The festival of Gandhi Jayanti is observed in India, on October 2nd the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation, with reverence all over the country. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi,also known as 'Bapu' or 'Father of the nation', the apostle of peace was born on 2 October 1869 at Porbandar in Gujarat.
Gandhi Jayanti is observed as a national holiday in India.A solemn celebration marking the birth date of Gandhiji, the father of the nation, includes prayer meetings at the Raj Ghat where he was cremated.People visit Raj Ghat or pay homage to Gandhi wherever his statues are erected. Verses and prayers are read out from the holy books of all the religions. Gandhi's favourite song, Raghupati Raghava, is invariably sung at all the meetings associated with him.
About Mahatma Gandhi (Oct. 2,1869- Jan,30 1948)
Mahatma Gandhi was a national icon who led the struggle for India's independence from British colonial rule, empowered by tens of millions of common Indians. He was a man who did what he said and led an exemplary and a transparent life.
Born on October 2, 1869 in Porbandar, a small town on the Gujarat coastline.He was the son of Karamchand Gandhiand Putlibai, Karamchand's fourth wife. He was married to a Kasturba Gandhi at the age of 13 and had four kids. He studied law in U.K and practiced law in South Africa. But he left his profession and returned to India to join the Indian freedom struggle.Throughout his life he opposed any form of terrorism or violence, instead using only the highest moral standards. His philosophy of nonviolence, for which he coined the term satyagraha, has influenced national and international nonviolent resistance movements to this day. From the time he took charge of the freedom struggle in 1918 he was lovingly called as "Mahatma" meaning "Great Soul" by millions of Indians. By means of nonviolent civil disobedience, Gandhi helped bring about India's independence from British rule, inspiring other colonial peoples to work for their own independence and ultimately dismantling the British Empire. Gandhi often stated that his principles were simple; drawn from traditional Hindu beliefs: truth(satya) and nonviolence (ahimsa).
Favorite Bhajan's of Mahatma Gandhi
Prayer meetings were an important part of Mahatma Gandhi and Kasturba's life. All religions and faiths were given equal importance in the daily recitation of prayers. The prayers always culminated by proclaiming "Although we call you by different names, you are One, Give us the wisdom to understand this, O Lord"
Famous Qoutes of Mahatma Gandhi:
Whenever you are confronted with an opponent. Conquer him with love.
Ahimsa means not to injure any creature by thought, word or deed, not even to the supposed advantage of this creature.
I claim no perfection for myself. But I do claim to be a passionate seeker after Truth, which is but another name for God.
I have nothing new to teach the world. Truth and non-violence are as old as the hills. All I have done is to try experiments in both on as vast a scale as I could.
Poverty is but the worst form of violence.
Live as if you were to die tomorrow; learn as if you were to live forever.
Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
Nobody can hurt me without my permission.
You must be the change you wish to see in the world.