Mohandas is born in Borbandar, a little harbor in the Kathiawar
peninsula, in the current state of Gujarat, Northwest India. He is born
to his father's fourth wife and is the youngest of three brothers.
His father, Karamchand Gandhi, is at that moment Premier Minister of
the tiny principality. He belongs to the intermediary cast of
merchants. Actually, «Gandhi» means grocer...His mother, Putlibai, very
pious, is devoted to the family.
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In school, Gandhi was not among the best students. At home, he feared his father, severe and twenty years older than his most beloved mother, whom he considered to be saintly.
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Little Gandhi lives a simple childhood in a family without problems. His parents decide to move to Rajkot, 124 miles far away from Porbandar, far away from the coast and its beaches... But since the schools there were better equipped, the future for little Gandhi seemed brighter.
A short while before the date his parents had arranged for his marriage ceremony, Ghandi was told that he was to be married to Kastourbaï, the daughter of a businessman from Porbandar. After two months preparing the wedding, the big day arrived at last. Being just 14 years old, both children saw the ceremony as the perfect excuse to have fun above all, far away from realizing that they were becoming husband and wife and would spend the rest of their lives together.
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In London, he becomes familiar with the main texts of Hinduism, as well as with the lives of Buddha, Jesus and Mahomet. After three years of study, the young lawyer is admitted to the legal profession.
When he comes back to India, an Indian company hires him to work in Durban, South Africa, to defend their interests. During a trip in that country, he experienced racial discrimination, when he was travelling first class and forced to leave the train!
Gandhi becomes popular when he achieves in abrogating a law preventing Indians from electing their representatives in the Assembly in the state of Natal.
Day after day, Gandhi discovers with astonishment that black population and immigrants in South Africa are victims of injustices and racism. He is really shocked faced with the fact that members of the British Empire are not treated the same depending on their skin color.
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The Boers Wars breaks out. Gandhi urges his compatriots to support the English. He hoped that the courage shown by the Indians supporting the English in this war will diminish white people's animosity towards Asiatic population with dark skin... But he was wrong.
A new segregationist law is voted in Transvall. Asiatic people have to register themselves in order for their activities to be closely followed. Gandhi convinces 3000 delegates to stop supporting that law and to resist peacefully. He is arrested and imprisoned for six months.
À cette même période : Réhabilitation du capitaine Dreyfus ...+ d'infos
After several years opposing segregationist laws, punctuated with time spent in prison, Gandhi finally returns to India for goods. Gandhi has just sign an agreement with General Smuts about the abrogation of great part of racial laws.
Gandhi calls on Indians throughout the whole country to demonstrate peacefully and go on strike. Their success is in line with the importance of the demonstration. But a few days after, a demonstration forbidden by the authorities take places, and this one will end up with a massacre, resulting in more than 300 people killed.
Supported by the congress party and by the Muslims, Gandhi asks people to not collaborate with the British administration. Tension continues increasing in the whole country and several leaders are put in prison. Le Mahatma will spend 2 years in prison.
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Supported by the congress party and by the Muslims, Gandhi asks people to not collaborate with the British administration. Tension continues increasing in the whole country and several leaders are put in prison. Le Mahatma will spend 2 years in prison.
À cette même période : Fondation de l'URSS ...+ d'infos
The Mahatma starts his most celebratory campaign of civil disobedience:
the Salt March. His goal is to report the British salt-sale monopole.
He therefore starts a march towards the ocean together with 79 friends,
their aim being recollecting sea water, boiling it in the beach and
consuming the crystallized salt the obtain.
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Together with his disciples and a few tens of thousands of people,
Gandhi reaches the sea in Dandi. He utilizes the salt sea, publicly
breaking the law. His example is then followed all around the country.
The same evening, he is put into prison. But on the streets, the fight
continues with thousands of people sitting on the floor because they
are prevented from marching.
Freed by Vice-Roy Lord Irving, Gandhi obtains freedom for politic
prisoners and the end of the law of salt in exchange for the end of
civil disobedience. He is also invited to join a round table in London,
but this will not carry any changes in Indian politics.
In prison once more, Gandhi goes on hunger strike again. The British
government finally gave up, since the Mahatma had become very popular
in Europe...
When World War II breaks out, Gandhi refuses to support the English.
His logo being «Quit India», he urges the English to leave India and he
restarts his movement of civil disobedience.
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Freed by Churchill, Gandhi will remain attached to the Indian Unity
leading the Hindu and Muslim communities, which are being torn apart
due to the country's process of independence. The Muslim league refuses
to take part in Nehru's provisional government, and they appeal for a
insurrection day which causes thousands of deaths.
Gandhi fails in his purpose of avoiding the separation of the
territory: Lord Mountbatten announces the independence of two new
nations: Pakistan and India. This decision revives racial and religious
hatred. Between one and two million deaths cover the country with
blood. Gandhi decides then to fast until death. Nehru achieves ending
this massacre and Gandhi starts eating again.
Extremists' rage has not subsided. One of these extremists, Hindu
Nathuram Godse, kills Gandhi by shooting three times at point-blank
range while he was praying. The Mahatma, who had survived illness, many
hunger strikes and several and terrorist attacks, will finally be
reunited with that whom he does not fear, and whom he calls «the
incomparable friend». India and the whole world mourn his death. The
funeral services paid to that man who dreamed of a fair, equalitarian
and pacifist society, are followed by two million people in Delhi.
À cette même période : Assassinat de Gandhi ...+ d'infos
