Mohandas Gandhi is said to be the father of non-violence and is well known and respected for establishing his countries freedom through a non-violent revolution. He was also known by many of his followers as Mahatma (Sanskrit for "the great-souled one"). He was born in Porbander, Western India on October 2nd, 1869. As a child, Gandhi was generally shy and soft-spoken. He was the youngest in his family as well. He was a mediocre student in school, and he even experimented with bad things such as smoking and stealing, which both of these he regrets greatly. Gandhi married his wife Kasturba when they were both 13 in 1883. A few years later, at age 16 Gandhi's father passed away. He soon after finished high school and then decided to move out to London in 1888 to study law, leaving his wife and newly born son in India. It was in London that he was introduced to new authors and readings that later on influenced him. This is where he started to truly show interest in religions, and also where he read the Bhagavad-Gita. London matured him, and after passing his law course in 1891 he moved back home to his family to practice his career as a lawyer. Things didn't work out for his career in India though, she he was glad to accept an opportunity to represent Porbander in a case in South Africa in 1893. He moved there with his family this time and ended up staying there for 20 years. With expectations of learning more about law and making a little bit of money for his family, Gandhi had no idea what he would actually experience. South Africa is said to be where Gandhi changed completely because of all the discrimination he experienced as an Indian immigrant in South Africa. He had to take business trips across the country which is where he had multiple situations of discrimination that set the direction of his life. Instead of giving up and going back to India, Gandhi faught for his rights. This is where he began developing and teaching the concept of satyagraha ("truth and firmness") as a non-violent way of not cooperating with authorities. In 1913, hundreds of Indians in South Africa were being imprisoned and even killed. Under pressure from the British and Indian government, Gandhi proposed a compromise that the South African government accepted. This was negotiated by Gandhi and General Jan Christian Smuts. From this, the Indians received things such as recognition of Indian marriages and the abolition of the existing poll tax for Indians. Gandhi left South Africa in 1914 and moved back to India. In 1919 he organized a passive resistance campaign but he backed off temporarily as extreme violence broke out. He was back at it in 1920 though, being recognized as the most visible figure in the movement for Indian independence. From here on, Gandhi was known for his very ascetic lifestyle that involved prayer, meditation and fasting. Gandhi's movement was put on hold in 1922 when he was arrested and sentenced to jail for 6 years. He was released early in 1924 though after surgery for appendicitis. Gandhi stayed away from participation in politics for a few years after this, but he was back at it again in 1930. His campaign this time, was against the governments tax on salt, which greatly affected the poor Indians.Gandhi's movement started to cause frustration with other Muslim leaders and he was arrested again in 1931. This is where Gandhi began a series of hunger strikes in protest for India's lower class of people. The fasting caused an uproar and did result in reforms with the government and Hindu people. Gandhi announced his retirement from politics in 1934 but he was brought back in it from the outbreak of World War II. He demanded independence from the British and instead, they imprisoned the entire congress leadership group. India was granted its independence from the British government in 1947, but they split the colony into 2 countries, India and Pakistan. Gandhi's goal now was that Hindus and Muslims could live together in peace, but massive riots broke out. He then started more hunger strikes until the riots ended. He carried out yet another fast in 1948 for peace in the city of Delhi. On January 30, 12 days after that fast ended, Gandhi was on his way to an evening prayer meeting in Delhi when he was shot to death by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu fanatic. Gandhi was 78 when he died, but his movement lived. The day after his death, about 1 million people followed the procession of Gandhi's body through the streets and to the Banks of the holy Jumna River.
