Jhansi Ki Rani

The great heroine of the First war of India Freedom. She lived for only twenty-two years. She became a widow in her eighteenth year. She was born on 19 November 1828 in Kashi India. She was the great heroine of the First War of Indian Freedom. She became a widow at the tender age of 18 and lived only till 22 yet she has inspired many and is still a living legend. She was the embodiment of patriotism, self-respect and heroism. Her life is a thrilling story of womanliness, courage, adventure, deathless patriotism and martyrdom. In her tender body there was a lions spirit. At birth she was named Manu. The young Manu, unfortunately she lost her mother when she was only four. The entire duty of bringing up the daughter fell on her father. Along with formal education she acquired the skill in sword fighting, horse riding and shooting. Manu later became the wife of Gangadhar Rao, Maharaj of Jhansi, in 1842. From then on she was known as Maharani Laksmi Bai of Jhansi.

In 1851 Maharani Lakshmi Bai bore a son but her fate was cruel and she lost her child within three months. The Maharaja passed away on the 21st November 1853. Although prior to this the Maharaja and Maharani adopted a boy the British government claimed they did not recognise the right of the adopted boy. Thus they tried to buy off the Rani however she stated "No, impossible! I shall not surrender my Jhansi!"It did not take her long to realise how difficult it was for the small state of Jhansi to oppose the British when even the Peshwas and Kings of Delhi had bowed down to the British Demands. The Rani’s battle now was against the British who had cunningly taken her kingdom from her. After the British took over her government her daily routine changed. Every morning from 4am to 8am were set apart for bathing, worship, meditation and prayer. From 8am to 11am she would go out for a horse ride, practise shooting, and practise swordmanship and shooting with the reins held on her teeth. Thereafter she would bathe again, feed the hungry, give alms to the poor and then have food; then rested for a while. After that she would chant the Ramanyan. She would then exercise lightly in the evening. Later she would go through some religious books and hear religious sermons. Then she worshipped her chosen deity and had supper. All things were done methodically, according to her strict timetable. Such a dedicated and devoted women!

All these disciplined and training patterns came in use during the Indian Mutiny in 1857. Many lives were lost and innocence people killed. Although Bharat did not gain independence the Rani did win back Jhansi and created the state to its former glory having a full treasury and army of women matching the army of men. However Sir Hugh Rose attacked Jhansi on 17th March 1858. The next day’s battle was the Rani’s last. Her death was heroic, her army had declined as they were out numbered by the opposition. The British Army had encircled her and her men. There was no escape blood was flowing, darkness was approaching. The British army was pursuing her. After a great struggle the Rani died muttering quotes from the Bhagvad Gita. When she went to War and took up arms she was the very embodiment of the War Goddess Kali. She was beautiful and frail. But her radiance made men diffident. She was young in years, but her decisions were mature. Such an confident and dominant women! A lesson is to be learnt for us all from her experiences! The words of the British General Sir Hugh Rose who fought against the Maharani several times and was defeated time and time again stated "Of the mutineers the bravest and the greatest commander was the Rani". Rani was an exemplary warrior for a woman, was extremely beautiful, fearless and her perseverance knew no bounds. And also that she was the most dangerous rebel they had faced in the battle.She died on 17 June 1858 in Gwalior, India.

Lala Lajpat Rai

Lala Lajpat Rai born was born on January 28, 1865 in Jagraon in Ludhiana and he was an Indian author, freedom fighter and politician who is chiefly remembered as a leader in the Indian fight for freedom from the British Raj. He was popularly known as Punjab Kesari Punjabi: The Lion of Punjab or Sher-e-Punjab Urdu: The Lion of Punjab meaning the same and was part of the Lal Bal Pal trio. He was also associated with activities of Punjab National Bank and Lakshmi Insurance Company in their early stages. He sustained serious injuries by the police when leading a non-violent protest against the Simon Commission and died less than three weeks later. His death anniversary November 17 is one of several days celebrated as Martyrs' Day in India. He was also the founder of Punjab National Bank and Lakshmi Insurance Company. Lala Lajpat Rai was one of the three most prominent Hindu Nationalist members of the Indian National Congress. He was part of the Lal-Bal-Pal trio.

The other two members of the trio were Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Bipin Chandra Pal. They formed the extremist faction of the Indian National Congress, as opposed to the moderate one led first by Gopal Krishna Gokhale. He was the eldest son of Munshi Kishan Azad and Gulab Devi who inculcated strong moral values in him. He studied law from Government College in Lahore and thereafter started his legal practice in Hissar. His political career started in 1888 with the Indian National Congress Session at Allahabad. At the next session at Bombay in 1889, he was linked with other two leading freedom fighters Bipin Chandra Pal and Bal Gangadhar Tilak. The trio was popularly known as Lal-Bal-Pal. Lalaji was actively involved in struggle against partition of Bengal. During the struggle he galvanized Indians for a campaign of Swadeshi and was imprisoned for six months for creating turmoil.

Rai traveled to the US in 1907, and then returned during World War. He toured Sikh communities along the US West Coast; visited Tuskegee University in Alabama; and met with workers in the Philippines. His travelogue, The United States of America 1916, details these travels and features extensive quotations from leading African American intellectuals, including W.E.B. DuBois and Fredrick Douglass. The book also argues for the notion of “color-caste,” suggesting a sociological similarities between race in the US and caste in India. The term comes from sociological work done at Columbia University during the 1910s.

During World War I, Lajpat Rai lived in the United States, but he returned to India in 1919 and in the following year led the special session of the Congress Party that launched the noncooperation movement. Imprisoned from 1921 to 1923, he was elected to the legislative assembly on his release. The Lala Lajpat Rai Trust was formed in 1959 on the eve of his Centenary Birth Celebration, to promote education. The trust was founded by a group of Punjabi philanthropists including R.P Gupta and B.M Grover who have settled and prospered in the Indian State of Maharashtra. A state university was created in memory of Lala Lajpat Rai at Hisar, a prominent city in Haryana, where Lala Ji also practised and was married. The university is named as Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Hisar and has started functioning from 1 December, 2010. After his release in 1907, he went to Britain in April 1914 to explain the position of India. During his stay in Britain, the First World War broke out but he was unable to return. So, he went to USA for promoting the cause of India’s freedom struggle. There he founded the India Home League Society of America. He returned to India in 1920 and formed the Congress Independence Party in protest against the Jalianwala Bagh Massacre and Non Cooperation Movement. In 1928, Simon Commission that came to India to discuss constitutional reforms was protested by Lalaji because the commission had no Indian members. The shrewd Britishers brutally lathicharged Lalaji during the protest and because of severe head injuries he expired on November 17, 1928.

Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Bal Gangadhar Tilak was born on July 23, 1856 in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra. His father Gangadhar Ramachandra Tilak was a Sanskrit scholar and a famous teacher. Tilak was a brilliant student and he was very good in mathematics. Since childhood Tilak had an intolerant attitude towards injustice and he was truthful and straightforward in nature. He was among India's first generation of youth to receive a modern, college education. The British colonial authorities derogatorily called him "Father of the Indian unrest". He was also conferred with the honorary title of "Lokmanya", which literally means "Accepted by the people.

Tilak was an Indian nationalist, teacher, social reformer and independence fighter who was the first popular leader of the Indian Independence Movement. The British colonial authorities infamously and derogatorily called the great leader as "Father of the Indian unrest". Tilak was one of the first and strongest advocates of "Swaraj" (self-rule) in Indian consciousness. His famous quote, "Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it!" is well-remembered in India even today.

Tilak joined the Indian National Congress in 1890. He opposed its moderate attitude, especially towards the fight for self-government. He was one of the most-eminent radicals at the time. Despite being personally opposed to early marriage, Tilak opposed the 1891 Age of Consent bill, seeing it as interference with Hinduism and a dangerous precedent. The act raised the age at which a girl could get married from 10 to 12 years.

In 1903, he wrote the book The Arctic Home in the Vedas. In it he argued that the Vedas could only have been composed in the Arctics, and the Aryan bards brought them south after the onset of the last ice age. He proposed the radically new way to determine the exact time of the Vedas. He tried to calculate the time of Vedas by using the position of different Nakshatras. Positions of Nakshtras were described in different Vedas.

Tilak also authored 'Shrimadbhagwadgeetarahasya' - the analysis of 'Karmayoga' in the Bhagavadgita, which is known to be gift of the Vedas and the Upanishads. Tilak was considered the political and spiritual leader of India by many, and Gandhi is considered his successor. When Tilak died in 1920, Gandhi paid his respects at his cremation in Bombay, along with 200,000 people. Gandhi called Tilak "The Maker of Modern India". In fighting for people’s cause, twice he was sentenced to imprisonment. He launched Swadeshi Movenment and believed that ‘Swaraj is my birth right and I shall have it’. This quote inspired millions of Indians to join the freedom struggle. With the goal of Swaraj, he also built ‘Home Rule League’. Tilak constantly traveled across the country to inspire and convince people to believe in Swaraj and fight for freedom. He was constantly fighting against injustice and one sad day on August 1, 1920, he died. Bal Gangadhar Tilak was one of the prime architects of modern India and is still living in the hearts of millions of India.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel the iron-man of India was born on 31st October, 1875, in a small village in Nadiad. Vallabhbhai Patel was a political and social leader of India who played a major role in the country's struggle for independence and guided its integration into a united, independent nation. He was an Indian barrister and statesman, one of the leaders of the Indian National Congress and one of the founding fathers of India. He is known to be a social leader of India who played an unparalleled role in the country's struggle for independence and guided its integration into a united, independent nation. As the first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of India, Patel organized relief for refugees in Punjab and Delhi, and led efforts to restore peace across the nation. Patel took charge of the task to forge a united India from the British colonial provinces allocated to India and more than five hundred self-governing princely states, released from British suzerainty by the Indian Independence Act 1947. Using frank diplomacy, backed with the option and use of military force, Patel's leadership persuaded almost every princely state which did not have a Muslim majority to accede to India. Hailed as the Iron Man of India, he is also remembered as the "Patron Saint" of India's civil servants for establishing modern all-India services.

His father Jhaverbhai Patel was a simple farmer and mother Laad Bai was a simple lady. From his childhood itself, Patel was a very hard-working individual. He used to help his father in farming and studied in a school at N. K. High school, Petlad. He passed his high-school examination in 1896. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is a historical figure who moves you to tears. Mostly these are tears of joy, for he achieved a thrilling Indian unity. Yet some are tears of pity, for the Sardar suffered and sacrificed much. Sardar Patel hated to work for anyone especially the Britishers. He was a person of independent nature. He started his own practice of law in a place called Godhara. Soon the practice flourished. He saved money, made financial arrangement for the entire family. He got married to Jhaberaba. In 1904, he got a baby daughter Maniben, and in 1905 his son Dahya was born. He sent his elder brother to England for higher studies in law. In 1908, Vitthabhai returned as barrister and started practising in Bombay. In 1909 his wife became seriously ill and was taken to Bombay for treatment Vallabhbhai had to go for the hearing of an urgent case and his wife died. He was stunned. He admitted his children in St. Mary's school Bombay, and he left for England. He became a barrister and retuned to India in 1913.

He started his practice in Ahmedabad and soon he became aware of the local life, activities and people's problems. He became an extremely popular person and he got elected in the Municipal Corportaion in 1917. Around 1915, he came across Mahatma Gandhi. The Swadeshi Movement was at its peak. Gandhiji gave a lecture at a place in Ahmedabad where Patel heard him and was very impressed and started actively participating in the freedom movement. The British government's atrocities were increasing. The government declared to confiscate all the lands of farmers. He forced the British government to amend the rules. He brought together the farmers and encouraged them and hence got the title of 'Sardar' and thus became famous.

The British government considered him as a threat and his lectures were considered anti-government and he was imprisoned several times. In 1942, he took part in the With great wisdom and political foresight, he consolidated the small kingdoms. The public was with him. He tackled the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Nawab of Junagarh who intially did not want to join India. There were a lot of problems connected with the reunion of the numerous states into India. Sardar Patel'suntiring efforts towards the unity of the country brought success. Due to the achievement of this massive task, Sardar Patel got the title of 'Iron Man'. ' He is one of the prestigious leaders of the world who became immmortal by uniting a scattered nation without any bloodshed. His enthusiasm to work for the independent nation got a big jolt when Gandhiji was murdered.

Patel was very attached to Gandhiji and considered him, his elder brother and teacher. He was encouraged by Mahatma Gandhi in all his work. Gandhiji's death left him broken. On 15th December, 1950 he died of a cardiac arrest. The news of his death spread all over the world. The entire nation plunged into deep sorrow; everyday life came to a standstill. A grateful nation paid a tearful homage to its beloved leader. In 1991 the grateful nation conferred upon him the honor of Bharat Ratna. At the time of independence, Indian territory was divided into three parts. First, the territories under the direct control of the British government, second were the territories over which the hereditary rulers had suzerainty. The regions, which had been colonized by France and Portugal, formed the last. India, without the integration of these different territories under one roof, could not be considered as a unified and total country. It was a stupendous task for the ruling party, to persuade the rulers of these states to join. According to British government, the province rulers had the liberty to choose how they wanted to be ruled. They were given two choices. They could join either of India and Pakistan or stay independently. The stance of the British government had made the task much difficult for India. At this point many leaders of the congress approached the rulers but they failed to convince. At last, they all made a request Vallabhbhai Patel to think some other options to bring the princely rulers under Indian control. Sardar Patel eventually dealt with the tough-situation and came out successfully. He had made secured their accession. Therefore, the state of India we see today was a result of the efforts put in by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. His health declined in 1950. He, himself realized that he was not going to live much longer. On 2 November his health deteriorated further and was confined to bed. After suffering a massive heart attack, on 15 December 1950, the great soul left the world.

