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Abstract
Gandhi led his life by example only by experiencing the truth and the spirit of self-belief. Basics of Gandhi’s political ethos and philosophy took off in South Africa where the perception had shaped the mind and resolutions of Gandhi. The resonance of South African political safari directed the socio-economic-political destiny of India so decisively that swept the entire colonial world. Gandhi faced a series of racial discrimination in South Africa because of his colour of skin and heritage.Gandhi Ji amidst mass meeting held in Johannesburg, adopted the concept of “Satyagraha”, an exercise to search the truth in a manner distinctively non-violence. Gandhi Ji landed on Indian soil in 1915.Gandhi Ji established Sabarmati Ashram which became the center point of the pursuit of truth in character and Satyagraha. Gandhiji’s first experiment with Satyagraha occurred in 1917 when he led a movement in Champaran district of Bihar. Gandhiji with Ballavbhai Patel led another successful mass movement at Kheda in Gujarat with victory for the distressed farmers. Different forms of Satyagraha had already made Gandhiji a mass leader with close connections to the masses and he was being referred to as Bapu.Gandhiji’s call for a countrywide Bandh against the oppressive Rowlatt Act was a great success. Indian populace was prohibited from producing or selling salt independently, and instead, Indians were required to buy expensive, heavily taxed salt. Gandhiji in March–April 1930 took up a march on foot spanning over 385 km. from Sabarmati Ashram to the Arabian Sea coast city of Dandi garnered widespread support among the Indian populace and considerable worldwide attention as well. The Quit" India movement was launched in 1942 under the leadership of the Mahatma Gandhi which swept across every nook and corner of the country.This was probably the biggest ever mass movement of the people that took place in history.