Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated on 2nd October. The day is also celebrated as International Day Of NonViolence. Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi also known as Mahatma Gandhi who along with the other great freedom fighters helped to free India from British rule.
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi – the man who brought about powerful winds of change in the established world order. A giant who brought the mighty British Empire to its knees and compelled them to Quit India. Yes, there were many others in the freedom struggle, but it was Mahatma Gandhi who was the rallying force behind the long struggle.
Mahatma Gandhi: The Father Of Nation
Mahatma Gandhi was born on the 2nd of October, 1869 and was assassinated in January 1948 in Birla House, New Delhi. Mahatma Gandhi is known as the Father of the Nation, a title given by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, another great freedom fighter.
Mahatma Gandhi’s Early Education
After his primary and college education in India, Gandhi Ji went to England to study law. After earning his degree, he came to India to practise law but later shifted to South Africa. He spent about 21 years there before returning to India in 1915. He was now fully committed to the freedom struggle. Non-violence was the backbone of his struggle which eventually resulted in freedom which came on 15th August 1947.
Gandhi Jayanti Celebrations
Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated every year on the 2nd of October, a national holiday. It is also celebrated worldwide as the International Day of Nonviolence. This was notified by the UN General assembly in 2007. This day is celebrated to honour this great soul and to pay tributes to the man known as the father of the nation. His principles of non-violence and Swarajya are talked about and the young generations get the motivation to enact these. Schools, colleges and other educational institutes organise cultural events, prayer sessions to mark this day.
Celebration in India
Rajghat in Delhi, Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, Mani Bhavan in Mumbai and Sevagram ashram in Wardha are some of the places where celebrations are in high gear and visited by countless thousands. The President and Prime Minister pay homage at Rajghat in Delhi. On this day some of Mahatma Gandhi’s major initiatives like the Dandi March, Quit India Movement and many others are remembered and even enacted. Some of Mahatma Gandhi’s major contributions to the Indian Society were his stance against casteism and untouchability. This eventually resulted in a caste free India, where all are equal.
Also on this day special prayer and Bhajan sessions are organised. Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite Bhajans like Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram and Vaishnav Jan To Tene Kahiye are inevitably sung. It is a lesser-known fact that Mahatma Gandhi’s life also included a love for devotional music.
Gandhi Jayanti is a day that brings the nation closer and plays a role in uniting the people. Many dresses up like the Mahatma with his trademark spectacles and dhoti. Many spin a Charkha and try to make Khadi cloth. People also visit museums and places related to the great soul.
Gandhi Jayanti is a special and important day for India. This is the day when the father of the Nation and his life is celebrated. There has been no bigger unifying factor in India other than Mahatma Gandhi.
