GANDHIJI‘S SATYAGRAHAS (1869- 1948)

Ashithakhosh.G.C
Research Scholar in History,
Nesamony Memorial Christian
College,
Marthandam.

ABSTRACT

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869 -1948) popularly known as ‘Bapuji’ out of

affection Mahatma, on account of saintly nature and ‘Father of the Nation’ for the

creation of a nation. The term ‘Satyagraha’ was coined in South Africa and Gandhiji

himself described it as’ Passive Resistance. The word satyagraha is a compound of two

words – Satya (truth) and Agraha (holding fast). It means holding on truth – no matter

what happens. Gandhi was well – read and studied the deeply inspiring philosophies in

the Bhagvad Gita. He also delved in to the philosophies of Buddha, Jesus Christ, Tolstoy,

Thorean and Emerson. It is an non – violent alternative to a violent struggle against

oppression, exploitatiion and injustice .It takes varied forms according to the situation

such as fasting, Prayer, Pinning, hartal (strike), picketing, Non-Cooperation and Civil

disobedience. The Rowlatt Satyagraha (1919), the Non – Cooperation Movement (1920

-1922), the Civil Disobedience Movement (1940) and the Individual Satyagraha are all

memorable landmarks in the history of freedom movement in India. These Non-Violent

Satyagraha Movements against the British Government, though apparently failed to

realize their immediate objectives, really carried the nation forward towards the

Constitutional goal of complete independence.

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 GANDHIJI‘S SATYAGRAHAS (1869- 1948)

Ashithakhosh.G.C
Research Scholar in History,
Nesamony Memorial Christian
College,
Marthandam.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869 -1948) popularly known as ‘Bapuji’ out of

affection Mahatma, on account of saintly nature and ‘Father of the Nation’ for the

creation of a nation. He was one of the greatest nationalist leaders of Modern India. The

term ‘Satyagraha’ was coined in south Africa and Gandhiji himself described if as

‘Passive Resistance’ but Later he made a difference between the two ideas. Satyagraha

differs from Passive Resistance as the north pole from the South. The latter (Passive

Resistance) has been conceived as a weapon of the weak and does not exclude the use of

physical force or violence for the purpose of gaining one’ s end .Whereas the former

(Satyagraha) has been conceived as a weapon of the strongest ,and excludes the use of

violence in any shape or form”)

Meaning

The word satyagraha is a compound of two words – Satya (truth ) and agraha

(holding fast). It means ‘holding on truth’ – no matter what happens. 1 It is a kind of

passive resistance to change the mind and heart of the opponent through self-suffering. It

is an idea of pledge of resistance to an unjust law, with God as witness and with no fear of

consequences. It is an non-violent alternative to a violent struggle against oppression,

exploitation and injustice. It takes varied forms according to the situation such as fasting,

Picketing, Prayar, Spinning, Prayer, Hartal (strike), Picketing, Non-Cooperation and Civil

Disobedience.2

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Gandhi’s Philosophy of Satyagraha

Gandhi was well – read and studied the deeply inspiring philosophies in the

Bhagvad Gita. He also delved in to the philosophies of Buddha, Jesus Christ, Tolstoy,

Thorean and Emerson. His philosophy of Satyagraha is based on four fundamental pillars:

 Absolute Truth

 Absolute love

 Absolute discipline

 Absolute justice3

Satyagraha based on truth and non-violence and fasts were his greatest weapons.4

He classified violence in to passive and physical forms. The physical violence were war,

riots, murder, rape etc. while the passive violence included oppression, exploitation,

anger, hate, discrimination, jealousy, injustice etc.5

His Satyagrahas

About Satyagraha Gandhi says Satyagraha is the law of love for all. It eshews

violence absolutely. The idea behind it is not to destroy or harass the opponent, but to

Convert him or win him over by sympathy, patience and self- Suffering”. In India the first

time Gandhi was obliged to resort to Satyagraha was in the champaran district of Bihar

1917. For the Second time, he put the technique practice in 1918 at Ahmedabad. In the

third time in the khera district of Gujarat. All these above Satyagrahas were launched to

solve local issues. Thus champaran Ahmedabad and kheda demonstrated Gandhi’s style

and method of practice. The movement helped in the making of Mahatma. 6 But they

provided him with the required experience to launch future movements at an all India

level. In 1919 the Rowlat Act was passed by the British Government Act called the Black

