5 minute essay on Gandhi Ji

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, popularly known as Bapu and called Mahatma by Rabindra Nath Tagore, revered the world over for his non-violent philosophy of passive resistance. The man, who was later to be titled the Father of the Nation, started his big journey as an immigrant in South Africa in the early 1900s, and in the years following World War 1, he began as the leading figure in India's struggle to gain independence from the British Colonies.

On 2nd October, 1869 Putlibai, wife of Karamchand Gandhi, gave birth to her last child, Mohandas. At the age of 19, Mohandas left home to study in London at Inner Temple, one of the city's four law colleges.

After graduation he was sent to an office in South Africa where lived with his wife and their children for nearly 20 years. There he was appalled by the discrimination as an Indian immigrant. Asked to take off his turban, thrown out of a first-class railway compartment and beaten up by a white stagecoach driver after refusing to give up his seat for a European passenger. The train journey served as a turning point for Gandhi, and he soon began teaching the concepts of passive resistance as a way of non-cooperation with authorities to start his 'Satyagrah'.

Soon he led various campaigns of 'civil disobedience' that lasted for eight long years, resulting in various reforms from Indians living as immigrants in South Africa.

In July 1914 he returned to India and led various campaigns of passive resistance against the unjust policies of colonial authorities. By 1920 he was the most visible figure in the movement for Indian independence.

He stressed the importance of economic independence of India and advocated products made in India. Invested by all the authorities of the Indian National Congress, he turned the independence movement into a massive organisation leading boycotts of British manufacturers and institutions representing British influence in India. 

He was sent to jail, refrained from active participation in politics for several years, and started the movement again leading to famous events like the Dandi March against the 'tax on salt act' and forced the Britishers to create several reforms for untouchables whom he called the children of God. In 1934 he retired from politics and resigned from the Congress party.

After the Labor Party took power in 1947, negotiations over Indian home rule began, and Britain granted India its independence but split the country into two domains; though he strongly opposed partition, he had to agree with them in the hope that peace can be achieved after independence.

On January 30th, 1948, while he was on his way to the 'Evening prayer' he was shot to death by Nathuram Godse who was enraged by his efforts to negotiate with Jinnah.

The next day, roughly one million people mourned and followed the procession as his body was carried in state through the streets of the city and cremated on the banks of the holy Jamuna river.

Here is the list of documentaries you might be interested in watching: