Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born in the coastal town of Porbandar in 1869. When he returned to India in 1915, he had a record of fighting against the inequalities imposed by the racist government of South Africa.
1. Gandhi's Return and the Idea of Satyagraha
- Impressed by the activities and ideas of Gopala Krishna Gokhale, Gandhi acknowledged him as his political Guru.
- On Gokhale's advice he spent a year travelling all over the country.
- He established his Sabarmati Ashram at Ahmedabad but did not take active part in political movements, including the Home Rule movement.
Satyagraha
- In South Africa Gandhi gradually evolved the technique of 'Satyagraha', based on 'Satya' and 'Ahimsa', i.e. truth and non-violence, to fight the racist regime.
- A Satyagrahi would not hate the wrongdoer and would willingly accept suffering; truth and non-violence were weapons of the brave, not of cowards.