Gandhi Jayanti is one of the three national holidays in India. It is celebrated on 2nd of October to commemorate the birth of Mahatma Gandhi, the ‘Father of the Nation’. The other two are the Independence Day and the Republic Day.
Born on 2nd Oct 1869 in Porbandar in Gujarat, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was the activist who adapted nonviolent measure to free India from the British rule.
He travelled to South Africa to study law and saw the differential treatment of people by the British based on colour. He protested against this and on coming back to India in 1915 took up the cause for civil rights and Indian Independence. He led the non-cooperation movement, salt march, Satyagraha among other movements against the British.
He took to wearing a simple dhoti instead of the western clothes and fought for many social causes. All his campaigns were based on the principles of peace and non-violence. He boycotted the imported articles and encouraged the use of swadeshi, and he himself took up the charkha to spin his own cotton.
In 1921 he became the leader the Indian National Congress and used this platform to assert Swaraj.
He was assassinated by Nathuram Godse.on 30th January in 1948 a Hindu nationalist, who believed Gandhiji to be responsible for the partition.
Events on Gandhi Jayanti
To celebrate the birth anniversary of Bapu there are many assemblies that take place all over the country, in schools, colleges and other institutions on 2nd October every year.
On this day people speak about non-violence and promote the principles of Gandhiji, which included ahimsa (non-violence). Many abstain from alcohol and meat to acknowledge these principles.
Various events such as competitions with special focus on Peace and non-violence etc. are held on this day, drawing and speech or essay competitions being the common ones.
Bapu’s favourite bhajans ‘Vaishnav Jan’ and ‘Raghupati Raghav raja ram’ are sung and played everywhere.
In 2007, UNESCO declared 2nd October to be celebrated as the International Day of Non-violence.
Conclusion
Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated to commemorate one of the finest leaders in the world – M.K.Gandhi.