Shaheed Bhagat Singh

Bhagat Singh was born on 28 September 1907, in a Sikh family in village Khatkar Kalan in Nawanshahar district of Punjab. The district has now been renamed as Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar in his memory. He was the third son of Sardar Kishan Singh and Vidyavati. he was an Indian freedom fighter, considered to be one of the most influential revolutionaries of the Indian independence movement. He is often referred to as Shaheed Bhagat Singh, born to a Sikh family which had earlier been involved in revolutionary activities against the British Raj in India, Singh, as a teenager, had studied European revolutionary movements and was attracted to anarchism and communism. He became involved in numerous revolutionary organizations. He quickly rose through the ranks of the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) and became one of its leaders, converting it to the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA). Singh gained support when he underwent a 64-day fast in jail, demanding equal rights for Indian and British political prisoners. He was hanged for shooting a police officer in response to the killing of veteran freedom fighter Lala Lajpat Rai. His legacy prompted youth in India to begin fighting for Indian independence and also increased the rise of socialism in India.

Bhagat Singh was critical of the individual terrorism which was prevalent among the revolutionary youth of his time and called for mass mobilization. Bhagat Singh gave a new direction to the revolutionary movement in India. He differed from his predecessors on two counts. Firstly, he accepted the logic of atheism and publicly proclaimed it. Secondly, until then revolutionaries had no conception of post-independence society. Their immediate goal was destruction of the British Empire and they had no inclination to work out a political alternative. Bhagat Singh, because of his interest in studying and his keen sense of history gave revolutionary movement a goal beyond the elimination of the British. A clarity of vision and determination of purpose distinguished Bhagat Singh from other leaders of the National Movement. He emerged as the only alternative to Gandhi and the Indian National Congress, especially for the youth. Bhagat Singh's family was actively involved in freedom struggle. His father Kishan Singh and uncle Ajit Singh were members of Ghadr Party founded in the U.S to oust British rule from India. Family atmosphere had a great effect on the mind of young Bhagat Singh and patriotism flowed in his veins from childhood. In response to Mahatma Gandhi's call for non-cooperation against British rule in 1921, Bhagat Singh left his school and actively participated in the movement. In 1922, when Mahatma Gandhi suspended Non-cooperation movement against violence at Chauri-chaura in Gorakhpur, Bhagat was greatly disappointed. His faith in non violence weakened and he came to the conclusion that armed revolution was the only practical way of winning freedom. To continue his studies, Bhagat Singh joined the National College in Lahore, founded by Lala Lajpat Rai. At this college, which was a centre of revolutionary activities, he came into contact with revolutionaries such as Bhagwati Charan, Sukhdev and others. To avoid early marriage, Bhagat Singh ran away from home and went to Kanpur. Here, he came into contact with a revolutionary named Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi, and learnt his first lessons as revolutionary. On hearing that his grandmother was ill, Bhagat Singh returned home. He continued his revolutionary activities from his village. He went to Lahore and formed a union of revolutionaries by name 'Naujavan Bharat Sabha'. He started spreading the message of revolution in Punjab. In 1928 he attended a meeting of revolutionaries in Delhi and came into contact with Chandrasekhar Azad. The two formed 'Hindustan Samajvadi Prajatantra Sangha'. Its aim was to establish a republic in India by means of an armed revolution.

In February 1928, a committee from England, called Simon Commission visited India. The purpose of its visit was to decide how much freedom and responsibility could be given to the people of India. But there was no Indian on the committee. This angered Indians and they decided to boycott Simon Commission. While protesting against Simon Commission in Lahore, Lala Lajpat Rai was brutally Lathicharged and later on succumbed to injuries. Bhagat Singh was determined to avenge Lajpat Rai's death by shooting the British official responsible for the killing, Deputy Inspector General Scott. He shot down Assistant Superintendent Saunders instead, mistaking him for Scott. Bhagat Singh had to flee from Lahore to escape death punishment. Instead of finding the root cause of discontent of Indians, the British government took to more repressive measures. Under the Defense of India Act, it gave more power to the police to arrest persons to stop processions with suspicious movements and actions. The Act brought in the Central Legislative Assembly was defeated by one vote. Even then it was to be passed in the form of an ordinance in the "interest of the public." Bhagat Singh who was in hiding all this while, volunteered to throw a bomb in the Central Legislative Assembly where the meeting to pass the ordinance was being held. It was a carefully laid out plot, not to cause death or injury but to draw the attention of the government, that the modes of its suppression could no more be tolerated. It was decided that Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt would court arrest after throwing the bomb.

On April 8, 1929 Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw bombs in the Central Assembly Hall while the Assembly was in session. The bombs did not hurt anyone. After throwing the bombs, Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt, deliberately courted arrest by refusing to run away from the scene. During his trial, Bhagat Singh refused to employ any defence counsel. In jail, he went on hunger strike to protest the inhuman treatment of fellow-political prisoners by jail authorities. On October 7, 1930 Bhagat Singh, Sukh Dev and Raj Guru were awarded death sentence by a special tribunal. Despite great popular pressure and numerous appeals by political leaders of India, Bhagat Singh and his associates were hanged in the early hours of March 23, 1931.

Bhagat Singh

Bhagat Singh was born in a Sikh family of farmers in the village of Banga of Layalpur district of Punjab (now in Pakistan) on September 27th of 1907. His family stood for patriotism, reform, and freedom of the country. His grandfather Arjun Singh was drawn to Arya Samaj, a reformist movement of Hinduism and took keen interest in proceedings of Indian National congress. Bhagat Singh's father Kishen Singh and uncle Ajit Singh were members of Ghadr Party founded in the U.S. in early years of this century to route British rule in India. Both were jailed for alleged anti-British activities. Ajit Singh had 22 cases against him and forced to flee to Iran.


Thereafter he went to Turkey, Austria, Germany and finally to Brazil to escape Black Water (Kalapani) punishment for his revolutionary activities in India.Young Bhagat Singh was brought up in a politically surcharged state of Punjab which was left with a seething memory of Jalianwalla Massacre of more than 400 innocent lives and thousand injured. As a lad of 14 he went to this spot to collect the soil sanctified of the park of Jallianwalla (bagh) in his lunch box, by the blood of the innocent and kept as memento for life.

