Gandhi Jayanti

Mohandas Karamchand GandhiBirthday of the outstanding leader of the national liberation movement of the Indian people Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. He was born on October 2, 1869 in Porbandar, Gujarat. From 1893 to 1914 he lived in South Africa, where he led a movement against racial discrimination. Corresponded with L.N. Tolstoy.

In 1915 he returned to India and became the leader of the liberation struggle. He was the ideological leader of the Indian National Congress (INC). He was repeatedly elected president. He preached nonviolence, advocated the unity of Hindus and Muslims, the elimination of caste and social inequality, and the abolition of untouchability.

He led the anti-English movement in 1942. He was arrested several times by British authorities. He wrote his autobiographical book, My Life. He was called Mahatma during his lifetime, which means “great soul.” In 1948, he was killed by a Hindu fanatic while praying.

Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated nationwide. In Delhi, the main place associated with the memory of Gandhi is his grave of Gandhi Samadhi in Rajghat (on the banks of Jamna, in the Red Fort area), where part of his ashes are buried.

On this day, the leaders of the Indian Republic, religious leaders of various kinds, as well as the people of Delhi gather here. Those present lay garlands of flowers, special choirs sing religious hymns, priests read passages from the Bhagavad Gita, the Koran, the New Testament.