Essay: Gandhi – A Hero That Influenced the Whole World

Gandhi-A Hero That Influenced the Whole World
A hero is defined as a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. The majority of people think of Batman or Superman when they hear the word hero. Many are completely unaware of amazing things that others have done for our world. Although there are many examples of heroes in our society, Gandhi is the best example of a modern-day hero due to his efforts in anti-war activism, his peaceful lifestyle, and his long-lasting impression on the world.
Gandhi’s early life played a role in his future anti-war efforts. Gandhi was born in Porbandar, India on October 2nd, 1869. He grew up as a Hindu, which started his interest in being an anti-war activist. Gandhi has a unique personality in the aspect that he accepts anyone, even if they are a different religion or have done harmful things to him or others. Gandhi was known for his unique methods of peacefully fighting. Growing up as a Hindu, Gandhi was exposed to this behavior since he was young. Hindus are known for their lifestyle of fasting, meditating, vegetarianism, and non-violence. Gandhi became very committed to his religion,“He immersed himself in sacred Hindu spiritual texts and adopted a life of simplicity, austerity, fasting, and celibacy that was free of material goods”(biography.com). As Gandhi become more involved with his religion, he became more accustomed to fasting and meditating. This helped him in his efforts to show the world how there are other ways to get what you want without fighting over it. Gandhi’s early life created his ability to remain peaceful and be able to fast in order to gain something.
Gandhi has been to South Africa many times, but his first trip changed him. Gandhi went to South Africa to work under a year-long contract with Dada Abdulla & Co., which is an Indian law firm. Gandhi’s time in South Africa greatly affected him. “One day in court at Durban, the magistrate asked him to remove his turban. He was thrown off a train at Standerton, in the Transvaal, after refusing to move from the first class to a third class coach while holding a valid first-class ticket. Traveling further on by stagecoach,…”(worldhistoryproject.org). This event caused Gandhi to realize how bad Indians were being treated in South Africa. Although Gandhi went through this awful event it, unfortunately, wasn’t over for him. “…he suffered other hardships on the journey as well, including being barred from many hotels“  (worldhistoryproject.org). After these events, Gandhi decided to stay in South Africa to help solve this problem. Although Gandhi’s trip seemed bad it helped Gandhi because it paved his pathway into becoming an anti-war activist.
Another great achievement for Gandhi was fighting for Indian rights. During his time in South Africa, Gandhi had a realization. When he refused to move from first class to stagecoach and forced to wait in the cold, Gandhi realized that he needed to stay in South Africa and fight for Indian rights. This isn’t the only thing that Gandhi realized, “Out of that struggle emerged his unique version of nonviolent resistance, Satyagraha”(worldhistoryproject.org). Gandhi came up with his famous non-violent fighting method. This was huge for Gandhi, as he would be able to help a lot of people using this method.
While fighting for Indian rights, Gandhi founded the Natal Indian Congress. This was a great achievement for Gandhi and a great help for Indian rights. The Natal Indian Congress was to look after the interests of Indians. Gandhi was ready to return home, but a newspaper that stated there was a bill being considered that would deny Indians the right to vote. The Indians of South Africa urged Gandhi to stay and help in the efforts to stop the bill from being passed. Gandhi ended up staying in order to help stop the bill. That day Gandhi showed a hero-like characteristic of selflessness. He kept putting himself and his family second and stayed in South Africa, rather than going home to see his family.
Gandhi then began publicly using his new non-violent fighting method. The main event he used it with was The Great March. The Great March began at 6:30 am and consisted of 2,037 men, 127 women, and 57 children. This totals to a whopping 2,221 people. During the march, Gandhi was arrested. He was arrested at the Palmford Railway Station Although this sounds bad, the amazing part of it is that the people kept on marching. Gandhi had inspired them so well that he could lead them without being present.
The Great March was definitely an important march, but it wasn’t the only one. The Salt March, which was to combat a salt tax that the British placed on India. Gandhi lead the march and they went from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi. Once they arrived at Dandi, he broke the salt law.  Gandhi was followed by many others, refusing to pay the tax on salt. Around 80,000 Indians were jailed due to this event. “The campaign had a significant effect on changing world and British attitudes toward Indian independence and caused large numbers of Indians to actively join the fight for the first time“(worldhistoryproject.org). Although the salt tax seemed so small and insignificant, it still had a huge impact on how the British saw the Indians and helped push forward the efforts to gain Indian independence.
