LOVELY LIFE
Tuesday 30 April 2013
Top 10 Greatest things done by Mahatma
Top 10 Greatest things done by Mahatma
Gandhi
There
is absolutely no second thought when anyone says that Mahatma Gandhi was the
among best person who ever existed. With the amount of good work that he did
for the people and the society earned him the title of Bapu. Still when he is
not around, there are lots and lots of respect provided to him by the people
situated in every corner of the world. Among the numerous number of work which
he had done for the betterment of the society we have here listed the top ten
such greatest things which makes him even more great. Here follows the list
next.
10.
Started Salt March
In the
year 1930, Mahatma Gandhi started the Salt March from the place called as
Ahmedabad. His march continued for 388 kilometers to the place called as Dandi
which is in Gujarat. He started this salt march against the Britishers who were
imposing the salt law on the people who were involved in the salt business in
Gujarat. This not only destroyed their business but was also an extra
unnecessary burden on them. On 12 March he started this march to show the
Britishers that they will not act according to their will. This march continued
till 6 April and many people from around the country joined this march.
9.
Wrote His Autobiography
All
through his life Gandhiji led his life with example and then later on he wrote
his own autobiography which was named as “The Story of My Experiments with
Truth”. This autobiography covered every little aspect of Gandhi’s life, his
struggles in South Africa and then in India. It also covered his childhood
struggle which made him such a noble person. This autobiography is like an
inspiration for the millions of people who have read it. They learnt the fact
that there might be hundreds of problem in your life but we should not get
frightened from them and should make them our source of motivation.
8. Set
Example for People to Follow his Footsteps
There
is no second thought the today there are millions of people around the globe as
well as many organisation which are working on the teachings of this noble man.
He gave society the new idea so as to how things can be done without any kind
of unnecessary violence and all through his life he did so many good things
that it gives inspiration to the people so as to how they should live their
life too. He taught that we should think our self as superior to any other
people and should live with humanity and love for everyone. Many international
leaders such as Martin Luther King and other followed his footsteps so as to
work for the betterment of the society.
7.
Fought for the People Who Were Considered as Untouchables
One of
the major thing for which Mahatma Gandhi fought all through his life was the
fact that he considered every single person as the same and according to him
there is absolutely no reason why anyone should be discriminated on the basis
of this. And so while he was in South Africa or in India he fought against it.
He treated every single person with same attitude and that is something which
is incredible. His teaching on this which says not to discriminate people on
the basis of race, religion, and sex is something which should be followed for
the betterment of the society.
6.
Started Non Cooperation Movement
Right
in the year 1920, when Mahatma Gandhi left the Indian National Congress and was
fighting for India’s freedom struggle with some of his trusted people and his
newly launched Swaraj Party, he started the Non Cooperation movement in which
the people were involved in a large scale. They just started not to cooperate
in every little thing which was done under the guidance of the British
authorities and forced them to think about their future stay in the country. He
called off his non-cooperation movement when Chauri Chaura incident took place
as it was against its principles.
5.
Started Civil Disobedience Movement
In the
year 1930, Mahatma Gandhi started a new movement with the aim to throw the
Britishers out of the country and save the people from the clutches of the
ruthless Britishers. This movement is said to be the one of the milestone which
ever happened in India’s freedom struggle. This civil disobedience movement was
started to slap the Britishers face by not following the laws which were made
according to their constitutions and according to Mahatma Gandhi this was also
done by following the foot step of non-violence. This is one such incident
which shook the Britishers from its core.
4. Gave
INC New Agenda and Principles
Just
after Gandhiji returned from South Africa where he was fighting for civil
rights, he joined the Indian National Congress along with the support of
different leaders which were there in Indian National Congress. It was in the
year 1915 that Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi took over the reign as the party
president of the INC and then in his tenure while being the Congress president,
he gave the party and its follower’s new principles and ideas to work upon.
Although his ideas were rejected by many fellow leaders and that became the
reason why he left INC and formed a new party named as Swaraj Party.
