Why Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated on 2nd October?
Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Mahatma Gandhi. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi who was born on October 2, 1869. He is known as the Father of the Nation by the Indian people because of the integral part he played in the Indian freedom struggle. Gandhi was given the epithet Mahatma for his relentless and non-violent approach to public agitation. It is said to have been popularized by the poet Rabindranath Tagore.
International Day of Non-Violence
This day has also been declared the ‘International Day of Non-Violence’ by the United Nations. Prayer services and tributes take place across the country to celebrate the life of the ‘father of the nation’.
India’s Struggle for Independence
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was a leader in India’s struggle for independence. Gandhi studied law in England at a young age. After witnessing injustice while practicing as a lawyer in South Africa, he returned to India. Upon his return, he became aware of the unfair manner in which Indians were being treated by the British.
Methods
His methods of protest were civil and non-violent in nature. He believed that disobedience did not have to be violent in nature. Through these manners of protest, he was able to influence laws involving poverty, women’s rights and religious freedoms.
More Information
- Dandi March by Mahatma Gandhi
- Mahatma Gandhi Speech
Project –
Did you know that every major city in India has a road dedicated to Gandhiji? Are there other roads or areas outside of India that honour the father of the Indian nation?
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