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Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
An eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind.
Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.
Be the change that you wish to see in the world.
Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.
Where there is love there is life.
Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.
Hate the sin and love the sinner
God has no religion.
Nobody can hurt me without my permission.
-Quotes By Mahathma Gandhi
The birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation, is celebrated
with reverence all over the country. He is the man who played a significant role
in achiveing independence for India from the British Empire with his simplicity
and strong will power. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, also known as 'Bapu' or 'Father
of the nation', was born on the 2nd of October in 1869, in Porbunder, Gujrat. He
studied law in U.K and practiced law in South Africa. But he left his profession
and returned to India to join the Indian freedom struggle.
Gandhiji was a preacher of truth and 'Ahimsa'(non-violence).He started the 'Satyagraha'
movement for the Indian freedom struggle. He believed in living a simple life and
in 'Swadeshi'. He proved to the world that freedom can be achieved through the path
of non-violence. Gandhiji is a symbol of peace and truth.
On this day, the President and Prime Minister, along with other eminent political
leaders, pay homage at Raj Ghat - the samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi. All the offices
and schools, throughout the country, remain closed on this day.
Origin
Memories of Gandhi Jayanti go back a long way, to the schooldays. Gandhi Jayanti
did not invite any celebrations. Still, it filled us with excitement, because the
week starting on October 2 was special. That was the time when there would be little
homework and even less classwork. Lessons effectively ended by lunch-hour, and in
the second half of the day we would just 'work'. We would dig up the earth at the
back of the school and plant saplings, we would go around to the hutments and deliver
free medicines, we would paint a few walls...a variety of odd jobs that kept changing
by the day, by the year.
Later, when the week gradually dwindled and disappeared under the pressure of academics
there was a twinge of regret at the loss of good times. But while it lasted, we
didn't know what it was all about, only that it was somehow connected with Gandhi
Jayanti. We didn't ask, either - we loved what we were doing, and that was enough.
It was much later that I found out the reason for the service that we had done.
It was our way of remembering the service that Mahatma Gandhi had rendered to the
nation, our way of carrying forward his philosophy of helping oneself by helping
others, his dream of acquiring self-sufficiency, his mission of building a strong
nation. It was our pledge that we would remember Mahatma Gandhi and his contribution
to the building of the Indian nation.
History
If there was one man who was instrumental in acquiring independence for India, it
was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. This was the man - slight, bespectacled and mild
in manner - who controlled the National Movement for nearly three decades. A mass
leader, he believed that he must identify himself with the masses he leads.
M K Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, a small town on the Gujarat
coastline.
After his early education in India, he was sent to London where he qualified as
a barrister. After attempting practice in Bombay for a few months, he went to South
Africa as counsel for a wealthy Muslim client. Though he was supposed to return
after the case was sorted, he continued his stay there till 1914, leading the Indians
there against the apartheid of the British. His stint in India took a turn when
national leader Gopal Krishna Gokhale initiated him into the Indian freedom movement.
Gandhi, with his ideals of ahimsa, non-cooperation and satyagraha, soon established
himself as the frontrunner in the struggle for freedom.
From then, till India gained independence, Gandhi gathered an entire nation behind
him in his relentless quest. But Partition was a big blow to his dreams and ideals,
and Gandhi was a sad man on the night of India's Independence.
Five months after independence, Gandhiji was assassinated by Nathuram Godse while
on his way to his daily prayer meeting. The 78-year-old Father of the Nation had
left a country that was just discovering its feet, orphaned. His birthday was recognised
as a National holiday.
Gandhi was not just a political leader. In fact, he was never a keen politician.
He was a leader of the masses and always identified himself with them. All his actions
had the power to galvanise the people. When others walked out of the Assembly in
protest, Gandhi walked 100 km to the sea at Dandi to make salt illegally.
In short, he would take a step that would involve the millions, a small step by
itself, but which would magnify a million-fold. The British often wondered what
it was about Gandhi that attracted so many to him. But the people had no such questions.
They understood the way in which he identified with them. In fact, Gandhi took pains
to learn to sign his name in all the major Indian languages.
Gandhi was also deeply spiritual, and believed that all religions showed the way
to ultimate enlightenment. He also wrote a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, a book
that influenced him deeply.
Gandhi is also revered for his absolute belief in truth and ahimsa. It is this man's
birthday that we celebrate as the birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation.
His tolerance for other religions and support for the downtrodden are recognised
and honoured on this day.
Celebration
Mahatma Gandhi was a simple man, with simple tastes and high values. Respecting
that, even though Gandhi Jayanti is a national holiday, the festivities are minimal.
A prayer meeting is held at Rajghat, Gandhi's samadhi in New Delhi. To mark the
respect that Gandhi had for all the religions and communities, representatives from
different religions take part in it. Verses and prayers are read out from the holy
books of all the religions. Gandhi's favourite song, Raghupati Raghava, is invariably
sung at all the meetings associated with him. Prayer meetings are held in various
state capitals as well. Gandhi Jayanti is observed all over the country, both in
government and non-government forums.
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