3.
Follower of Non Violence
Mahatma
Gandhi was the true follower of the non-violence and he believed that there was
absolutely no need of violence in getting the things done as per the need. He
believed that the same things can be done even you follow the non-violence
approach. Although the path of the non-violence is something in which there
will be more struggle and efforts but then it is far more beneficial as it does
not involve any loss of human life, which is the most important thing. He
believed there is no such thing which can’t be obtained while following the
foot step on the roads of non-violence.
2.
Started Civil Rights Movement in South Africa
When
Mahatma Gandhi went to the South Africa to practice law, he was very much
disappointed by the attitude that people had for the people belonging to
certain section of the society. He felt that the discrimination that was made
was absolutely not right and this should be avoided so that South Africa can
progress in every field. There were large sections of people in the South
Africa who not only supported him in his noble cause but also came forward to
work for it. Finally it was his effort and hard work in this field which made
thing good in South Africa.
1. Led
India’s Freedom Struggle
Mahatma
Gandhi is one of the prime people who led the India’s freedom struggle. We can
say that it was his idea to lead the freedom struggle of the country with the
aim of non-violence. With his determined approach, this made the Britishers
think about their stay in India. Whenever we will talk about the freedom
struggle which took place in India and how India managed to get back from the
clutches of the Britishers, Mahatma Gandhi is the first person who will be
remembered then. His efforts in this field proved to be one such thing which
motivated millions of people across the country to fight for their freedom.
Top 10 Facts about Shaheed Bhagat Singh
Top 10 Facts about Shaheed Bhagat Singh
Who is
a leader? He is that fool who dares to go beyond the obvious, he is that person
who turns left when everyone is going right, he is that person who raise the
voice when all the others are deeply lost in slumber, he is that person who
does not stand behind the line but stands somewhere where no one has ever stood
before. That fool becomes the leader when other people join him. A person alone
cannot do anything, a person alone is powerless, individually he is helpless
unless others join him and he is the most powerful when he has numbers.
Shaheed
bhaghat Singh is one of those people who had the courage of going beyond the
obvious, who did something no one ever did before, that young man at the age of
23 choose death. The sky still remembers the smile, the joy and the composure
on the faces of those three friends, few moments before being hanged to death
they were frolicking & frisking as were they were going for an adventure.
When death was few moments away, they were not scared; they were content as if
they were lined up for the distribution of the gold medal they have earned. Few
seconds before begin hanged to death, they were not thinking about saving their
lives or dying but they were arguing with each other about who shall be hanged
first.
Bhagat
Singh was born on 28 September 1907 in Faisalabad, India to a Sikh family, to a
family who was already involved in the fight for independence. He along with
his two friends; sukhdevand raj guru was handed to death on 23 march 1931.
They were imprisoned for the charge of the killing of a police man, when they
went to jail and saw the situations of the prisoners and just couldn’t endure
it. He knew he is going to die, but he was not sad, he was happy; he wanted to die
because he knew that his death would bring the change he couldn’t bring in his
life and his death did bring a very massive refinement. His death created a
very big chaos not only in India but globally. Shaheed bhagat Singh’s life was
a very short lived one but during this brief period he did such big things that
today after so many years he is recognized as the symbol of martyrdom, but
bhagat Singh was a human, he was a son, a boy, a human, a friend, he had life
like all of us, he also had likes and dislikes which we do not know about, so
the top ten thing you do not know about bhagat Singh are:
10. He
studied at the national college Lahore:
Like
all the children he was born into a loving and caring family, he did become a
leader later but in the beginning he was a normal child who received normal
education. Bhaghat Singh’s family enrolled him at the Dayanand Anglo Vedic High school and after completing his schooling he
got admitted at the national
college Lahore.
9. He
was fluent in 5 languages:
Bhagat
was a highly intelligent person; he had a very sharp brain. At an early age he
learned multiple languages and became fluent in them. He learns English,
Arabic, Polish, French and Swedish.