Bhagat Singh was studying in National College founded by Lala Lajpat Rai, a great revolutionary leader and reformist. To avoid early marriage, he ran away from home and became a member of youth organization Noujawan Bharat Sabha which had membership of all sects and religions. He met Chandra Shekhar Sharma (Azad), B.K. Dutt and other revolutionaries. They used to print handouts, newspapers in secret and spread political awareness in India through Urdu, Punjabi and English. These were all banned activities in India at the time, punishable with imprisonment.

Anti-British feelings were spreading; Indians wanted some proper representation in running the administration of their country to which British reciprocated only on paper. Noticing restlessness was spreading, the British Government appointed a commission under the the leadership of Sir John Simon in 1928 , to report on political happenings. There was no single Indian member in this commission and all the political parties decided to boycott the commission when it planned to visit major cities of India.

In Lahore, Lala Lajpat Rai and Pandit Madan Mohan Malavia decided to protest to the commission in open about their displeasure. It was a silent protest march, yet the police chief Mr. Scott had banned meeting or procession. Thousands had joined, without giving room for any untoward incident. Even then Mr. Scott beat Mr. Lala Lajpat Rai severely with a lathi (bamboo stick) on the head several times. Finally the leader succumbed to the injuries.

Bhagat Singh who was an eye witness to the morbid scene vowed to take revenge and with the help of Azad, Rajguru and Sukhadev plotted to kill Scott. Unfortunately he killed a junior officer, Mr. Sanders in a case of mistaken identity. He had to flee from Lahore to escape death punishment.

Instead of finding the root cause for discontent of Indians, the British government took to more repressive measures. Under Defense of India Act, it gave more powers to police, to arrest persons to stop processions with suspicious movements and actions. The act brought in the council was defeated by one vote. Even then it was to be passed in the form of an ordinance in the interest of the public. No doubt the British were keen to arrest all leaders who opposed its arbitrary actions and Bhagat Singh who was in hiding all this while, volunteered to throw a bomb in the central assembly where the meeting to pass ordinance was being held. It was a carefully laid out plot, not to cause death or injury but to draw the attention of the government, that the modes of its suppression could no more be tolerated. It was agreed that Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt would court arrest after throwing the bomb.

It was a forgone conclusion in 1929 April 8th at Delhi Central Assembly. Singh and Dutt threw handouts, and bombed in the corridor not to cause injury and courted arrest after shouting slogans Inquilab Zindabad (Long Live, Revolution!)

Meanwhile the killers of Sanders were identified with the treachery of Bhagat Singh's friends who became "Approvers." Bhagat Singh thought the court would be a proper venue to get pu8blicity for the cause of freedom and did not want to disown the crime. But he gave fiery statement giving reasons for killing which was symbolic of freedom struggle. He wanted to be shot like a soldier and not die at gallows . But, his plea was rejected and he was hanged on 23rd March 1931. He was 24.

Bhagat Singh became a legendary hero with masses. Innumerable songs were composed about him and the youth throughout the country made him their ideal. He became a symbol of bravery and a goal to free India..

Periyar E. V. Ramasamy: Life, Family, Caste and the Man Behind the Self-Respect Movement

Periyar E. V. Ramasamy remains one of the most influential social reformers in South Indian history — the founder of the Self-Respect Movement and a lifelong campaigner against caste discrimination. But beyond his political legacy, many readers come looking for something more specific: who exactly was Periyar's family, what was his caste, and what does the name "Periyar" actually mean? Here's a complete look at both his personal background and his public life.

What Is Periyar's Full Name?

Periyar was born Erode Venkata Ramasami Naicker on 17 September 1879, in the town of Erode, then part of the Coimbatore district of the Madras Presidency. "Erode" refers to his birthplace, "Venkata" honors his father's name, and "Naicker" was his caste surname — which he later dropped entirely in 1929 as a symbolic rejection of caste identity. He is also widely known by the initials E. V. Ramasamy or E. V. R.

Who Was Periyar's Father? (Erode Venkata Naicker)

Periyar's father was Venkatappa Naicker, commonly referred to simply as Venkata Naicker or Erode Venkata Naicker. He was a wealthy and successful merchant in Erode, trading in goods such as brass vessels, hardware, and agricultural produce. Venkata Naicker was also known as a devout, orthodox Hindu of the Vaishnavite tradition, and it was in his household that a young Periyar first grew up surrounded by religious discourses and traditional practices — an upbringing he would later react strongly against.

Who Was Periyar's Mother?

Periyar's mother was Chinna Thayammal, also known by the alias Muthammal. She managed the household in Erode while Periyar's father ran the family business. Periyar had one elder brother, Krishnaswamy, and two sisters, Kannamma and Ponnuthoy.

What Caste Did Periyar Belong To?

Periyar was born into a Balija Naicker family — a prosperous, Kannada-speaking merchant community. The Balija community traces its origins to the Nayak chiefs of the Vijayanagara Empire, which had strong Telugu roots, which is why the caste is sometimes discussed in connection with Telugu-speaking communities such as the Perika Balija (Perika Naidu) caste found in Andhra Pradesh today — both trace back to a broader shared Balija/Naidu lineage, though they are considered distinct sub-communities.

Importantly, Periyar was not a Brahmin — in fact, his lifelong political and social campaign was built specifically around opposing Brahminical dominance and advocating for the rights of non-Brahmin communities in Tamil Nadu. In 1929, he formally dropped his caste surname "Naicker" from his name altogether as a public statement rejecting caste hierarchy.

Was Periyar Telugu? What Was His Mother Tongue?

Periyar could fluently speak three Dravidian languages: Kannada, Tamil, and Telugu. His actual mother tongue was Kannada, reflecting his family's Kannada-speaking Balija background, even though he spent his life and built his movement in Tamil-speaking Tamil Nadu, and predominantly used Tamil in his public life and writings. His caste's historical Telugu-Vijayanagara ancestry is why the "was Periyar Telugu" question comes up, though his direct native language was Kannada, not Telugu.

What Does "Periyar" Mean?

"Periyar" is a Tamil word meaning "respected one" or "elder." It was a title given to him in honor of his social work, and it's the name by which he became known to the wider world, distinct from his birth name. He is often referred to with the honorific "Thanthai Periyar," meaning "Father Periyar."

Periyar's Wife and Family Life

Periyar married his first wife, Nagammal, in 1898 when he was 19 years old. The couple had a daughter who lived for only a few months and passed away in infancy; they had no other children, meaning Periyar did not have a surviving son or daughter. Nagammal passed away in 1933. In July 1948, Periyar remarried — his second wife, Maniammai, worked closely alongside him in his social reform activities and continued leading his movement after his death in 1973.

