It’s hard to think of a more influential leader than Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Born on October 2, 1869 in Porbandar, Gandhi was a great proponent of change through his words, actions, and way of life until his death on January 30, 1948.
Ahimsa
Known to many as mahatma, or great soul, Gandhi is internationally famed for his acts of civil disobedience. His philosophy of ahimsa made its way around the world to other activists. His methods of peaceful struggle have been followed by many including Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Albert Einstein, and President Obama.
Thanks to Gandhi’s efforts and those inspired by him, the philosophy of nonviolence and civil disobedience persist even today. But peaceful protests are only part of Gandhi’s story
Media
Gandhi was the world’s first political influencer. His ideas reached a level of influence never before attained by any other country in the world.
One of his greatest assets was his ability to influence others through the media. His media of choice was the newspaper and popular journals. His training as a lawyer allowed him to use the press to his advantage.
Gandhi published various newspapers like Young India and Harijan. In doing so, he created a platform for the home-rule movement. Gandhi was able to inform Indians and the British public of the injustices and discrimination they experienced.
Dignity
Gandhi was ahead of his time in fighting for all Indians’ well-being, including women’s rights and the rights of the so called “Untouchables”. He was a firm believer that everyone has dignity and their work has meaning. In particular, Gandhi promoted handicrafts like weaving and hand spinning as a means to achieve this. His idea was to encourage the work of artisans, especially the ones that lived in rural areas. The creators of today should feel empowered to continue their craft just like the people that came before.
Self-reliance
His hope for India was that the people would understand the importance and adopt the principles of self-reliance. Self-reliance leads to economic freedom. Everybody is capable of contributing something, even the people society claims are
worthless.
A powerful symbol of this is the chakra used in the spinning of yarn. Indians were forced to buy British fabrics until Gandhi stood against it in favor of making his own clothes. In taking this stand, he may have inadvertently saved some of the dying arts of India from being lost to mass production.
Maatir’s platform to help these artisans is an extraordinary example of Gandhi-ji’s principle of self-reliance.
Mani Bhavan
Whether you’re a Mumbai local or just passing through, Mani Bhavan is the perfect museum for all Gandhi admirers. See where he started to spin and develop more efficient techniques for spinning. It used to be the place where he lived, worked with colleagues, and had lessons. Today it’s many things including a library, research institution, auditorium, and the country’s most important memorial to Gandhi.
Fun Facts
Gandhi is considered to be the father of India. He was the main political leader in gaining independence from Britain.
He did not have much formal education when he was younger. He did however manage to pass the college entrance exams in 1887 and attended Samaldas College.
It’s possible to draw Gandhi using only one line, without lifting your pencil. Sarojini Naidu endearingly referred to Gandhi as Mickey Mouse. All major cities in India have markets, roads, and neighborhoods named after him.
40 countries have stamps and currency honoring Gandhi.
Gandhi left behind an unforgettable mark on the world. Though he left big shoes to fill, we want to honor him by following in his footsteps. Shopping from our collection of vibrant Gandhi accessories, décor, and apparel like comfortable sweatshirts, quirky scarves, and iconic tees helps you be part of his extraordinary legacy.