8. His
childhood dream was the independence of India:
Bhagat
Singh like all the other children of his age did not dream about getting a good
life for him, he dreamed of something else, he wanted to bring peace and
independence in India; he wanted to create a better life not for himself but
for other people. And in the end he did that, he gave up his life for the sake
of his country.
7. He
ran from his house:
Bhagat
Singh at an early age made his mind about what he wanted from life, at a quite
early age he entered the spiritual world, now for him this material world was
nothing, the lust couldn’t lure him. His parents wanted to get him married and
he didn’t want to get married. He didn’t want a bride, he wanted martyrdom
therefore he ran from his house leaving behind a letter which explained his
family his motives.
6. He
coined inquilab zindabad:
Yes the
most famous slogan at the time of independence, the slogan which was the
foundation of the Indian independent movement, the slogan which till today is
widely used was coined by bhagat Singh. He after throwing the bomb in the
central assembly ran from there, and he was chanting he slogan of inquilab
zindabad.
5. He
was a writer:
Bhagat
Singh was a great write, he wrote for several news papers after he got released
from the jail. But when he was imprisoned for the second time, he went on a
protest, he knew he was going to die, he was to be hanged. So he started writing
a dairy, in that dairy he poured out his heart. He also wrote an article named
as “why am I atheist?” which gave a comprehension of why he lost believe in
God. His work was later published after his execution.
4. He
was an actor:
Most of
the people do not know that bhagat Singh is an ancestor of the bollywood star
aamir khan, aamir khan’s family has been in acting for a long time but have you
ever though from where did his acting talent came. It came from bhagat Singh,
bhagat was a brilliant actor and he appeared in various plays in his college as
Rana Pratap, Samrat Chandragupta, and Bharata durdesha.
3. He
didn’t agree with Gandhi:
Although
Mahatma Gandhi and bhagat Singh both wanted the independence of India but their
ways where different and their ideologies were poles apart. Gandhi strongly
opposed bhagat’s act of violence and bhagat on the other hand did not agree
with Gandhi’s peaceful way. Bhagat said that a man like Gandhi who himself has
never indulges in the middles class people can never understand the pain of
poor people.
2. He
was an atheist:Bhagat
Singh was born to a Sikh family and was raised as a Sikh, since his childhood
he was taught to pray regularly and he knew all the versus by heart which he
used to recite the entire day. It was after reading the work of Marx, Lenin and
Trotsky that his religious belief started to limp; his belief in God vanished
after he understood the reality of this world. When in jail, he left
praying and started to address himself as an atheist.
1. He
was non-violent:
Bhagat
singh was not a violent man, it was the circumstances which had compelled him
to act in such a way, the last thing he wanted was violence but he had no
choice. He never meant harm to any human, the bombs which he along with his
friends threw at the central Assembly were not severe, and they material they
used were a very low grade explosive. The murder of Saunderwas too a case of
mistaken identity.
Gandhi’s life and his work in brief
Birth and Parents
Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869,
at Porbandar. Mohandas or Mohan was youngest of the three sons of Putlibai
and Karamchand Gandhi. The latter had been Prime Minister successively in
three Kathiawar States. He was straight and true as steel, known for his
steadfastness and loyalty. The little house were Gandhi was born is today the
"Kirti Mandir".
Early Influences
Putlibai was a traditional Indian
woman, devoted to her home and family, deeply religious and austere. These
qualities left a deep impression on young Gandhi. Another powerful influence
of Gandhi’s early life was seeing King Harishchandra, in the play, suffer
for, but finally triumph in, his adherence to Truth. The boy Gandhi aspired
to do no less.
Schooling
At school, first the primary at
Porbandar, and later the Albert High School, Rajkot, Gandhi showed no
particular brilliance, played no games, avoided company. He read little
beyond text books, but respected his teacher, though, even at his biding, he
would not copy from his neighbour’s answers.