Early Life and the Turning Point at Kashi

Periyar joined his father's trade at the age of 12 after five years of schooling. In 1904, he undertook a pilgrimage to Varanasi (Kashi) to worship at the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple. When he tried to enter a free-lunch hall meant only for Brahmins by disguising himself as one, he was discovered and turned away — only to later learn that the hall had actually been funded by a Dravidian (non-Brahmin) merchant's donation. This experience of caste discrimination at a place he had imagined would treat all Hindus equally became the turning point of his life, transforming him from a believing Hindu into a committed rationalist and anti-caste reformer.

Freedom Movement and the Congress Party (1919–1925)

Periyar joined the Indian National Congress in 1919, giving up his business and resigning from public posts, including the chairmanship of Erode Municipality. He threw himself into the constructive programme — promoting Khadi, picketing toddy shops, boycotting foreign cloth, and campaigning against untouchability. He was imprisoned in 1921 for picketing toddy shops in Erode, and was later arrested again during the Non-Cooperation and Temperance Movements. In 1922, he was elected President of the Madras Presidency Congress Committee. After his push for caste-based reservation in government jobs and education was rejected by the party, he resigned from Congress in 1925.

The Vaikom Struggle (1924–1925)

Periyar played a leading role in the Vaikom Satyagraha in the princely state of Travancore (present-day Kerala), which fought for the right of all castes to access temple roads. As President of the Madras Presidency Congress Committee, he led the agitation after other leaders were arrested, and was himself arrested for his refusal to back down. Mahatma Gandhi later joined negotiations with the Queen of Travancore, resulting in an agreement to remove police restrictions on lower castes using the roads. In 1925, the Madras Presidency Congress formally honored Periyar with the title "Vaikom Veerar" (Vaikom Hero) for his contribution to the struggle.

The Self-Respect Movement (1925–1939)

After leaving Congress, Periyar and his followers dedicated themselves to campaigning for social equality, even as other nationalist leaders focused primarily on political independence from Britain. He was also an outspoken advocate for women's rights and education, criticizing the ways in which women of his era were confined to domestic roles, and pushed hard for their access to education and independence.

UNESCO Recognition

On 27 June 1970, UNESCO honored Periyar with the title "Prophet of the New Age, Socrates of South East Asia, Father of the Social Reform Movement, and Arch-Enemy of Ignorance, Superstitions, Meaningless Customs and Base Manners," presented by India's Union Education Minister Dr. Triguna Sen.

Legacy

Periyar passed away on 24 December 1973, having spent his entire life and personal wealth on social reform — he gave away his property to the public rather than leaving an inheritance. A university in Tamil Nadu, Periyar University, is named in his honor, and he remains one of the most significant figures in the history of India's anti-caste and social justice movements.

Bharathi

Mahakavi Subramaniya Bharathi was born on 11 December 1882. He died on 11 September 1921. In a relatively short life span of 39 years, Bharathi left an indelible mark as the poet of Tamil nationalism and Indian freedom.

Bharathi's mother died in 1887 and two years later, his father also died. At the age of 11, in 1893 his prowess as a poet was recognized and he was accorded the title of 'Bharathi' at Ettiyapuram. He was a student at Nellai Hindu School and in 1897 he married Sellamal. Thereafter, from 1898 to 1902, he lived in Kasi.

Bharathi worked as a schoolteacher and as a journal editor at various times in his life. As a Tamil poet he ranked with Ilanko, Thiruvalluvar and Kamban. His writings gave new life to the Tamil language - and to Tamil national consciousness. He involved himself actively in the Indian freedom struggle. It is sometimes said of Bharathi that he was first an Indian and then a Tamil. Perhaps, it would be more correct to say that he was a Tamil and because he was a Tamil he was also an Indian. For him it was not either or but both - it was not possible for him to be one without also being the other.

Bharathi often referred to Tamil as his 'mother'. At the same time, he was fluent in many languages including Bengali, Hindi, Sanskrit, Kuuch, and English and frequently translated works from other languages into Tamil. His said “among all the languages I have known, I do not see any of them”, any as sweet as Tamil, was his moving tribute to his mother tongue. That many a Tamil web site carries the words of that song on its home page in cyber space today is a reflection of the hold that those words continue to have on Tamil minds and Tamil hearts.

Bharathi was a Hindu. But his spirituality was not limited. He sang to the Hindu deities, and at the same time he wrote songs of devotion to Jesus Christ and Allah. Bharathi was a vigorous campaigner against casteism. He wrote in 'Vande Matharam' :

We shall not look at caste or religion; all human beings in this land
- whether they be those who preach the vedas or who belong to other castes - are one

Bharathi lived during an eventful period of Indian history. Gandhi, Tilak, Aurbindo and V.V.S.Aiyar were his contemporaries. He involved himself with passion in the Indian freedom struggle. His 'Viduthalai, Viduthalai' was a clarion call for freedom from alien rule. He saw a great India. He saw an India of skilled workers and an educated people. He saw an India where women would be free. He expressed the depth of his love and the breadth of his vision for India.

He participated in the 1906 All India Congress meeting in Calcutta (chaired by Dadabhai Naoroji) where the demand for 'Swaraj' was raised for the first time. Bharathi supported the demand wholeheartedly and found himself in the militant wing of the Indian National Congress together with Tilak and Aurobindo. Aurobindo writing on the historic 1906 Congress had this to say:

"We were prepared to give the old weakness of the congress plenty of time to die out if we could get realities recognized. Only in one particular have we been disappointed and that is the President's address. But even here the closing address, with which Mr.Naoroji dissolved the Congress, has made amends for the deficiencies of his opening speech.

He once more declared Self-Government, Swaraj, as in an inspired moment he termed it, to be our one ideal and called upon the young men to achieve it. The work of the older men had been done in preparing a generation which were determined to have this great ideal and nothing else; the work of making the ideal a reality lies lies with us. We accept Mr.Naoroji's call and to carry out his last injunctions will devote our lives and, if necessary, sacrifice them." (Bande Mataram, 31 December 1906)

Bharathi served as Assistant Editor of the Swadeshamitran in 1904. In April 1907, he became the editor of the Tamil weekly 'India'. At the sametime he also edited the English newspaper 'Bala Bharatham'. He participated in the historic Surat Congress in 1907, which saw a sharpening of the divisions within the Indian National Congress between the militant wing led by Tilak and Aurobindo and the 'moderates'. Subramanya Bharathi supported Tilak and Aurobindo together with 'Kapal Otiya Thamilan' V.O.Chidambarampillai and Kanchi Varathaachariyar. Tilak openly supported armed resistance and the Swadeshi movement.