Gandhi was also well known for fasting. Fasting is when a person abstains from all kinds of food or drink. Gandhi used this to protest and to get what he wanted without being violent. Gandhi has done this multiple times, for example, he started 21 day fast in September of 1924. He did this to purify himself. He did another fast in September of 1932 for six days trying to protest separate elections for the untouchables. Gandhi participated in another fast in March of 1939 called The Fast Until Death. This fast wasn’t the longest, but it still had a big impact on India. Nearly everybody stopped and prayed for him. Fasting made Gandhi weak, and sometimes it made him unable to move without help, but he still did it for the other people. In this situation, Gandhi is showing another heroic characteristic, perseverance. He never gave up and continued to fast until something was done.
Gandhi has had many fasts in his lifetime, but the best one was The Greatest Fast. Gandhi started this fast in order to eliminate hatred between Muslims and Hindus. “The fast compelled people to think afresh on the problem on the solution of which he had staked his life” (worldhistoryproject.org). Gandhi used this fast to show people this problem that needed to be solved. Gandhi realized the people that saw his every move, and he used that to change the relationship between the two religions. Although, little did Gandhi know that this would be the last movement that he would ever live to make. Gandhi is the best example of a modern-day hero because he made so many movements without hurting anyone, and even putting himself at risk in order to help others.
Gandhi 5was assassinated on January 30, 1948. It’s confusing to think why such a peaceful person was assassinated. Gandhi was 78 years old and weakened due to a fast that he was participating in at the time. A Hindu extremist was upset at Gandhi due to his tolerance of Muslims. “…knelt before the Mahatma before pulling out a semiautomatic pistol and shooting him three times at point-blank range “(biology.com). Gandhi’s assassination caused hurt around the world, a big part of the world went missing that day.
Although Gandhi has been dead for a long time, he is still able to influence the world. He isn’t doing it the same way as when he was alive, but he lives on through quotes and articles of his life. “Thousands of examples could be given of people who connected their lives to Gandhi,
who felt inspired by him and were touched by his way of being in the world.  This
inspiration can take many very different forms: leading sober lives, being non-violent or
a vegetarian, engaging oneself politically, striving for a better society, fighting racism or
criticizing aspects of modernity, being truthful and so on “(culturewetenschap.be).  Gandhi’s actions have influenced others and even caused them to do the same. This is an amazing aspect of Gandhi that is not likely to come up again in our society. One of the thousands of people who connected their lives to Gandhi. For an example, Martin Luther King JR. He visited Gandhi’s birthplace and that experience deepened his understanding of nonviolence. Some people, like Nobel Laureate Lech Walesa, who actually used his methods and realized how effective they really are. Gandhi is the best example of a hero because he still affects people even years after his death.
Gandhi is the perfect example of a modern-day hero. He would fit into the category known as Community Crusaders. He is known as a Community Crusader due to him challenging social issues and racial barriers. Gandhi will live on forever through statues and his legacy that he left behind. Gandhi was able to touch people’s hearts, and because he did that, he resonates with them. This is the main reason on how he is still so relevant in our society. Although Gandhi’s methods aren’t currently being used, we still acknowledge their effective qualities.
The definition of a hero reads, a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Gandhi is the best example of a modern-day hero because he fits the definition. Gandhi has been idealized by many for challenging things that others wouldn’t. Gandhi has many achievements that helped make the world a little bit more peaceful. Overall, Gandhi is the best example of a modern-day hero because of his anti-war efforts, peaceful lifestyle, and his long-lasting legacy.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Works Cited
Jayanti, Gandhi. “Gandhi’s Lessons in Leadership: Life as a Site of Learning.” Http://Www.cultuurwetenschap.be, 2 Oct. 2012, www.cultuurwetenschap.be/files/events/Sarah_gandhi_jayanti_2012_speech.pdf. 25 March 2018
“Mahatma Gandhi.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 9 Mar. 2018, www.biography.com/people/mahatma-gandhi-9305898. 25 March 2018
“Mahatma Gandhi Timeline.” World History Project, THE HISTORY OF US® AND THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD®, worldhistoryproject.org/topics/mahatma-gandhi/page/1. 25 March 2018