Gandhi journey to South Africa

It was a long journey from India to South Africa. Gandhi reached the port of Natal towards the end of May 1893. The first thing he noticed was that the Indians there were. Treated with little respect. Within a week of his arrival in Durban, he visited the court with Abdulla Seth of Dada Abdulla & co.

No sooner had he sat down than the magistrate pointed his plum finger at him.

“You must remove your turban,” he said sternly.

Gandhi was surprised. He looked around and saw several Muslims and Parsees wearing turbans. He could not understand why he was singled out to be rebuked.

Gandhi got offer from South Africa

As his ship steamed into Bombay harbor, Gandhi saw his brother waiting at the quayside. He ran down the gangway to meet him. As they exchanged greetings, Mohandas noticed that his brother looked sad.

“You have bad news for me?” he asked.

“Yes,” his brother replied with tears in his eyes. “We did not want to disturb you during your examinations. Our dear mother… she died a few weeks back.”

Mohandas was shocked. His mother had meant so much to him. He had come back to tell her that he had kept the promises he had made before he went abroad, but now she was no more. What a sad homecoming!

Gandhi in law organization

It was the tradition of the Inns of Court, a law organization for the students, to dine together at least six times each year. The first time Gandhi dined with his fellow students, he felt shy and nervous. He was sure that the boys would make fun of him for refusing meat and wine.

When wine was offered, he said, “No, thank you.”

The boy sitting next to him said, “I say, Gandhi, don’t you really want your share? You pay for it, you know!”

When Gandhi replied that he never touched wine, the boy shouted to his friends, “By Jove, fellows, we are in luck to have this chap sitting with us. That gives us an extra half bottle.”

“You can have my share of roast, too,” Gandhi told them, looking quite content with his bread, boiled potatoes, and cabbage. He was pleasantly surprised to find that his queer habits did not make him unpopular. The next time he went for the dinner, he had a pile of law books with him. He was taking the books to his room to study.

Gandhi in London

   On landing at Southampton he looked around. He saw that all the people were in dark clothes, wearing bowler hats and carrying overcoats flung over their arms. Mohandas was embarrassed to find that he was the only one wearing white flannels.

In London he stayed at first at the Victoria Hotel. Dr. P. J.Mehta, a friend of the Gandhi family, was the first to meet him. Mohandas was impressed with Dr. Mehta’s silk top hat. Mohandas was impressed with Dr. Mehta’s silk top hat. Out of curiosity, he passed his hand over it and disturbed the pile of the silk. Dr. Mehta then gave him his first lesson in European manners.

Gandhi after passing high school

 After passing his high school examination, Mohandas joined the Samaldas Arts College at Bhawnagar. As he did not find the classes interesting, he returned home after the first term.

There a big surprise awaited him. His eldest brother and a family friend suggested that Mohandas should go to England to study and become a barrister. Mohandas was thrilled. Here was a chance for him to see the worlds.

But his mother did not like the idea of his going to England. She did not want her youngest son to stay away from her. There was also the problem of money. Moreover, she feared that Mohandas would lose his caste if he crossed the ocean. The family friend assured her that there would be no such difficulty and everything would be all right. But his mother was still opposed to the idea.

Gandhi Early Life "Mohandas had also taken to smoking in the company of his brother"

One day Mohandas met Sheik Mehtab. A friend of his elder brother. Sheik was tall and strong but had a bad reputation. Mohandas knew this, yet he was much impressed by him because of his physique. Sheik was a meat-eater and he often told Mohandas that if he ate meat he would also grow tall and strong. During those days, a reform movement to bring change in the orthodox ways of life was going strong. Mohandas himself had heard that many well-to-do people had started eating meat. So he also started eating meat. Initially, he did not like the taste of meat but after some time he started relishing meat curry.

Whenever he had a meat meal outside, Mohandas had to give his other some excuse for not eating his dinner. He knew that his parents would not forgive him if they knew he had eaten meat. He was not against eating meat then, but he was against telling a lie to his mother. This feeling was gnawing at his heart and finally he decided not to touch meat again.