Act,it came to the widely opposed. An all India hartal was organized on April 6,1919

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which was to mark the beginning of a Satyagraha campaign. Meetings were held all over

the country to signify popular disapproval of the Act.7 The Rowlat Satyagraha began with

the founding of the Satyagraha Sabha in Bombay city in March 1919. Branches of the

Sabha were opened in other Provinces. Gandhi decided to observe 30 th March 1919 as the

“Satyagraha Day of Humiliation”.8

Non-Cooperation launched by Mahatma Gandhi on 10 March 1920. To Gandhi,

non-cooperation with the evil-doers was the duty of the virtuous man. It was considered

by Gandhi as a mild form of agitation and it was resorted to by him between 1921-1922.

This technique had an immediate appeal to the masses. Programmes of the Non-

Cooperation Movement are boycott of foreign goods and use of Swadeshi, Boycott of

councils, Boycott of courts, Boycott of schools and colleges and Boycott of police

forces.9 Civil Disobedience (1930-1933) of the laws of the unjust and tyrannical

government was a strong and extreme form of political agitation.10 According to Gandhi,

this technique could be more dangerous and powerful than armed rebellion and hence,

should be adopted only as a last resort. Gandhi was the architect of the civil Disobedience

Movement (Satyagraha Movement) which had the objective of influencing the British

Government by demonstrating that the people of India were united in their demand of

‘Purna Swaraj’ following were the main aspects of this movement.

 To Protest against the British rule which had brought about all round ruin of the

people of India.

 To break the salt law as a symbol of Indian people’s refusal to obey unjust laws

made by the British.

 To involve the masses on a large scale in the struggle for freedom.

 To break laws without doing any violence and the movement remain peaceful.

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 Gandhiji launched the movement on March 12,1930. From his Sabarmati Ashram

to Dandi,a small village on the Western Sea coast of Gujarat, he covered a distance of 214

miles in 24 days with his 78 followers. 11 He picked up a handful of salt and broke the salt

law as a refusal to live under the British rule and British made laws. Gandhiji was now in

favour of individual satyagraha and not mass satyagraha because he felt that Mass Civil

Disobedience at a time when Britain was engaged in a life and death struggle would not

be appropriate, but it was necessary to impress that India was not be appropriate, but it

was necessary to impress that India was not interested in the war. So, in October 17, 1940

Gandhiji started the Individual Limited Satyagraha. The Congress under the leadership of

Gandhi launched the last great mass movement known as the Quit India Movement. This

movement was born out of the deep frustration caused by the failure of the Cripps

Mission.12

Gandhiji made the struggle of freedom a mass movement. The Rowlatt Satyagraha

(1919), the Non- Cooperation Movement (1920-1922),the Civil Disobedience Movement

(1930-1934) and the Individual Satyagraha (1940)are all memorable landmarks in the

history of freedom movement in India. These Non-Violent Satyagraha Movements

against the British Government, though apparently failed to realize their immediate

objectives, really carried the nation forward towards the Constitutional goal of complete

independence.

Endnotes

1. Aggarwal, JC, Modern Indian History, S. Chand & Company Private Limited,
New Delhi, 2008, P. 365

2. Ibid

3. Mohammad Tarique, Modern Indian History, Mc Graw Hill Education Private

Limited, NewDelhi, 2008,P.8.3

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4. Aggarwal, JC, Op.cit, P.364

5. Mohammad Tarique,Op.cit,P.8.3.

6. Kripalani, JB, Gandhi: His Life and Thought, New Delhi, Second Reprint ,
1975,P.69.

7. Krishna Reddy, K, Indian History ,Tata Megraw –Hill Education Private Limited,
New Delhi, P.215

8. Dr.G.Venkatesan, History of Indian Freedom Struggle, V.C.Publications,

Rajpalayam, 2013,P.184

9. B.M.Taunk, Non-Cooperation Movement in Indian Politics 1919 -1924,A

Historical Study, Delhi, 1978, PP.70-72

10. The Hindu, 25th April,1930

11. Krishna Reddy, k, Op.cit,P.220

12. Pyarelal, UN, Mahatma Gandhi, The Last Phase, Ahmedabad, 1951,P.9.