MAHATMA GANDHI NG INDIA

MAHATMA GANDHI NG INDIA
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the preeminent leader of Indian independence movement in British-ruled India. Employing nonviolent civil disobedience, Gandhi led India to independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. The honorific Mahatma (Sanskrit: "high-souled", "venerable"[2])—applied to him first in 1914 in South Africa,[3]—is now used worldwide. He is also called Bapu (Gujarati: endearment for "father",[4] "papa"[4][5]) in India.
Born and raised in a Hindu merchant caste family in coastal Gujarat, western India, and trained in law at the Inner Temple, London, Gandhi first employed nonviolent civil disobedience as an expatriate lawyer in South Africa, in the resident Indian community's struggle for civil rights. After his return to India in 1915, he set about organising peasants, farmers, and urban labourers to protest against excessive land-tax and discrimination. 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, but above all for achieving Swaraj or self-rule.
Gandhi famously led Indians in challenging the British-imposed salt tax with the 400 km (250 mi) Dandi Salt March in 1930, and later in calling for the British toQuit India in 1942. He was imprisoned for many years, upon many occasions, in both South Africa and India. Gandhi attempted to practise nonviolence and truth in all situations, and advocated that others do the same. He lived modestly in a self-sufficient residential community and wore the traditional Indian dhoti and shawl, woven with yarn hand spun on a charkha. He ate simple vegetarian food, and also undertook long fasts as the means to both self-purification and social protest.
Gandhi's vision of a free India based on religious pluralism, however, was challenged in the early 1940s by a new Muslim nationalism which was demanding a separate Muslim homeland carved out of India.[6] Eventually, in August 1947, Britain granted independence, but the British Indian Empire[6] was partitioned into two dominions, a Hindu-majority India and Muslim Pakistan.[7]As many displaced Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs made their way to their new lands, religious violence broke out, especially in the Punjab and Bengal. Eschewing the official celebration of independence in Delhi, Gandhi visited the affected areas, attempting to provide solace. In the months following, he undertook several fasts unto death to promote religious harmony. The last of these, undertaken on 12 January 1948 at age 78,[8] also had the indirect goal of pressuring India to pay out some cash assets owed to Pakistan.[8] Some Indians thought Gandhi was too accommodating.[8][9] Among them was Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist, who assassinated Gandhi on 30 January 1948 by firing three bullets into his chest at point-blank range.[9]
Indians widely describe Gandhi as the father of the nation.[10][11] His birthday, 2 October, is commemorated as Gandhi Jayanti, a national holiday, and world-wide as the International Day of Nonviolence.

Gandhi's Contribution To Society

Perhaps the largest thing Gandhi is well known for throughout the world are his contributions to society. He strongly believed that his Indian people deserved equal rights and better living conditions. All of his revolutions and movements were contributions to society. Gandhi's focus in life was on politics, and politics are straightly related to the society. The largest of his contributions was the Indian independence. By himself, he started a movement with thousands of followers using non-violent tactics. He lead this movement for years and constantly faced challenges from the government until finally receiving independence from the British. Gandhi portrays the perfect example of how one little person can make such a difference in the society and even the world. A country gaining independence from another country's rule is huge, and Gandhi is individually credited for that. He started out as a normal shy little kid that went through to study law where he learned a great deal about politics. He decided that he didn't like what he was seeing and he wasn't going to stand around and watch like everyone else so he did the best he could to make a difference. And that turned into so much more than he probably expected when he first started. Today, he is still recognized for the difference he made. His contribution to society still remains because of his impact on the world. Indians are still respected more than what they had before, and they are still independent. His movements and famous quotes still inspire equality and justice in the world today. Another massive contribution that remains today is from his non-violence tactics. He showed us that you can achieve your goals in life without violence, and that violence is never the answer. These things inspire millions today and i know this because they inspired me. You can't just sum up his contributions to society as what he accomplished in his lifetime, because it's so much bigger than that. A perfect example of Gandhi's accomplishments influencing others to stand up is the famous tank man. It is said that Gandhi's stand against the government inspired him to do the same. This unknown man knew that it would lead to prison or death. His little action of standing in front of the tanks was talked about all around the world, just as Gandhi's accomplishments are. Gandhi isn't famous for his contribution to the Hindu religion, he's famous for what he contributed to the Indian society, which affected the whole world and still does to this day.

Mahatma Gandhi inspired the world with his faith in truth and justice for all Mankind. He was a great soul who loved even those who fought against his ideals to bring about peace with non-violence.
QUALITIES OF GANDHI
Honesty: Gandhi, as a child, during the time of inspection in the school, when his teacher helped him to copy the answers, proved his mettle by plainly rejecting the offer. This little incident tells us that, even at the early age, external image or opinion didn’t matter him much. He did have a strong value system and inbuilt convictions in him.
Constructive use of anger: We are all aware, how young Gandhi was humiliated in a train in South Africa, by whites. It’s quite natural that Gandhi felt angry and humiliated. But what I admire in him is the constructive use of that anger. The humiliating experience helped him to work systematically, against the societal injustice and oppression. Gandhi channelized his anger to work towards a noble cause of liberating the humanity. Isn’t this a beautiful way of expressing one’s emotion?
Undying spirit: Once convinced and determined about something, Gandhi would not look back. He was also able to take the crowds with him and enthuse them to work towards the goal. Rain or sunshine, joys or struggles, in prison or out in the field, Gandhi reciprocated the undying spirit, within and around him.
Tremendous visionary: If Gandhi succeeded in getting the people to fight against the mighty army of Englishmen,, it’s because he could give them a vision of a free nation, free India. For Gandhi, his vision (liberating the nation from the clutches of Englishmen), was crystal clear. With this noble vision in him, he put his whole self into achieving it. And we today live his vision in our lives.
Human with frailties: Gandhi did have his own struggles as a person. He knew that he was a fragile human. Amidst the active and vibrant life outside, he also learnt to face his inner life. Thus today it is not only what he did for India inspires us rather, Gandhi as a person inspires us.
Innovative and creative: His methods were different. When the world thought of peace and liberty, possible only through violence, Gandhi introduced non violent Satyagraha. What the bloody bullets couldn’t achieve, the nonviolent means of Gandhi did. We have also heard enough a few months ago about his celibacy experiments. These and several other incidents tell us one truth that Gandhi was innovative and creative in his life.
Selfless: Going through the life of Gandhi, I feel more and more convinced that he was not a self centered person. Even when the whole nation was rejoicing, at the independence,, he spent time in a far way place alone. The praise, the slogans, the honour, did not matter him much. He was clear about his way and his goals.
Gandhi was spiritual: Gandhi dealt with the outer world with his rich inner resources. He took time to be with himself and to deeply reflect on matters. He was interested in other religious teachings too. History tells us that, before he undertook any major project or decision, he would spend days together in prayer and fasting to make sure that he had achieved purity of intention and there was no selfish motive or personal interest in it. Gandhi, after an event would sit and take a critical look at the actions and things. His deep relation with the divine flew into action. Thus he could keep striving, without attaching himself to reward or result.
On the eve of Independence, saluting the flag on the Red Fort, Jawaharlal Nehru recalled the dream of Gandhi, ‘....to wipe every tear from every eye....and as long as there are tears, our work will not be over.
As we remember this noble soul, we are invited to continue the work towards forming a humane and a just society. Let Gandhi – the man of the millennium, inspire us.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahatma_Gandhi http://zenhabits.net/mahatma-gandhis-5-teachings-to-bring-about-world-peace/ http://bryanlabadie.blogspot.com/2012/05/gandhis-contribution-to-society.html