These were the years when Bharathi immersed himself in writing and in political activity. In Madras, in 1908, he organised a mammoth public meeting to celebrate 'Swaraj Day'. His poems 'Vanthe Matharam', 'Enthayum Thayum', 'Jaya Bharath' were printed and distributed free to the Tamil people.

In 1908, he gave evidence in the case which had been instituted by the British against 'Kappal Otiya Thamizhan', V.O.Chidambarampillai. In the same year, the proprietor of the 'India' was arrested in Madras. Faced with the prospect of arrest, Bharathi escaped to Pondicherry which was under French rule.

From there Bharathi edited and published the 'India' weekly. He also edited and published 'Vijaya', a Tamil daily, Bala Bharatha, an English monthly, and 'Suryothayam' a local weekly of Pondicherry. Under his leadership the Bala Bharatha Sangam was also started. The British waylaid and stopped remittances and letters to the papers. Both 'India' and 'Vijaya' were banned in British India in 1909.

The British suppression of the militancy was systematic and thorough. Tilak was exiled to Burma. Aurobindo escaped to Pondicherry in 1910. Bharathi met with Aurobindo in Pondicherry and the discussions often turned to religion and philosophy. He assisted Aurobindo in the 'Arya' journal and later 'Karma Yogi' in Pondicherry. In November 1910, Bharathi released an 'Anthology of Poems' which included 'Kanavu'.

V.V.S. Aiyar also arrived in Pondicherry in 1910 and the British Indian patriots, who were called 'Swadeshis' would meet often. They included Bharathi, Aurobindo and V.V.S.Aiyar. R.S.Padmanabhan in his Biography of V.V.S.Aiyar writes:

"All of them, whether there was any warrant against them or not, were constantly being watched by British agents in Pondicherry. Bharathi was a convinced believer in constitutional agitation. Aurobindo had given up politics altogether... and Aiyar had arrived in their midst with all the halo of a dedicated revolutionary who believed in the cult of the bomb and in individual terrorism."

In 1912, Bharathy published the Bhavad Gita in Tamil as well as Kannan Paatu, Kuyil and Panjali Sabatham.

After the end of World War I, Bharathi entered British India near Cuddalore in November 1918. He was arrested. He was released after three weeks in custody. These were years of hardship and poverty. (Eventually, the General Amnesty Order of 1920 removed all restrictions on his movement). Bharathy met with Mahatma Gandhi in 1919 and in 1920, Bharathy resumed editorship of the Swadeshamitran in Madras.

This was one year before his death in 1921. Today, more than seventy five years later, Subaramanya Bharathy stands as an undying symbol not only of a vibrant Tamil nationalism but also of the unity that is India.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel: The Iron Man of India — Life, Leadership and His Years as Ahmedabad's Municipal President

Born: October 31, 1875
Died: December 15, 1950
Achievements: Successfully led the Kheda Satyagraha and Bardoli revolt against the British government; elected Ahmedabad's Municipal President in 1922, 1924, and 1927; elected Congress President in 1931; became independent India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister; played the key role in the political integration of India; posthumously conferred the Bharat Ratna in 1991.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, popularly known as the Iron Man of India, played a leading role in the Indian freedom struggle and became the country's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. He is remembered above all for the peaceful, determined political integration of India's princely states into a single nation.

For How Many Years Was Patel Elected as Ahmedabad's Municipal President?

Sardar Patel was elected Ahmedabad's Municipal President three times — in 1922, 1924, and 1927. He had first entered Ahmedabad's civic administration in 1917, when he was elected the city's Sanitation Commissioner, before going on to lead the Municipality itself across these three terms. During his time as Municipal President, Ahmedabad saw a major expansion of its electricity supply, significant education reforms, and citywide improvements to its drainage and sanitation systems.

Early Life and Education

Vallabhbhai Patel was born on October 31, 1875, in Nadiad, a small town in Gujarat. His father, Jhaverbhai, was a farmer, and his mother, Ladba, was a homemaker. He completed his early education in Karamsad and Petlad before attending high school in Nadiad, passing his exams in 1896 as a consistently outstanding student.

Patel dreamed of becoming a barrister but lacked the funds to attend college. Undeterred, he borrowed law books from an acquaintance and studied independently, occasionally sitting in on court proceedings to learn from practicing lawyers — and passed the Law examination with distinction entirely through self-study.

Building a Legal Career

Patel began his law practice in Godhra, and it quickly flourished. He married Jhaverba, and the couple had two children: a daughter, Maniben, born in 1904, and a son, Dahyabhai, born in 1905. Tragedy struck when Patel was just thirty-three — his wife passed away, and he chose never to remarry, dedicating himself fully to his family and, later, to public service.

Patel sent his elder brother, Vitthalbhai, also a lawyer, to England for further legal studies. Once his brother returned, Patel himself traveled to England, where he studied with such dedication that he topped the Barrister-at-Law examination.

Return to India and Entry into Public Life

Patel returned to India in 1913 and began practicing law in Ahmedabad, quickly building a strong reputation. At his friends' urging, he contested and won election as Ahmedabad's Sanitation Commissioner in 1917 — his first step into public administration, well before his later terms as Municipal President.

The Kheda Satyagraha (1918–1919)

Deeply moved by Gandhi's success with the Champaran Satyagraha, Patel took notice when drought struck Gujarat's Kheda division in 1918. Local peasants, unable to pay the government's high tax rates, sought relief, but the British administration refused. Gandhi, unable to devote his full attention to the cause, needed someone to lead the struggle in his place — and Patel stepped forward, giving up his lucrative legal practice for public life.

Patel's leadership brought the Kheda peasants' revolt to a successful conclusion in 1919, when the British government agreed to suspend revenue collection and roll back the tax rates. The victory turned Vallabhbhai Patel into a national figure. He went on to support Gandhi's Non-Cooperation Movement, helped organize bonfires of British goods as President of the Gujarat Congress, and abandoned English clothing in favor of Khadi.

Leading Ahmedabad as Municipal President

It was against this backdrop that Patel was elected Ahmedabad's Municipal President in 1922, 1924, and 1927. His terms brought real, tangible civic improvements to the city — a major expansion of the electricity supply, sweeping education reforms, and citywide upgrades to drainage and sanitation.

The Bardoli Satyagraha and the "Sardar" Title

In 1928, floods and famine devastated the Bardoli Taluka in Gujarat — and in the midst of this crisis, the British government raised revenue taxes by thirty percent. Patel appealed to the Governor for relief; when the appeal was refused, he organized the farmers into a mass tax refusal movement. The government's attempts to suppress the revolt failed, and it ultimately relented. It was this decisive victory — and the intense wave of national excitement it sparked — that led his colleagues and followers to begin addressing him as "Sardar," meaning "chief" or "leader," a title that stayed with him for the rest of his life.

