Gandhian Study - I

Mahatma Gandhi was affectionately called 'Bapu' by the Indian people, which means 'father' in Gujarati. This term reflected the respect and love people had for him as a father figure of the nation. Rabindranath Tagore first used this term to address Gandhi.

Gandhi witnessed racial discrimination and abuse against Indians in South Africa, particularly the treatment of indentured laborers. This injustice, including being thrown off a train at Maritzburg for refusing to leave a first-class compartment, motivated him to stay and fight for civil rights using nonviolent methods.

Most Indian emigrants in South Africa settled in the Natal province, particularly around Durban. Natal had the largest population of Indian immigrants who were brought there as indentured laborers to work on sugar plantations in the 19th century.

Gandhi studied law in England at University College London. He went to London in 1888 to study law and was called to the bar at Inner Temple in 1891, after which he returned to India to practice law before moving to South Africa.

The title 'Mahatma' is Sanskrit for 'Great Soul' or 'Great Spirit'. Rabindranath Tagore first addressed Gandhi as 'Mahatma' in 1915, recognizing his spiritual and moral leadership. The term reflects Gandhi's philosophical approach to life and politics.

The Quit India Resolution was passed at the All-India Congress Committee session held at Gowalia Tank (now August Kranti Maidan) in Bombay (Mumbai) on August 8-9, 1942. This historic meeting launched the final phase of India's independence movement.

Mahatma Gandhi was born in Porbandar, which is in the present-day state of Gujarat. He was born on October 2, 1869, in a merchant family. Gujarat remained central to his life's work, including the establishment of ashrams there.

The incident occurred at the Pietermaritzburg railway station in South Africa in 1893. Despite holding a first-class ticket, Gandhi was ordered to move to the van compartment (third class) reserved for non-whites. His refusal led to him being thrown off the train, which became a turning point in his life.

Gandhi undertook his last fast for communal harmony in Delhi from January 13-18, 1948. This fast was aimed at stopping the Hindu-Muslim riots that had erupted following India's partition. He called off the fast when leaders of both communities pledged to maintain peace.

Gandhi helped free India through nonviolent resistance (Satyagraha), which included civil disobedience, non-cooperation, and peaceful protests. Unlike battles, revolts, or riots, his philosophy emphasized moral courage and peaceful means to achieve political goals, inspiring global civil rights movements.

Gandhi founded his first ashram, the Sabarmati Ashram, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat in 1917. This ashram became the center of his political activities and the launchpad for major movements like the Salt March. Gujarat was his home state and remained central to his work.

Gandhiji's first arrest for sedition by the British occurred in Ahmadabad (now Ahmedabad) in 1922 for his articles in Young India. This was after the Chauri Chaura violence when he was tried for sedition. Agra, Delhi, and Amritsar were not locations of his first sedition arrest.

Gandhiji coined the term 'Harijans' (meaning 'people of God') in 1932 for the lower castes as he opposed the term 'Untouchables'. 'Dalits' is the modern political term adopted later, while 'Kshatriyas' is a varna category not used by Gandhi for this purpose.

Gandhiji proposed transforming the Congress into 'Lok Seva Sangh' (People's Service Association) to focus on social work rather than political competition. This was part of his vision for Congress post-independence. The other options are similar-sounding but incorrect terms.

Gandhiji began the Dandi March on March 12, 1930, starting from Sabarmati Ashram with 78 followers. This 240-mile march to the Arabian Sea was a protest against the British salt tax. The march lasted 24 days, reaching Dandi on April 5, 1930.

Gandhiji explicitly described 'Ahimsa' (non-violence) and 'Satya' (truth) as his two lungs, meaning both were essential for his philosophy to function. He stated that without truth, non-violence has no foundation, and without non-violence, truth cannot be practiced. 'Love and peace' and 'Truth and love' are incomplete.

Gandhiji was born with the first name 'Mohandas'. His full name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. 'Tipu', 'Sonu', and 'Small wonder' are incorrect and not related to Gandhi's birth name.

The Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed on March 5, 1931, between Mahatma Gandhi and Viceroy Lord Irwin. This pact ended the Civil Disobedience Movement and allowed Gandhi to attend the Second Round Table Conference in London. The other years (1932, 1935, 1937) are incorrect.

Gandhiji's full name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. 'Karamchand' was his father's name, following traditional naming conventions. The options with 'Mohanlal' or 'Kasturba' are incorrect - Kasturba was his wife's name, not part of his name.

Gandhiji married Kasturba Makhanji Kapadia in 1883 when he was 13 years old. She was known as Kasturba Gandhi after marriage. 'Kamala', 'Kamini', and 'Kasturi' are incorrect - Kasturi is a Hindi word meaning musk, not his wife's name.

In the 1939 Congress presidential election, Subhash Chandra Bose defeated Pattabhi Sitaramayya, who was Gandhiji's preferred candidate. Bose won by 203 votes, leading to his resignation and formation of the Forward Bloc. Mahadev Desai was Gandhi's secretary, Sushila Nayyar a close associate, and Sarojini Naidu was a leader but not the 1939 candidate.

Gandhiji was 16 years old when his father Karamchand Gandhi died in 1885. Gandhi was born in 1869, so 1885 would make him 16. This was a significant personal loss during his teenage years. Options 13, 15, and 20 are incorrect.

Lord Reading (Viceroy of India 1921-1926) wrote this quote expressing his difficulty in reconciling Gandhiji's moral-spiritual political approach with conventional colonial administration. The quote reflects the British establishment's struggle to understand Gandhi's unique blend of religion and politics.

Subhas Chandra Bose resigned as Congress President in 1939 after differences with Gandhiji over his uncompromising stance against the British during WWII. He formed the Forward Bloc in May 1939 to unite all radical anti-imperialist forces within the country, aiming for complete independence through more aggressive means.