For many in India, his name means "the Light of the World." Now, as we observe Mahatma Gandhi's 149th birth anniversary, DW looks back at his life and philosophy.
Born on 2 October 1869, Gandhi spent his childhood in South Africa where he was very active in his neighborhood community and was the president of the local South African Association for Advancement of Education. The Wockhardt Foundation has described him as an "uncompromising social reformer, visionary leader and humanist, who worked to forge a non-violent path for the Indian Independence Movement." Gandhi believed in using the power of satyagraha or collective non-violent resistance to change the world.
With the Indian independence movement gaining momentum, Gandhi and his followers in South Africa were jailed and faced torture for defying the law of South Africa. On 21 January 1948, Gandhi was assassinated at the age of 84 by Nathuram Godse.
How did Gandhi's philosophy of 'Satyagraha' play a significant role in the freedom struggle of India? We attempt to answer these questions by following in the footsteps of the iconic freedom fighter.
Satyagraha
Gandhi's philosophy was based on the personalized method of nonviolent resistance. Satyagraha is a symbolic method in which a person resolves to consciously choose non-violent resistance. Through Satyagraha, he does not oppose force but seeks to overcome it.
Here are some of the profound principles of Satyagraha, according to the Indian Mahatma:
1. A Satyagrahi should choose the method of Satyagraha for themselves.
2. Satyagraha should be the weapon of the oppressed against the oppressor.
3. Satyagraha should be used to create the conditions of non-violence and social harmony
Satyagraha is different from passive resistance.
Passive resistance is a principle which implies that one should not fight back, only make up for the loss of one’s property or life by joining with those who have suffered losses. Gandhi used the technique of Satyagraha when he urged the British to allow more Indians to vote, thereby enabling them to choose their leaders.
Satyagraha should always have a spiritual underbelly.
Gandhi was a firm believer in non-violence and the spiritual power it has. He wrote: “Satyagraha is a great weapon, a great weapon which all can wield, that freedom, that independence, is not won by cannon and blood, but by the weapon of the soul, that truth and the spirit of service, that truth, and service by the truth.”
A Satyagrahi thinks deeply about the thing he fights for, once he has decided to fight for it. He desires to know as deeply as he can about the object of his fight and to better understand it he examines it. This kind of studying is called 'Darshan' (indeed seeing).
Satyagrahi uses Satyagrah only when his position in society is threatened. It is by carrying out Satyagrah that he feels himself to be liberated from the domination of others and becomes self-sustained. For Gandhi, Satyagraha has no great fancy steps. It is sufficient that a person should stand firm and determined, that is, deeply convinced of the rightness of his cause. As a result of Satyagraha, he comes to win the confidence and respect of all other beings.
Culturally significant
A proponent of non-violence, Gandhi is regarded as an influential leader in history and widely regarded as a person who helped shape the modern world.
He has been featured in books, songs, documentaries, and films that have won the hearts of many, especially in India.