Kasturba and Laxmidas
Marriage with Kasturba, at the age of
thirteen, was almost play. But Gandhi began as a jealous and possessive
husband; he wanted to make his illiterate wife an ideal one. The other person
he was much attached to was his eldest brother Laxmidas. When their father
was no more, it was Laxmidas who helped to educate him and sent him to
England for legal studies.
In London
Putlibai let Gandhi go abroad only
after he vowed to lead a chaste and simple life. For a while Gandhi was
tempted to ape English dress and manners. But soon he returned to simplicity.
A vegetarian by tradition he soon became one by conviction, joining and
working actively for the London Vegetarian Society. He was called to the Bar
in June 1891.
The challenge in South
Africa
In 1893, Gandhi went to South Africa
to handle a case. But though his legal work was soon over, he remained there
for 21 years, fighting for Indian rights and defending indentured labour in
low courts against discrimination. In this he was assisted by European staff
and associates like Polak and Kallenbach.
Ashram Settlement
In founding and running his Ashram
settlement at Phoenix and Tolstoy farm, Gandhi was much influenced by Tolstoy
and Ruskin towards leading a simple community life. The third of "the
moderns" who impressed Gandhi was Raj Chandra, the Jain philosopher and
intellectual.
Service in hour of need
Gandhi combined his opposition to
wrong with the compassion for the wrong-doer. During the Boer war and the
Zulu rebellion he helped the Government at the hour of its need, by raising
Indian Ambulance and Stretcher-bearer Corps which served close to the line of
fire. Gandhi was awarded medals for this service.
The Indian struggle
The Natal India congress founded by
Gandhi in 1894, on lines similar to the Indian National Congress, and later
the British Indian committee in the Transvaal fought against restriction on
Indian trade, movement and residence. During the campaign against the ‘Black’
Registration Act, Gandhi lit a grand bonfire of thousands of the registration
certificates.
The Tolstoy Farm
The Passive Resistance Struggle was
to be long-drawn-out. Thousands of satyagrahis suffered imprisonment, loss of
property, trade. Tolstoy farm was built by Gandhi on land donated by
Kallenbach, as a colony for housing satyagrahis families. They did farming,
grew fruit, followed simple crafts and conducted school — all noble
experiments in community living.
Gokhale
The Great March: - Gokhale visited
south Africa in 1892, and studied the Indian problems first-hand. He met
government leaders and securing promise of relief counselled Indian
moderation. But government failure to abolish the 5 poll-tax drove them to
despair. In November 1913, Gandhi led the ‘Great March’ from Natal into the
Transvaal, defying law.
The Martyrs
After Gandhi, Polak and Kallenbach
were arrested and jailed. Woman too courted imprisonment. Later the
government released them and set up the Solomon commission of inquiry. C. F.
Andrews and Person visited South Africa and interceded with the Government.
Gandhi attend the unveiling of a memorial for Martyrs like Nagappan and
Vilvilliamma.
The Mahatma Leaves
The Indian relief passed, Gandhi
decided to return to India. After receiving farewell tributes, the Mahatma
left South Africa in July 1914. When in England, enroute home, the great war
broke out. Gandhi helped to raise an Indian Volunteer Corps. In December,
Gandhi and Kasturba sailed for India.
Voyage home
On the voyage home, Gandhi wondered
what was in store for him, he prayed "Lead Kindly Light". Back in
India with Kasturba, clad in simple Kathiawadi clothes, Gandhi turned to
Gokhale, his "Political Guru", for guidance. He was advised to
closed study of scene, while refraining for making political speeches.
Hero’s welcome
The man in South Africa, who had
striven valiantly, through satyagraha, for his peoples' honour and human
dignity, received a Hero’s welcome everywhere. He traveled widely north and
south, mostly by third class of the railways. Visiting Shantiniketan to meet
Gurudev—Rabindranath – Tagore – was like going on a pilgrimage.
Honoured by all
In Madras Natesan described Gandhi as
the embodiment of godliness and the wisdom of the saint and Kasturba as the
incarnation of wifely virtue. In may 1915, Gandhi settled down at Kochrab,
near Ahmedabad, where he founded the Satyagraha ashram. Honours came to
him-the Kaiser-I-Hind and other medals for his ambulance services in war.
