Mahatma Ghandi Essays - British Empire In World War II, Ascetics

Mahatma Ghandi Ghandi was indeed an important person in Asian history. He led the struggle for Indian independence from Britain, eventually achieved in 1947. Perhaps the most intriguing part of this was his method. Ghandi preached non violence, he once said "Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man." This is the quality that makes him a unique and important figure in Asian development. Mohandas K. Ghandi was born in 1869 to Hindu parents in Western India. He married Kasturbai Makanji at the age of 13. His family then sent him to London to study law, and in 1891 he was called to the bar. He then moved to southern Africa to aid the fight for rights of immigrant Indians. In Africa, he began to see the possibilities of non-violent conflict. His non- violent protests provoked strong reaction from the government, which jailed him repeatedly. By the time he returned to India in 1915, he had greatly improved the lives of the Indians in Africa. In India, Ghandi began the crusade for independence from Britain. Muslims and Hindus had long been bickering, but Ghandi was able to unite them. This unity allowed India to eventually gain its independence. Soon following the liberation from the British, riots gripped India. A now 79 year old Ghandi devoted the last two months of his to ending the riots, in which he succeeded. He died in January of 1948. A man ahead of his time, Ghandi showed the world the virtues of non- violence. When he returned to India from Africa in 1913, he was being hailed as Mahatma, meaning great soul. He truly was a great soul, a feat he demonstrated many times. He gained rights for Indian immigrants, freed an entire nation, and halted religious squabbles. All without shedding one drop of blood. Ghandi loved his fellow man, regardless of religion or origin. Perhaps the world could learn a lesson from this great man.