Biografi Mahatma Gandhi (dalam bahasa Inggris)
Mahatma
Gandhi was born in Porbandar in the state of Gujarat, India, on the 2nd
of October 1869. His mother was illiterate, but she had strong common sense and
a strong religious devotion which eventually influenced Gandhi's way of
thinking. His family comes from a merchant caste. During his youth, he was a
good student, even though he did not have leadership characteristics. After his
father passed away, he travelled to England to study law. During his time in
England, he joined the Vegetarian Society and was asked to translate the Bhagavad
Gita (Hindu scriptures). At that time, he studied the Bible and he was struck
by the teachings of Jesus Christ, especially the teachings about humility and
forgiveness. Although Gandhi's attitudes were critical of the Bible and the Bhagavad
Gita, he remained committed to the teachings of the Bible and the Bhagavad
Gita.
After having finished studying law, Gandhi returned to India, then he was sent to South Africa to practice law, where he was struck by the level of racial discrimination and injustice experienced by the Indian community there. Since then, he began a campaign of civil resistance and protest (satyagraha). Although he was imprisoned for a very short period, he also supported the British under several conditions. He was honoured by the British because of his efforts during the Boer War and the Zulu rebellion.
After 21 years in South Africa, he returned to India in 1915. He became the leader of the Indian nationalist movement campaigning for home rule (swaraj). He succeeded in urging non-violent demonstrations, including nationwide strikes. The British colonial government sought to ban any form of opposition, but the nature of Gandhi's actions which only involved mass strikes without any violence made the opposition movement difficult to counter.
Gandhi also encouraged his followers to practice inner discipline to prepare for independence. He said that the Indian nation must prove that they do deserve independence. Gandhi's struggle was different from other independence leaders, such as Aurobindo Ghose, who demanded the right of self-government for India. He also clashed with Subhas Chandra Bose who advocated direct action to overthrow the British colonial government. He often cancelled his actions if he heard reports of riots carried out by Indian independence fighters.
In 1930, Gandhi led the Salt March in protest at the new Salt Acts. At sea, his followers made their own salt, which violated the rules of the British colonial government. Hundreds of people were arrested and jailed for these actions. When India's independence campaign reached its peak, several Indian protesters killed British civilians. Therefore, Gandhi cancelled the independence movement and said that India was not ready to be independent. Gandhi's statement made people committed to Indian independence offended. Because of Gandhi's statement, many radicals carried out campaigns for independence, like Bhagat Singh.
After the Second World War, Britain indicated that they would give independence to India, however, because Muslims in India supported Jinnah, Britain planned to divide the territory of India into two states, namely India and Pakistan. Ideologically, Gandhi opposed India and Pakistan divided into two countries, he worked hard to show that Muslims and Hindus could coexist peacefully.
Gandhi once attended a prayer meeting where Islamic prayers were recited together with the Hindu prayers and the Christian prayers. On Independence Day, Gandhi prayed and mourned the nation's divisions. Although Gandhi had done a lot of fasting, sectarian violence continued to occur along with the breakup of India into two countries.
Far from the politics of Indian independence, Gandhi criticised the Hindu caste system, particularly he criticised the treatment of Indian society against the people of the lowest castes (untouchables). He launched many campaigns to change their status. Although his campaign gained much resistance, Gandhi and his followers made many changes to old prejudices.
When he was 78 years old, Gandhi returned to recitation to pray that there would be no sectarian killings. Thanks to his prayers, the leaders agreed to make peace. But then there was a hardline Hindu, Nathuram Vinayak Godse, who killed Gandhi, because he opposed Gandhi's support for Muslims and the people of the lowest castes.
After having finished studying law, Gandhi returned to India, then he was sent to South Africa to practice law, where he was struck by the level of racial discrimination and injustice experienced by the Indian community there. Since then, he began a campaign of civil resistance and protest (satyagraha). Although he was imprisoned for a very short period, he also supported the British under several conditions. He was honoured by the British because of his efforts during the Boer War and the Zulu rebellion.
After 21 years in South Africa, he returned to India in 1915. He became the leader of the Indian nationalist movement campaigning for home rule (swaraj). He succeeded in urging non-violent demonstrations, including nationwide strikes. The British colonial government sought to ban any form of opposition, but the nature of Gandhi's actions which only involved mass strikes without any violence made the opposition movement difficult to counter.
Gandhi also encouraged his followers to practice inner discipline to prepare for independence. He said that the Indian nation must prove that they do deserve independence. Gandhi's struggle was different from other independence leaders, such as Aurobindo Ghose, who demanded the right of self-government for India. He also clashed with Subhas Chandra Bose who advocated direct action to overthrow the British colonial government. He often cancelled his actions if he heard reports of riots carried out by Indian independence fighters.
In 1930, Gandhi led the Salt March in protest at the new Salt Acts. At sea, his followers made their own salt, which violated the rules of the British colonial government. Hundreds of people were arrested and jailed for these actions. When India's independence campaign reached its peak, several Indian protesters killed British civilians. Therefore, Gandhi cancelled the independence movement and said that India was not ready to be independent. Gandhi's statement made people committed to Indian independence offended. Because of Gandhi's statement, many radicals carried out campaigns for independence, like Bhagat Singh.
After the Second World War, Britain indicated that they would give independence to India, however, because Muslims in India supported Jinnah, Britain planned to divide the territory of India into two states, namely India and Pakistan. Ideologically, Gandhi opposed India and Pakistan divided into two countries, he worked hard to show that Muslims and Hindus could coexist peacefully.
Gandhi once attended a prayer meeting where Islamic prayers were recited together with the Hindu prayers and the Christian prayers. On Independence Day, Gandhi prayed and mourned the nation's divisions. Although Gandhi had done a lot of fasting, sectarian violence continued to occur along with the breakup of India into two countries.
Far from the politics of Indian independence, Gandhi criticised the Hindu caste system, particularly he criticised the treatment of Indian society against the people of the lowest castes (untouchables). He launched many campaigns to change their status. Although his campaign gained much resistance, Gandhi and his followers made many changes to old prejudices.
When he was 78 years old, Gandhi returned to recitation to pray that there would be no sectarian killings. Thanks to his prayers, the leaders agreed to make peace. But then there was a hardline Hindu, Nathuram Vinayak Godse, who killed Gandhi, because he opposed Gandhi's support for Muslims and the people of the lowest castes.
Source:
Gandhi,
Mohandas K. 2010. Gandhi: The Story of My
Experiments With Truth An Autobiography. Noida: Om Books International
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