by Betty Carew

Created on: February 20, 2009   Last Updated: September 17, 2009

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was one of the world's most political and spiritual leaders that ever came out of India. He pioneered in the practice of nonviolent resistance and was leader of the Indian Independence Movement. Mahatma Gandhi did more by non- violence than was ever accomplished by violence. This great man left a legacy to the world that will last far into the future. To know just what this great man accomplished we have to go back in time and examine just what made this man so great.

Gandhi's early life,

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2nd, 1869. He was born in Porbander which was a coastal town, in present day, Gujarat, Western India. His father's name was Karamchand Gandhi who belonged to the Hindu Modh community and was Prime Minister of Porbander State. His mother Putlibai came from the Hindu Pranami a Hinduism community. She was Karachand's fourth wife with the first three wives dying in childbirth. Between these two people Gandhi's life was molded and lessons were learnt that would follow him through his life. These included compassion, sentient beings, vegetarianism, fasting for self purification and mutual tolerance for people of different creeds and nationalities.

Marriage and college,

At the time, arranged marriages were the custom of their region and so it was with Gandhi, in May 1883 at the age of thirteen he was married to 14 year old Kasturbai Makhanji. The custom was that the bride would still spend most of her time at her parents' house. At age 15 Gandhi's first son was born but died after a few days. They went on to have four more sons. Gandhi remained an average student during his school years. He went to Samaldas College at Bhavnagar, Gujarat but his time spent in this college was not a happy one, for Gandhi's parents wanted to become a lawyer.

Gandhi becomes a lawyer,

Gandhi traveled to London England on September 4th, 1888. He was just shy of being 19. He studied Law at the University College of London and to train as a barrister. Before he left India he had promised his mother that he would adhere to the teachings of his religion which meant he would abstain from things such as meat, alcohol, and promiscuity, although he did take dancing lessons while he was there. He joined the Vegetarian Society and was elected to its executive committee and founded a local chapter. It is said that this gave him valuable lessons he would use in his life of organizing institutions. While he was there he also studied Christianity, Buddhism,

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