Gandhi's Early Life and Philosophy — Definition
Definition
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, revered globally as Mahatma Gandhi, embarked on a transformative journey from a shy, unassuming lawyer to a towering figure of non-violent resistance. His early life, spanning from his birth in 1869 to his return to India in 1915, is a crucial period for understanding the genesis of his philosophy and methods.
Born in Porbandar, Gujarat, into a relatively affluent family, Gandhi's childhood was marked by traditional Hindu values and a strong moral upbringing, though he admitted to youthful indiscretions. His father, Karamchand Gandhi, served as the Diwan (chief minister) of several princely states, instilling in young Mohandas an early exposure to public affairs and administration.
His mother, Putlibai, a devout Vaishnavite, profoundly influenced him with her deep religious faith, asceticism, and commitment to non-violence, fasting, and compassion. These early influences laid a subtle but firm groundwork for his later spiritual and ethical pursuits.
His pursuit of legal education took him to London in 1888, a significant cultural and intellectual shift. During his three years at the Inner Temple, Gandhi immersed himself in Western thought, yet simultaneously deepened his appreciation for his own cultural heritage.
He experimented with vegetarianism, joined the Vegetarian Society, and engaged with diverse philosophical and religious texts, including the Bhagavad Gita, the Bible, and the Quran. This period was critical for his intellectual development, exposing him to ideas of justice, liberty, and individual rights, while also reinforcing his commitment to moral living.
He qualified as a barrister in 1891, returning to India with high hopes but facing initial professional struggles.
The pivotal chapter of his early life unfolded in South Africa, where he arrived in 1893 to work as a legal counsel for an Indian merchant. What began as a temporary assignment stretched into two decades, fundamentally shaping his identity and mission.
His personal experience with racial discrimination, most famously the incident at Pietermaritzburg where he was thrown off a train for being a 'coloured' person in a first-class compartment, ignited a lifelong struggle against injustice.
He witnessed firsthand the systemic oppression faced by the Indian community, who were denied basic rights, subjected to discriminatory laws, and treated as second-class citizens. This direct encounter with institutionalized racism transformed him from a timid lawyer into a determined activist.
In South Africa, Gandhi organized the Indian community, forming the Natal Indian Congress in 1894 to fight for their rights. He developed and refined his unique method of non-violent resistance, which he termed 'Satyagraha' – literally, 'truth-force' or 'soul-force'.
This was not merely passive resistance but an active, moral, and courageous pursuit of truth through non-violence, involving self-suffering and a willingness to endure hardship without retaliating. His experiments with community living at Phoenix Settlement (1904) and Tolstoy Farm (1910) were practical laboratories for his ideals of self-sufficiency, simple living, and communal harmony.
Influenced by thinkers like John Ruskin (Unto This Last) and Leo Tolstoy, Gandhi's philosophy evolved to encompass Sarvodaya (welfare of all), Ahimsa (non-violence in thought, word, and deed), and Swaraj (self-rule, both political and individual).
By the time he returned to India in 1915, he was no longer just M.K. Gandhi, the lawyer; he had become 'Mahatma' – a great soul – ready to lead a nation.