Mohandas had also taken to smoking in the company of his brother, his friend Sheik Mehtab, and another relative. He had to pilfer small amounts of money from here and there to buy cigarettes.

One day, in order to pay off a debt which his brother had incurred. Mohandas stole a piece of gold. Stealing was a great sin. He knew that he had committed a grave crime. He resolved never to steal again in his whole life. He wrote down a confession of his misdeed and handed the paper to his ailing father.

Karamchand Gandhi read the confession. He tore up the paper without saying a word. The bits of paper fell to the floor. He sank back on his bed with a sigh. Mohandas left the room, tears streaming down his face.

From that day, Mohandas loved his father more and more. Every day he hurried home school to wait on him. His father’s condition grew worse and at length he died. The house was filled with sorrow.

Mohandas was only sixteen when his father passed away. 

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Gandhi Early Life "Why shouldn’t we all be truthful like Harishchandra?” Gandhi constantly asked himself."

His mother had no answer. She angrily told him to go and have as bath and say his prayers.

Karamchand Gandhi loved all his sons, but he was especially fond of Moniya. He often said to him: “You must go to high school and college and take up a profession.”

Moniya worked hard and did his lessons carefully. But he did not like learning by heart and was therefore weak in Sanskrit. He liked Geometry the best because it involved reasoning.

One Moniya happened to read the story of Shravana Kumar. Shravana Kumar’s parents were old and blind and he always carried them with him in two baskets slung on a yoke. Moniya was deeply touched by Shravana Kumar’s devotion to his old parents.” I must be like Shravana Kumar.” He resolved.

At about this time he also saw a play about Harishchandra, a king who was famous for his love of truth.

“Why shouldn’t we all be truthful like Harishchandra?” he constantly asked himself.

Mohandas was only thirteen when he was told that he was soon to be married. His parents had already chosen his bride. She lived in Porbandar and her name was kasturbai. She and Mohandas were about the same age.

The wedding day approached. Mohandas was dressed in new clothes. Everyone was gaily dressed and the house was decked with flowers and banana leaves. The bridegroom, accompanied by the wedding party, left for Porbandar.

In the bride’s home it was a day of great celebration. There was singing and dancing and music. At the auspicious hour the bridegroom and party arrived.

Kasturbai, dressed in red and wearing elegant jewellery, was shy but attractive. Amidst great rejoicing. Mohandas was married to Kasturbai.

The celebrations lasted a whole week and then the bride left her home in Porbandar and went with her husband to Rajkot.

Kasturbai was a pretty and lively girl. Mohandas and she often played together. Sometimes Mohandas tried to teach his young wife but she could never concentrate on books, though she was quick to learn the household work.

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Gandhi Early Life

In a small, white- washed house in Porbandar, on the coast of Kathiawad in western India, Mohandas Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869. His parents were Karamchand Gandhi and putlibai. He was small and dark, and looked no different from the millions of other children born in India. Yet this was no ordinary child. He was to fight and overcome a great empire and, without taking to arms, set his country free. He was to be called the Mahatma, the Great Soul. Having led his people to freedom, he was to lay down his life for their sake.

Gandhi Early Life 

Porbandar is an old seaport, overlooked by the distant Barda Hills. Even in ancient days ships from far-off lands went there to trade. It was the ancestral home of the Gandhis. Mohandas ‘Grandfather and father were famous for their ability and for their upright character. His grandfather, Uttamchand Gandhi, who belonged to a humble family of merchants, became the Dewan of Porbandar. He was succeeded by his son, Karamchand Gandhi, popularly known as Kaba Gandhi. Karamchand Gandhi had very little formal education, but his knowledge and experience made him a good administrator. He was brave and generous. He had, however, one flaw- a bad temper.

Putlibai, Karamchand Gandhi’s wife, was deeply religious. Every day she worshipped at the temple. She was a lovable and strong - willed woman, widely respected for her wisdom and good sense. People often sought her advice on various matters.