Gandhi Jayanti 2021: History and significance

Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated on October 2 every year to mark the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Officially, declared as a national holiday across India’s states and territories, the day sees people offer prayer services, hold commemorative ceremonies and cultural events to honour the father of the nation. 

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi aka Mahatma Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, Gujarat. This year will mark Gandhi’s 152nd birth anniversary.

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Gandhi, in a non-violent way, helped the cause of India’s independence that was achieved in 1947. A lawyer by profession, he led several movements like the Khilafat, Champaran Satyagraha and the Dandi Salt March in 1930. In 1942, he launched the Quit India Movement to overthrow the British rule in India. 

Along with his contributions towards the freedom struggle, Gandhi was also instrumental in abolishing the practice of untouchability.

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On this day, the President and Prime Minister of India usually pay homage at Raj Ghat, the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi in New Delhi. Statues of Gandhi are decorated. His favourite song Raghupati Raghava is also sung at some of the cultural gatherings. His birth anniversary is celebrated in other parts of the world too.

The UN General Assembly in 2007 adopted a resolution that declared October 2 as International Day of Non-Violence. As per the world body, thus resolution reaffirms “the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence and the desire to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence”.

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During his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’ in September, PM Narendra Modi urged people to buy khadi products to mark Gandhi Jayanti. He also  remembered the contribution of Gandhi to the cleanliness movement and said “Mahatma Gandhi had associated cleanliness with the dream of independence”.