Imprisonment and the Freedom Struggle

Patel was imprisoned during the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930. Following the Gandhi-Irwin Pact of 1931, he was released and elected President of the Indian National Congress for its 1931 Karachi session. After the Round Table Conference in London failed, Patel and Gandhi were arrested together in January 1932 and imprisoned in Yeravda Central Jail — a period during which the two men grew remarkably close, developing a bond of deep trust and candor. Patel was finally released in July 1934.

In August 1942, the Congress launched the Quit India Movement, and the British government responded by imprisoning nearly all its senior leaders, including Patel. He and the other leaders were released three years later.

Deputy Prime Minister and the Unification of India

When India achieved independence on 15 August 1947, Jawaharlal Nehru became the country's first Prime Minister, and Sardar Patel became Deputy Prime Minister, taking charge of Home Affairs, Information and Broadcasting, and the Ministry of States.

India at that time was home to 565 princely states, many ruled by Maharajas and Nawabs who envisioned remaining independent once the British departed — some even considered seeking recognition from the United Nations as sovereign states. Patel appealed directly to their sense of patriotism, urging them to join the newly free nation and act as responsible custodians of their people's future. Through patient diplomacy backed by firm resolve — including notably persuading the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Nawab of Junagadh, both of whom initially resisted joining India — Patel achieved the near-bloodless integration of a fractured nation into a single republic. It is this extraordinary achievement that earned him the enduring title "Iron Man of India."

Death and Legacy

Sardar Patel died of cardiac arrest on December 15, 1950. In recognition of his lifelong service to the nation, he was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honor, in 1991. Today, he is also honored through the Statue of Unity in Gujarat — the tallest statue in the world — built as a tribute to the man who united India.

Subhas Chandra Bose

Born: January 23, 1897
Died: August 18, 1945
Achievements: Passed Indian Civil Services Exam; elected Congress President in 1938 and 1939; formed a new party All India Forward block; organized Azad Hind Fauj to overthrow British Empire from India.

Subhas Chandra Bose, affectionately called as Netaji, was one of the most prominent leaders of Indian freedom struggle. Though Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru have garnered much of the credit for successful culmination of Indian freedom struggle, the contribution of Subash Chandra Bose is no less. He has been denied his rightful place in the annals of Indian history. He founded Indian National Army (Azad Hind Fauj) to overthrow British Empire from India and came to acquire legendary status among Indian masses.

Subhas Chandra Bose was born on January 23, 1897 in Cuttack, Orissa. His father Janaki Nath Bose was a famous lawyer and his mother Prabhavati Devi was a pious and religious lady. Subhas Chandra Bose was the ninth child among fourteen siblings. Subhas Chandra Bose was a brilliant student right from the childhood. He topped the matriculation examination of Calcutta province and graduated with a First Class in Philosophy from the Scottish Churches College in Calcutta. He was strongly influenced by Swami Vivekananda's teachings and was known for his patriotic zeal as a student. To fulfill his parents wishes he went to England in 1919 to compete for Indian Civil Services. In England he appeared for the Indian Civil Service competitive examination in 1920, and came out fourth in order of merit. However, Subhas Chandra Bose was deeply disturbed by the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre, and left his Civil Services apprenticeship midway to return to India in 1921

After returning to India Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose came under the influence of Mahatma Gandhi and joined the Indian National Congress. On Gandhiji's instructions, he started working under Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das, whom he later acknowledged his political guru. Soon he showed his leadership mettle and gained his way up in the Congress' hierarchy. In 1928 the Motilal Nehru Committee appointed by the Congress declared in favour of Domination Status, but Subhas Chandra Bose along with Jawaharlal Nehru opposed it, and both asserted that they would be satisfied with nothing short of complete independence for India. Subhas also announced the formation of the Independence League. Subhas Chandra Bose was jailed during Civil Disobedience movement in 1930. He was released in 1931 after Gandhi-Irwin pact was signed. He protested against the Gandhi-Irwin pact and opposed the suspension of Civil Disobedience movement specially when Bhagat Singh and his associates were hanged.

Subash Chandra Bose was soon arrested again under the infamous Bengal Regulation. After an year he was released on medical grounds and was banished from India to Europe. He took steps to establish centres in different European capitals with a view to promoting politico-cultural contacts between India and Europe. Defying the ban on his entry to India, Subash Chandra Bose returned to India and was again arrested and jailed for a year. After the General Elections of 1937, Congress came to power in seven states and Subash Chandra Bose was released. Shortly afterwards he was elected President of the Haripura Congress Session in 1938. During his term as Congress President, he talked of planning in concrete terms, and set up a National planning Committee in October that year. At the end of his first term, the presidential election to the Tripuri Congress session took place early 1939. Subhas Chandra Bose was re-elected, defeating Dr. Pattabhi Sitaramayya who had been backed by Mahatma Gandhi and the Congress Working Committee. Clouds of World War II were on the horizon and he brought a resolution to give the British six months to hand India over to the Indians, failing which there would be a revolt. There was much opposition to his rigid stand, and he resigned from the post of president and formed a progressive group known as the Forward Block.

Subhas Chandra Bose now started a mass movement against utilizing Indian resources and men for the great war. There was a tremendous response to his call and he was put under house arrest in Calcutta. In January 1941, Subhas Chandra Bose disappeared from his home in Calcutta and reached Germany via Afghanistan. Working on the maxim that "an enemy's enemy is a friend", he sought cooperation of Germany and Japan against British Empire. In January 1942, he began his regular broadcasts from Radio Berlin, which aroused tremendous enthusiasm in India. In July 1943, he arrived in Singapore from Germany. In Singapore he took over the reins of the Indian Independence Movement in East Asia from Rash Behari Bose and organised the Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army) comprising mainly of Indian prisoners of war. He was hailed as Netaji by the Army as well as by the Indian civilian population in East Asia. Azad Hind Fauj proceeded towards India to liberate it from British rule. Enroute it lliberated Andeman and Nicobar Islands. The I.N.A. Head quarters was shifted to Rangoon in January 1944. Azad Hind Fauj crossed the Burma Border, and stood on Indian soil on March 18 ,1944.

