Gandhi Jayanti 2021
Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated on 2nd October every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi. He was called the ‘Father of the Nation’ because it was he who got freedom for us. He was the most prominent leader of India’s independence movement.
Gandhi Jayanti 2021: Date, history, significance / Why Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated?
Mahatma Gandhi was born on 02-October-1869 at Porbandar in Gujarat. He is remembered for his memorable contribution to the struggle for freedom of India. His aim was to build a new society that follows nonviolent and honest behaviour wherein all members should be treated equally irrespective of their gender, religion, colour or caste.
Mahatma Gandhi teaches us nonviolence means non-participation in the use of physical force to achieve our goals . For some people, the philosophy of nonviolence is ingrained in the simple belief that God is harmless. Nonviolence means to achieve political and social change without harming anyone. Nonviolence is a philosophy, a principle, and a practice which needs to be followed in society for peace and happiness . His philosophy has a great impact on people’s lives.
Gandhi contributed to the Indian freedom struggle as well as to bring changes into the society. He fought against the existing Indian caste system and worked towards stopping the practise of the cruel treatment of untouchables. He raised voice to establish equality and unity in the society. His beliefs and principles have motivated the commonalities to bring down the mighty foreign empire to its knees. Gandhi’s quotes inspire today’s youth. His idea of non-violence has taught everyone that even in a gentle way, one can achieve goals and win the world.
In his honour, the United Nations General Assembly on 15th June 2007, announced 2nd October as International Day of Non-Violence. The day is celebrated for “the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence” and the wish “to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence”. Gandhi also promoted handloom(a machine for weaving cloth, operated by hand).
Where is Gandhi Jayanti celebrated?
Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated yearly on 02nd October. It is an officially declared national holiday of India, for all of its states and territories. Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated by paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi all over India, including Gandhi’s memorial, Raj Ghat, in New Delhi where he was cremated.
What can we do on Gandhi Jayanti/ How do we celebrate Gandhi Jayanti in school?
You can teach your children the Principles of Gandhi, discuss his stories, share qualities and tactics of Mahatma Gandhi and also explain the famous Gandhi quotes from the books. In schools, children are asked to dress like Gandhi or perform anything related to this Day to make them familiar with our history and stories of freedom.
Below mentioned activities can be done on Gandhi Jayanti :-
- Dress up like Mahatma Gandhi(Lungi — a wrap around cloth or Dhoti).
- Visit a museum/Read Books about him
- Introduce them to the charkha and to khadi material
- Play a truth game so children will learn the importance of speaking truth.
- Talk about Gandhiji’s three monkeys.
- Make art and crafts to give a message to society.
- Room-cleaning Activity/Cleaning importance.
- Essay writing competition
- Giving speech on topics like Non-violence / Truth / Importance of Simplicity/Freedom fighter
- Rallies to show his thoughts through hoarding and quotes.
What are the three national festivals
India, being a culturally diverse country, celebrates many holidays and festivals as per seasons. Below are 3 national festivals/holidays.
1. Republic Day (26-January),
2. Independence Day (15-August)
3. Gandhi Jayanti (2-October).
What are the five things to learn from Mahatma Gandhi?
Truth, correct way of living life, nonviolence, respect for elders, freedom and determination for it are some of his most important qualities.
1).Non Violence:-
“Non-violence is the greatest power of humanity/society.” This is the teaching of Mahatma Gandhi himself which means fighting for political or social change without using force, for example by not obeying laws
2).Truth and Honesty:-
Gandhiji taught us that truth always succeeds and this is apparent from his real-life stories/teachings. Truth and honesty is the key principle which people should learn from Mahatma Gandhi’s life.
3).Forgiveness:-
Forgiveness is a quality relating to the very famous story of Gandhiji, showing his right cheek when someone slapped him on his left cheek, shows how forgiving Gandhiji was. Once he said that “An eye for an eye would only end up making the whole world blind.” This is a simple yet powerful thought behind this.
4).Perseverance:-
The river cuts through the mountains, not because of its strength, but because of its perseverance & determination. Many times, we give up when things get tough. Gandhiji was a living example of how perseverance can lead one towards success. Gandhiji never gave up on his dream of freedom of India from the British Empire, so India got freedom.
5.Mindfulness :-
Gandhiji always taught the importance of mental well-being, mindfulness & spirituality. Mindfulness is the human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing. Gandhi’s mindfulness helped him forgive & forget and made him pursue all his goals. He once said “You must be the transformation that you wish to see in the world.”
Prernamurti Bharti Shriji mentioned in her discourse that two teachings of the Bhagavad Gita attracted Gandhiji the most. The first one is Anasakti which means detachment for the results of one’s actions. You can only perform your karma (actions) but you don’t have any control over the results. The second one is , you should try to become like the Yogi who can free his mind from all attachment to objects of senses, who lacks all fear and remains calm and focused even in opposing situations.
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