Champaran Satyagraha
Outward trappings meant little to
Gandhi. At Banaras he blamed the Princes for their love of finery. At
Allahabad he declared material progress of little worth without morality.
Gandhi's first satyagraha test in India came in Champaran, Bihar, in 1917 and
it led to inquiry into the evil Indigo system and help to end it.
Sabarmati Ashram
When in 1917 plague broke out at
Kochrab, Gandhi moved his Ashram to Sabarmati. Hriday Kunj became his abode ;
Kasturba lived in a separate Kuti, bound by her husband’s vow of brahmacharya.
Close at hand were the grounds where Gandhi gathered Ashram inmates, morning
and evening, for prayer.
Satyagraha again
Lokmanya Tilak dominated Indian
politics at this time. But, in 1918, Gandhi emerged into National Leadership
through satyagraha – for remission of land revenue in famine-stricken Kheda
district; also the Ahmedabad Mills-hands’ strike, during which he fasted,
lest strikers weaken. At prayer meetings under a tree, he called for
discipline and concern for duties, not merely rights.
Bitter Fruit
The end of the great war brought
India no freedom, only more repression. Gandhi called for country-wide hartal
to protest against the Rowlatt Act Of 1919. In mosques and on beaches he
preached Satyagraha; pacified rioters at Bombay and Ahmedabad; but
Jallianwala in Punjab was to witness an unprecedented and cold blooded
massacre.
Jallianwala Bagh
Massacre
People massed in thousands, to protest
against Govt. repressive policy, at Jallianwala Bagh. Determined to
"Make an example of them", the Government ordered troops to fire on
the unarmed crowd. Hundreds died. Martial law and a reign of terror followed.
Deeply shocked Gandhi returned his war decorations, decided to non-cooperate
with a government that was evil.
Non-cooperation is Born
The Indian National Congress at
Calcutta approved of non-cooperation: boycott of law-courts, government
educational institutions and foreign goods. Gandhi saw it as the only
alternative to violence for redress of the Khilafats and the Punjab wrongs.
The founding of Gujarat Vidyapith in November 1920 was a symbol of the
national re-awakening.
Swaraj fund-Swadeshi
"Swaraj in one year" was
Gandhi’s slogan. Leaders of many shades came together, as at Madras, but few
trusted Swaraj could came so quickly. The people rising to Gandhi’s call,
raised a 10 million rupee memorial fund for Tilak who died on August 1, 1920.
A year later a spectacular bonfire of foreign cloth ushered in the era of
Swadeshi.
From Yerawada to
Belgaum
1922 saw an eclipse: following
violence at Chauri Chaura, Gandhi suspended non-cooperation. Arrested for
seditious writings for Young India and tried March 18, he was sentenced to
six years, but an operation of appendicitis brought early release from
Yerawada Prison. 1924 was to see him once again at the helm at a Belgaum
congress.
‘Unity’ Fast
In September 1924, Gandhi imposed on
himself a 21 days fast to end Hindu-Muslim tension, an act of religion which
taught him to love all equally. It restored peace in the riot-ridden country,
brought all leaders together, led to some cleansing of hearts. It resulted in
a communal truce.
Deshbandhu’s Death
1925 was a year of calamity:
Deshbandhu C. R. Das, Swarajist leader, died in June at Darjeeling where
Gandhi had just spent some days with him. It had brought nearer, the Mahatma
who preached non-cooperation, and Deshbandhu who gave fight to the Government
to the councils. Disconsolate at his death, Gandhi wrote a touching obituary
in the glow of the funeral pyre.
On many fronts
1925-28 provided two landmarks of
Gandhi’s leadership; Vaikom Satyagraha for giving untouchables use of temple
roads, and the founding of All-India Spinner’s Association. For the rest the
stage was occupied by Lajpat Rai, martyred during the Simon Commission
boycott, hero of the Bardoli Satyagraha, Motilal Nehru, author of the
Constitution Report, and Jawaharlal, champion of the "Complete
Independence" resolution at the Calcutta congress.
