Hey hey, it's me, QUISP!
Hehe, today I'm going to write about a man who inspired a nation and defeated an army. With peace and nonviolence. He is kind of a mentor for me. I recently did a biography-type thing on him for class, and I learned A LOT!!!
Anyway, back to the topic of this article. His name was Mohandas K. Gandhi. He was born on October 2nd, 1869 in Porbandar, India. While he was young, he had a violent temper, was shy and self-conscious, and didn't get the greatest marks in school.
When he was 13, he was married to a young woman named Kasturbai. He was passionate and jealous, and thought himself much higher than her.
After school he moved to South Africa and noticed the poverty and disgrace much of the Indian community in South Africa was living in. He took people into his house, to help them, and he began to simplify his life; discarding the materialist values he'd acquired earlier in his life.
Eventually he returned to India, to apply his newfound love for people. He applied his knowledge of Ahimsa (nonviolence) and Satyagraha (Holding on to truth, or soul force) to free the people of India from oppressive British rule. He traveled all over India with his messages of love and selflessness. He opened the temples to people of all classes, and was given the title "Mahatma", meaning Great Soul, by the monks. From then on, he always went by that name.
He inspired people to participate in Civil Disobedience -- not necessarily "rebel", but just protest against certain things, and although this may mean being arrested, he would do it with dignity and pride; then repeat the act soon after he was released.
By 1945 he had inspired virtually the entire nation. The British realized that they couldn't keep India any longer. They granted India independence. All this was achieved through love and nonviolence.
Unfortunately, this peace was short lived. That night, Muslims and Hindus began to fight. Thousands were killed, each fearing that someone else would seize power after the British left. India split into India and Pakistan.
Not everyone loved Mahatma's ideals, though, his love and tolerance infuriated some people. On January 30th, 1948, as he was rising to give a speech, Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated. He was 78.
Now, this has a moral. Not only is violence NOT necessary to prove a point, but great deeds can be accomplished through love and patience, though it does take endurance. But in the end, nobody is hurt through these methods. Although persecuted by people who opposed his ideals, Mohandas lives on, inspiring many in his passing.
Now that you know a little bit more about this AMAZING person, I'd advise you to learn more. But that's just me. =)
Hope you had fun reading my article, heheh.
-QUISP
