Mahatma Gandhi (1869 - 1948)

Born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi to a Hindu Modh Vanik family of Vaishya (or business) Caste in Porbandar, Gujarat, India. He was the son of Karamchand Gandhi, the diwan (Prime Minister) of Porbandar. Growing up with a devout mother and learned from an early age the tenets of non-injury to living beings, vegetarianism, fasting for self-purification, and mutual tolerance between members of various creeds and sects.

In the tradition of his Banya ("shopkeeper") ancestors, Gandhi accounted for everything: every minute of his time, every paisa of the ashram's money, every ounce of his goat-milk curds.

The word Mahatma, while often mistaken for Gandhi's given name, is taken from the Sanskrit words maha meaning Great and atma meaning Soul. The title "Mahatma" was first accorded to Gandhi on January 21, 1915 by his pioneer supporter Nautamlal Bhagavanji Mehta at the Kamribai School in Jetpur, Gujarat.

Hear Gandhiji Speaks

Gandhi's 1931 Spiritual Message, "In my tour last year in Mysore, I met many poor villagers, and I found upon inquiry that they did not know who ruled Mysore. They simply said some God ruled it. If the knowledge of these poor people was so limited about their ruler, I, who am infinitely lesser in respect to God than they to their ruler need not be surprised if I do not realize the presence of God, the King of Kings. Nevertheless I do feel as the poor villagers felt about Mysore, that there is orderliness in the universe."  Listen to sound clip.

Some of the books by Mahatma Gandhi:

• The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi
• An Anthology of His Writings on His Life, Work, and Ideas
• The Story of My Experiments With Truth
• Non-Violent Resistance
• The Way to God
• Prayer Book

Mahatma Gandhi is fondly rememebered for his efforts in:

• 1893 - 1914 : Civil rights movement in South Africa.
• 1916 - 1945 : Fighting for Indian independence.
• 1933 - 1934 : Gandhi´s Harijans Tour of India.
• More about Mahatma Gandhi Life - Gandhi had spent 2338 days in jail during his life time. Gandhi spend 2,588 days in Sevagram Ashram, Wardha.

In the summer of 1947, Gandhi said in one of his prayer meetings: "It is my constant prayer ... that even if I fall victim to an assassin's bullet I may deliver up my soul with the remembrance of God on my lips."  On January 30, 1948, on his way to a prayer meeting, Gandhi was shot dead in Birla House, New Delhi, by an Hindu radical named Nathuram Godse.  Godse fired three shots point-blank at Gandhi. All three bullets penetrated his chest. Gandhi crying out "He Ram!" ("O God!"). Gandhi died after he collapsed to the ground as two of his closest disciples, his young relatives Manu and Abha, holding him.

Here is the audio track in which Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru announcing Gandhi's death to the Indians in January 1948.

Related Links:

• Gandhi´s Harijans Tour of India (1933 - 1934)
• Mahatma Gandhi Life Story
• The 1930 Salt March