Wheel of Time
And so the Wheel of time turned on.
Gandhi’s use of the bicycle- a rare performance in order to be punctual at a
meeting – indicated the lengths he was ready to go. And his constant
companion, the spinning wheel, remained with him wherever he went, an
instrument which spun the destiny of the country and symbolised his
identification with the poor.
Salt Satyagraha
1929-30: "The Year of
Grace". Gandhi was gathering his forces for onslaught on the citadel of
authority. The "Salt Satyagraha" was not merely a protest against
taxing the poor man’s diet, or a disobedience of the salt laws. In Gandhi’s eyes
it was a "battle of right against might". While the world wondered,
the "Dandi March" became the "first shot" in this unique
fight.
Dandi March
Small though the chosen band, its 200
mile march to the sea recalled the other "Great March" of 1913
Gandhi had led in South Africa. He had sent viceroy Irwin an
"Ultimatum" before embarking on civil disobedience. On "bended
knees" he had asked "for bread and received a stone instead".
On the night of may 5, 1930, they stole up to him like thieves in the night
and arrested him.
Truce and Release
India was afire. Satyagraha, strikes,
picketing, boycott of foreign goods and no-tax campaigns were the order of
the day. Lakhs were jailed. Thousands suffered loss of limb, hundreds died on
lathi charges, firing. Sapru, Jaykar helped to bring about a truce. Gandhi
was released on June 25, 1931. While resting in Bombay, he took counsels with
his associates, he wanted peace but with honour.
The Nehrus
Drawn into the political struggle,
largely under Gandhi's influence, Motilal and Jawaharlal occupied the centre
of the stage. At Allahabad they had presided over and addressed meetings
attended by leaders like Kripalani, Tandon, Malaviya. When in February 1931,
Motilal died, Gandhi felt "Widowed", and said, "What I have
lost is loss for ever". Jawaharlal was a rich legacy.
Karachi Mandate
The congress met at Karachi in March,
adopted a resolution moved by Jawaharlal and seconded by Badshan Khan
endorsing the Gandhi-Irwin Pact. It reaffirmed the goal of "Poorna
Swaraj", authorised Gandhi to represent it at the Second Round Table
Conference in London. Congress also extolled the bravery of Bhagat Singh and
his associates who were martyrs in the country’s struggle for freedom.
Way Clear for R. T. C.
Official implementation of the Gandhi-Irwin
Pact was partial. There was repression in the frontier province, tension in
U. P. Gandhi stood by the pledge to honour the truce and acquainted Viceroy
Willingdon at Simla with official branches. After a second settlement, in
August, Gandhi saw the way clear for the R. T. C.; at Bombay the nation bade
him speed on August 29.
In Quest of Freedom
Malaviya, Sarojini Naidu, Madhav and
Pyarelal- his secretary, Miraben and son Devdas accompanied Gandhi. On board
S.S. Rajputana he was in high spirits, chatted with other passengers, made
friends and played with children, held prayer meetings, spoke, examined the
ship’s instruments, dozed on the sunlit deck, and most of the time plied the
spinning wheel.
Friends Every Where
At Suez, port side, Gandhi received
Egypt’s greetings, met Indian deputations, talked to journalists. At
Marseilles he met European friends, like Deenbandhu C. F. Andrews. Arriving
in London on September 12, Gandhi and party proceeded to the East End, the quarter
of the poor coal miners and factory hands, lived in their midst at Kingsley
Hall, managed by Muriel Lester, his English hostess.
Meeting the people
Scotland Yard had provided two top
detectives to guard him, but he needed none. Wherever Mahatma went, children
and women, simple folk and sophisticated gentry flocked round him, as when
Charles Chaplin, the famous comedian, called. And it is on record that it was
Gandhi who made him laugh.
