s early life did not foreshadow his eventual role in reshaping India, and the world. He was born into a prosperous family on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, a seaside town between Bombay and Karachi (the region of Gujarat, a state today tragically torn by Hindu-Muslim conflict) (Deats, Jegen 17). His mother practiced Jainism, a Hindu-based religion which ideas of nonviolence and vegetarianism. Mohandas Gandhi has claimed that his mother was his biggest influence, whose life consisted of numerous fasts and vows. As a boy, Gandhi had his share of petty vices. He began to smoke when he was twelve, sometimes stealing money from the house to pay for cigarettes. He also started to eat meat—in secret of course, because all his family was strict vegetarians and eating meat was a regarded as a sin (Byrne pg. 11). Gandhi felt great regret for going behind his families back, and he vowed to himself that he would never touch meat or sin again. His eldest brother and a family friend suggested that Mohandas should go to England to study and become a barrister. Mohandas was thrilled. It was a great opportunity to see the world. His mother, however, disapproved. She did not like the idea of her son being so far away from her (“Gandhi goes to England to study law” par. 1). . After he agreed to not touch alcohol, animal meat, or girls, his mother gave him her blessing and his brother loaned him some money. Although he always wanted to try something in the medical field, the idea of going to England excited Gandhi. On January 30th, 1948, Gandhi was walking slowly from his home to attend a prayer meeting, when thirty-nine years old Hindu named Nathuram Godse, who believed Gandhi was hurting the Hindus by befriending the Muslims, shot the Mahatma after bowing to him. A crowd gathered around, and a few minutes later an unnamed man came out to the awaiting crowd and announced that the glorious old man, who sacrificed all he had for his country, who reshaped numerous lives, who changed the course of the world, who inspired mankind till his end, was dead. One of the most powerful men in all of India was murdered in cold blood.
Gandhi believed in a non-violent way of life, and this is how he led India. He would hold non-violent protests to attempt to get Great Britain out of their land. India wanted to be free from the clutches of Great Britain, and Gandhi led the way. In Donn Byrne’s biography on the life of Gandhi, Donn examines Gandhi’s Salt March: Gandhi’s first move was on 26 January 1930, when he called on all Indians to celebrate independence by taking a pledge to support the civil disobedience campaign. The response was favourable-but still Gandhi waited… Gandhi’s plan was that Indians must break the Salt Law by making their own salt. Salt was a Government monopoly and there was a tax on it. It was a tax that everyone-rich and poor-had to pay because everyone needed salt… Gandhi, with real theatrical instinct, announced that he himself would give a signal for breaking the law. He would march from the Sabarmati Ashram to the sea together with a select band of satyagrahis. There, at a place called Dandi, which was over two hundred miles from Ahmedabad, he would take a pinch of salt from the sea. This would be a signal for the rest of India to break the law (Byrne 84-85). Gandhi was imprisoned a few times by the British tyrants. Although it brought his actions to a halt, his followers never faltered, and they would always stay with him. Gandhi had no interest in his power; all he wanted was a free India. Gandhi cared about India as a whole, while Great Britain only wanted control of India for selfish, greedy reasons. The noble actions of Gandhi would go on to influence the people of India and many great politicians in the world. Gandhi had a huge impact on the life in India, and even an impact on the entirety of the world. Gandhi led the protests on Great Britain’s rule, and fought to see them leave his country. Gandhi inspired many people, even Martin Luther King Jr., who has alleged that his speech was inspired by Mohandas Gandhi. In the seminary, Martin Luther King, Jr., heard Mordecai Johnson preach on Gandhi. Hearing the story of Gandhi was “profound and electrifying” said King. He immediately purchased six books on Gandhi he found the method to apply the love ethic of Jesus to resist evil and to change society (Deats 101). Gandhi had a huge impact on the world, and India, to this day, is still free from British rule. Also Gandhi has gone down in history, Indians celebrate Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti, which is a special day dedicated to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the Mahatma. Gandhi most likely will not affect the future too much as he has been dead for over sixty years.
Gandhi had a rambunctious childhood, where he went through his rebellious stages as many adolescents do. Gandhi was a highly respected figure, with undistinguished, un-rivaled power, which he made sure not to abuse. He had a long-lasting affect on India, and even the whole-wide world. Gandhi was a very humble man, he never took more than he needed, and he offered all he had to his country. He sacrificed his life for his country of India. Gandhi is a widely-known historical figure and he deserves ever long fame and glory, because he was a glorious man who deserves every bit of praise he receives. For someone important to maintain their legacy all one needs to do is work for the good of others. Fight for love, not for fame or money.