Kishalaya

Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram, Patit Pavan Sita Ram
Ishwar Allah tero naam, Sab ko Sanmati de Bhagwan

Dear friends today October 2nd is Gandhi Jayanti. Gandhi Jayanti is a national holiday celebrated in India to mark the occasion of the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, the “Father of the Nation” or Bapu. It is celebrated on October 2, every year. It is one of the three official declared National Holidays of India and is observed in all its states and union territories. The United Nations General Assembly announced on 15 June 2007 that it adopted a resolution which declared that October 2 will be celebrated as the International Day of Non-Violence.

Celebration

The day is marked by prayer services and tributes all over India, especially at Raj Ghat, Gandhi’s memorial in New Delhi where he was cremated. Popular celebration includes prayer meetings, commemorative ceremonies in different cities by colleges, local government institutions and socio-political institutions. Painting and essay competitions are conducted and best awards are awarded for projects in schools and the community, on themes of glorifying peace, non-violence and Gandhi’s effort in Indian Freedom Struggle. Usually, Gandhi’s favourite devotional song, Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram is sung in memory of him.

Courtesy Wikipedia

For Gandhi ‘Non-violence’ and truth were two inalienable virtues. He summed up the entire philosophy of his life as : “The only virtue I want to claim is truth and non-violence. I lay no claim to super human powers : I want none”.

Famous Quotes by Mahatma Gandhi

* Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.
* Fear is not a disease of the body; fear kills the soul.
* The principle of majority does not work when differences on fundamentals are involved.
* It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of nonviolence to cover impotence.
* It is unwise to be too sure of one’s own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.
* You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.
* Honest differences are often a healthy sign of progress.
* Whatever you do may be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.
* Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.

Following are some of the events in Brief related to Mahatma Gandhi
Timeline:

- 2nd October 1869: Birth of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

- 1891: Gandhi returned to India after studying law in England

- 1893: He received an offer from an Indian firm in South Africa

- 1910: A Satyagrahi’s camp known as the Tolstoy Farm was established at Lawley, 21 miles from Johannesburg

- 1915: Gandhiji returned to India in 1915. He also established the Satyagraha Ashram in Ahmedabad city the same year.

- 1917: The Ashram was shifted to the banks of Sabarmati.

- Between 1917-1918: Gandhi participated in two peasant movements in Champaran (Bihar) and Kaira (Gujarat)

- 28 February 1919: Founded the Satyagraha Sabha

- 24 November 1919: At the All India Khilafat Conference, he proposed that India should respond by non-violent non-cooperation.

- March 1930: Started his famous march to Dandi to violate the salt law.

- 4 May 1930: Gandhiji was arrested

- 26 January 1931: He was set free

- 5 March 1931: Following a pact between him and the British Viceroy he was prevailed upon to represent the Congress at the second Round Table Conference in London

- January 1932: The Civil Disobedience Movement was resumed.

- 20 September 1932: He started his fast unto death to prevent the attempt of the British to divide the Hindu Community

- 8 May 1933: He announced a fast for the Harijan cause

- 1942: His ‘Quit India’ slogan served as the final signal to British dominion in India

- 30 January 1948: Gandhi was assassinated