However, defeat of Japan and Germany in the Second World War forced INA to retreat and it could not achieve its objective. Subhas Chandra Bose was reportedly killed in an air crash over Taipeh, Taiwan (Formosa) on August 18, 1945. Though it is widely believed that he was still alive after the air crash not much information could be found about him.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi, was a major political and spiritual leader of India and the Indian independence movement. He was the pioneer of Satyagraha—a philosophy that is largely concerned with truth and 'resistance to evil through active, non-violent resistance'—which led India to independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. Gandhi is commonly known in India and across the world. In India, he is officially accorded the honour of Father of the Nation. 2 October, his birthday, is commemorated each year as Gandhi Jayanti, a national holiday. On 15 June 2007, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution declaring 2 October to be the "International Day of Non-Violence."

Gandhi first employed peaceful civil disobedience in the Indian community's struggle for civil rights in South Africa. Upon his return to India from Africa, he organized poor farmers and labourers to protest against oppressive taxation and widespread discrimination. Assuming leadership of the Indian National Congress, Gandhi led nationwide campaigns for the alleviation of poverty, for the liberation of women, for brotherhood amongst different religious and ethnic groups, for an end to untouchability and caste discrimination, and for the economic self-sufficiency of the nation, but above all for Swaraj—the independence of India from foreign domination. Gandhi famously led his nation in the disobedience of the British salt tax imposed in India with the 400 kilometre (250 miles) Dandi Salt March in 1930, and in an open call for the British to Quit India in 1942. He was imprisoned for many years on numerous occasions in both South Africa and India.

Early life

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born into the Hindu Modh family in Porbandar, on October 2, 1869. He was the son of Karamchand Gandhi, the diwan (Prime Minister) of Porbandar, and Putlibai, Karamchand's fourth wife, a Hindu of the Pranami Vaishnava order. Karamchand's first two wives, who each bore him a daughter, died from unknown reasons. Living with a devout mother and surrounded by the Jain influences of Gujarat, Gandhi learned from an early age the tenets of non-injury to living beings, vegetarianism, fasting for self-purification, and mutual tolerance between members of various creeds and sects. He was born into the vaishya, or business, caste.
In May 1883, at the age of 13, Gandhi was married through his parents' arrangements to Kasturba Makhanji. They had five children, the first of whom died in infancy; Harilal Gandhi, born in 1888; Manilal Gandhi, born in 1892; Ramdas Gandhi, born in 1897; and Devdas Gandhi, born in 1900. Gandhi was a mediocre student in his youth at Porbandar and later Rajkot. He barely passed the matriculation exam for Samaldas College at Bhavnagar, Gujarat. He was also unhappy at the college, because his family wanted him to become a barrister.


Gandhi and his wife Kasturba (1902)
At the age of 18 on 4 September 1888, Gandhi went to University College London to study law and train as a barrister. His time in London, the Imperial capital, was influenced by a vow he had made to his mother in the presence of the Jain monk Becharji, upon leaving India, to observe the Hindu precepts of abstinence from meat, alcohol, and promiscuity. Although Gandhi experimented with adopting "English" customs—taking dancing lessons for example—he could not stomach his landlady's mutton and cabbage. She pointed him towards one of London's few vegetarian restaurants. Rather than simply go along with his mother's wishes, he read about, and intellectually embraced vegetarianism. He joined the Vegetarian Society, was elected to its executive committee, and founded a local chapter. He later credited this with giving him valuable experience in organizing institutions. Some of the vegetarians he met were members of the Theosophical Society, which had been founded in 1875 to further universal brotherhood, and which was devoted to the study of Buddhist and Hindu literature. They encouraged Gandhi to read the Bhagavad Gita. Not having shown a particular interest in religion before, he read works of and about Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism, Islam and other religions. He returned to India after being called to the bar of England and Wales by Inner Temple, but had limited success establishing a law practice in Bombay. Later, after applying and being turned down for a part-time job as a high school teacher, he ended up returning to Rajkot to make a modest living drafting petitions for litigants, but was forced to close down that business as well when he ran afoul of a British officer. In his autobiography, he describes this incident as a kind of unsuccessful lobbying attempt on behalf of his older brother. It was in this climate that (in 1893) he accepted a year-long contract from an Indian firm to a post in Natal, South Africa, then part of the British Empire.

IDEOLOGIES of Gandhi

Gandhi's philosophy and his ideologies of satya (truth) and ahimsa (non-violence) were influenced by the Bhagavad Gita and Hindu beliefs, the Jain religion and the pacifist Christian teachings of Leo Tolstoy. The concept of ‘ahimsa’ (non-violence) has a long history in Indian religious thought and has had many revivals in Hindu, Buddhist and Jain contexts. Gandhi explains his philosophy and way of life in his autobiography ‘The Story of my Experiments with Truth’.

In applying these principles, Gandhi did not balk from taking them to their most logical extremes. In 1940, when invasion of the British Isles by the armed forces of Nazi Germany looked imminent, Gandhi offered the following advice to the British people:
“I would like you to lay down the arms you have as being useless for saving you or humanity. You will invite Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini to take what they want of the countries you call your possessions.... If these gentlemen choose to occupy your homes, you will vacate them. If they do not give you free passage out, you will allow yourselves, man, woman, and child, to be slaughtered, but you will refuse to owe allegiance to them.” (Non-Violence in Peace and War)

Although he experimented with eating meat upon first leaving India, he later became a strict vegetarian. He wrote books on the subject while in London, having met vegetarian campaigner Henry Salt at gatherings of the Vegetarian Society. The idea of vegetarianism is deeply ingrained in Hindu and Jain traditions in India, and, in his native land of Gujarat, most Hindus were vegetarian. He experimented with various diets and concluded that a vegetarian diet should be enough to satisfy the minimum requirements of the body. He abstained from eating for long periods, using fasting as a political weapon.

Gandhi gave up sexual intercourse at the age of 36, becoming totally celibate while still married. This decision was deeply influenced by the Hindu idea of brahmacharya—spiritual and practical purity—largely associated with celibacy. He announced this to his wife, rather than discussing it with her.

Gandhi spent one day of each week in silence. He believed that abstaining from speaking brought him inner peace. This influence was drawn from the Hindu principles of mouna (silence) and shanti (peace). On such days he communicated with others by writing on paper. For three and a half years, from the age of 37, Gandhi refused to read newspapers, claiming that the tumultuous state of world affairs caused him more confusion than his own inner unrest.

Returning to India from South Africa, where he had enjoyed a successful legal practice, he gave up wearing Western-style clothing, which he associated with wealth and success. He dressed to be accepted by the poorest person in India. He advocated the use of homespun cloth (khadi). Gandhi and his followers adopted the practice of weaving their own clothes from thread they themselves spun, and encouraged others to do so. This was a threat to the British establishment. While Indian workers were often idle due to unemployment, they had always bought their clothing from English industrial manufacturers. If Indians made their own clothes, it would deal a harsh blow to British industry. The spinning wheel was later
incorporated into the flag of the Indian National Congress.