Gandhi Jayanti Essay: The birth anniversary of the father of our nation ‘Mahatma Gandhi’ is celebrated as a national festival on October 2nd called Gandhi Jayanti. It is a national holiday in India and all schools, government offices, banks and public offices remain shut on the day. The citizens remember Gandhi’s teachings of non-violence, peace and principles on this day. Schools conduct programs and spread public awareness on Gandhi’s teachings of truth and kindness.
Essay on Gandhi Jayanti 500 Words in English
Below we have provided Gandhi Jayanti Essay in English, suitable for class 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10 school students.
Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated on the 2nd of October every year. It is a special day that commemorates Mahatma Gandhi birthday anniversary. 2nd October is recognised as a national holiday all over the nation in India, and it was first celebrated after his death in 1948. Mahatma Gandhi was one of the most prominent figures in India’s freedom struggle against the British rule, but he was also a revolutionary and a spokesperson, who inspired thousands of civilians to join the freedom struggle.
Some of the most memorable quotes by Gandhi happen to be “If they slap you on one cheek, have the courage to put forward the other” and “If we all begin to believe in an eye for a policy, the whole nation will go blind”. This instilled the spirit of non-violence and tolerance among the people of India.
About Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi was the son of Karamchand Gandhi and Putlibai Gandhi born on the 2nd of October 1869, in Gujarat. Gandhi’s father was married four times before his marriage to Gandhi’s mother, Putlibai. At that time child marriage was a ritual that was prevalent in the Indian society, among the orthodox Hindu families. Coming from a Hindu background, even Gandhi was no exception. He was married off to Kasturbai Kapadia, of age 14, when he was only 13 years old.
Later in life, Gandhi described that his marriage at such a tender age was beyond his comprehension and at that time it had all seemed like an event of mere dressing up, fun and games and celebration, unaware of the gravity that the bond held. Gandhi’s life had been full of struggles. He lost both his father Karamchand and his first child, in 1885, at the age of only 16. Gandhi went to school during his lower, middle and high school days, in a local school in Rajkot, in his hometown Gujarat. After finishing high school, he went to London for his education for three years.
Before coming to India permanently, Gandhi went to South Africa after finishing his law degree from London in 1893, just a few years after his wife gave birth to their first living son in 1888. Gandhi spent 21 long years in South Africa. In South Africa, Gandhi worked full time as a lawyer and motivated the Indian civilians living there to organise a non-violent civil-disobedience movement to fight for their civil rights and stand up against discrimination’s.
On reaching South Africa, Gandhi had to face several adversities. He faced a lot of discrimination based on his skin colour, which was prevalent in that era. Although an educated and well-off lawyer, Gandhi was refused a seat in the stagecoach alongside European passengers. Instead, he was forced to sit on the floor beside the driver. When he refused to succumb to such baseless discrimination’s, he was thrashed and beaten and forced to obey orders.
Other such events included disallowance of walking near public houses or travelling in train compartments which were primarily reserved for white citizens. These 21 years taught Gandhi a great deal about the British’s mentality and how they openly look down upon people of colour and treat them like animals. It moulded his mindset and made him question the British Rule in his home country, India.
Gandhi returned to India from South Africa is 1915, bringing with him the periodical called “Indian Opinion” which he began to publish in India. When Gandhi returned to India, he was already well known worldwide as a social and political activist.
Gandhi played one of the most active roles in India’s freedom struggle. When he landed in India, in 1915, he was introduced to the Indian political scenario by Gopal Krishna Gokhale, a member of the Indian National Congress which was founded in 1885. Gandhi became an active politician and a member of the INC and soon became its leader in 1920. From 1915 to 1947, Gandhi struggled to provide India with freedom through civil disobedience and non-violence.
Celebrations of Gandhi Jayanti
On the 2nd of October nationwide prayers are said to pay tribute to the immense contributions of Mahatma Gandhi and his role in the freedom struggle of India. His favourite bhajan “Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram” is also sung to celebrate his memory and respect his efforts. Essay writing and painting events are held, and several cultural events are organised at government and educational institutions all over the nation. This day celebrates not only Gandhi’s birthday but also tolerance, endurance, mental strength and non-violence, all of which Gandhi aimed to teach us through the course of his life.
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