Talking to Leaders
Gandhi met many groups of
intellectuals, social workers and students. Addressed many meetings. He
visited coal miners cottages, east end children celebrated his birthday with
candles and cakes, leaders of all shades of thought-social, political,
religious- discussed India with him; for instance, the "Red Dean"
of Canterbury, Dr. Hewlett Johnson.
Welcome in Lancashire
Gandhi visited the cotton mills
District in Lancashire, hard hit by foreign cloth boycott. Looms were idle,
chimneys unsmoking, men unemployed, women miserable. But when he talked to them,
explained the plight of India’s peasants, they understood him and even
cheered him. And he took time off to attend the Dairy Animal show at
Islington and to pat the prize-winning goats.
Futile Quest
And in the midst of all his social
calls, Gandhi attended to his main business, the Round Table Conference. He
pleaded fervently with the British leaders to give his country freedom, to
avoid parting of ways. But they did not listen to him and he left Britain’s
shores empty-handed. On the way home at Villeneuve in Switzerland Gandhi met
Romain Rolland, the French savant.
Fresh Ordeal
1932: Returning to India, Gandhiji
saw Willingdon’s Ordinance raj everywhere: close associates and colleagues
were arrested. Soon he himself was taken to Yeravda Prison. In September he
fasted against the Communal violence lying under the mango tree. He stirred
the Hindu conscience, that led to the Yeravda Pact. On a second fast, in May
1933, for Harijan work, he was released.
From Sabarmati to
Segaon
In July 1933, after the solemn last
prayer, Gandhi disbanded the Sabarmati Ashram. In September he moved to
Satyagraha Ashram at Wardha. Henceforth, the morning walks were on Wardha’s
plains. In November, he commenced his country-wide Harijan tour, starting
from Nagpur, for rousing the masses to a sense of their duty in regard to the
abolition of untouchability.
Tireless pilgrimage
The story of Gandhiji is the story of
his tireless pilgrimage throughout the length and breadth of the country for
the emancipation of the dumb, downtrodden masses. The tour of 1934 had, for
its aim, the upliftment of the "untouchable" whom he called the
"Hari Jans" or the children of god.
The Blot of
Untouchability
Gandhiji addressed meetings, spoke to
people everywhere of the blot of untouchability and the Hindu duty to remove
it. When Bihar was devastated by the earthquake in January in 1934, he rushed
there to organize relief, but he considered disaster God’s punishment for the
sin of the Hindus.
Retirement from
Congress
In October 1934, at the Bombay
congress he parted company. He differed from congress in the interpretation
of the goal: Poorna Swaraj. For his was much more than independence. Means
mattered as much as ends. The Congress session paved the way for the setting
up the All-India Village Industrious Association.
Constructive work
Village work, Swadeshi claimed most
of Gandhiji’s time and attention. Jamnalal Bajaj, J. C. Kumarappa were among
those who teamed up with him. He addressed constructive workers from
different parts of the country, showed keen interest in such basic things as
compost-making, vital for rebuilding the village economy.
Work and Prayer
Harijan upliftment dominated
Gandhiji’s mind; he held counsel with trusted social workers such as Thakkar
Bapa. At the same time, he combined with thought and deed the act of prayer,
leading the tallest of his associates to mass prayers in the Bhangi or Harijan
colony. Meanwhile, the Government of India Act of 1935 was on the anvil.
Plague Relief
Relief to the plague-stricken had
always a special appeal for Gandhiji whether in South Africa or in India. In
1935, Borsad and other Gujarat Villages suffered an epidemic. With Morarji
Desai, Sardar Patel and other trusted lieutenants, Gandhiji toured them,
stressed on sanitation, and educated the people in the riddance of rats.
Body of Mind
In his dynamic programme for the
reconstruction of rural India, Gandhiji had the support of intellectuals like
Nehru and Azad. While, in 1936, he presided over the Literary Conference at
Nagpur and extolled the virtues of literature, he lost no opportunity to
stress the dignity of labour, setting an example himself.
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