India today celebrates the 146th. Birth anniversary of it’s Father of the Nation – Mahatma Gandhi, or Bapu as he was fondly called.
Born in a Baniya family in Por Bandar in Gujarat, Gandhi became a barrister, and practiced for a while in Bombay High Court before moving on to South Africa.
Thrown off a 1st class railway carriage, though he had a valid ticket got him thinking, and resulted in the beginning of his political career.
At the onset, he worked tirelessly in South Africa for the betterment of Indians there, who along with the native Africans were treated no better than animals. His struggle here was non-violent in nature, which compelled the Government there to pay heed to his demands.
When he felt that he could do no more there, on invitation from Indian National Congress, he returned to India, where his non-violent methods caught the imagination of one and all, which ultimately resulted in Free India, the first such struggle in the World’s History. Ever!
He was creamated at Raj Ghat after being assasinated by Nathu Ram Godse, a right wing Hindu activist, who blamed him for India’s partition with Pakistan.
A prayer meet is held at his ‘Samadhi’ (resting place), attended by India’s PM, senior ministers, and other political and religious leaders.
