Gandhi Jayanti is the birth anniversary of the great Indian Freedom fighter and leader Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and it is celebrated on the 2nd October every year by the entire nation and is even a gazetted holiday. This day is celebrated internationally as the day of non-violence since Gandhi preached against violence and was a pacifist. He was believed to be the ultimate embodiment of peace and truth. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on 2nd October 1869 in Porbandar, India. His movements made a huge contribution in shaping the Independence of India. He was also known as the Mahatma(Great Soul), Bapu(Father), and the Father of the Nation.
What are the Most Famous Contributions by Gandhi?
MK Gandhi’s contributions towards the betterment of India like the Civil Disobedience Movement, Salt Satyagraha, Quit India Movement, and many more made him the most influential spiritual and political leader of his time. Here is a little glimpse of his most famous and influential movements.
- Non-Violent Civil Disobedience Movement – The non-violent civil disobedience movement was the revolt against the British Emperor that did not cooperate or abide by the rules made by the British emperor.
- Salt-Satyagraha – The Salt-Satyagraha or the Salt-march was the act of extracting salt from the seawater in the coastal village of Dandi also known as Dandi-march.
- Quit-India Movement –The Quit-India movement was also known as the India-August Movement and it was the act of demanding the British to Quit India.
The Assassination of Gandhi
The afternoon of 30th January 1948 was the time when Gandhi was killed by Nathuram Godse who was a Hindu extremist and was agitated by the tolerance of Muslims by Gandhi. Gandhi was weakened by repeated hunger strikes and could not even get to his feet without any external support. When he was passing across the living quarters of the New Delhi’s Birla House ushered by his two grandnieces, Nathuram Godse suddenly, came and knelt before him and pulled out a pistol and shot him thrice on the chest. Gandhi collapsed and was not in the condition to be cured from that severe attack and passed away after fifteen minutes of battling between life and death.
How is Gandhi Jayanti Celebrated in India?
Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated in India with great enthusiasm and gratitude towards the Father of the Nation. Be it the schools, colleges, or offices Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated everywhere. Although the 2nd October is always a holiday, the celebrations are done always a day before or two. The children are taught about the contributions of Mahatma Gandhi to the country and are encouraged to adopt his belief of non-violence(Ahinsa). Mahatma Gandhi also had a concern towards the country’s cleanliness which he learned from the western culture. People are also encouraged to take up cleanliness as their prime concern. The Gandhi Jayanti celebrations are always incomplete without people singing the favorite Bhajan of Gandhi that is “Vaishnav Jan to”.
So, the entire purpose of celebrating the birth of Mahatma Gandhi is to dedicate a day towards the great leader of India without whose contribution and sacrifices India could not be free of slavery. Gandhi taught us that we don’t need to live an extraordinary life in order to do and achieve something extraordinary.