Chronology

MAHATMA GANDHI

“My Life is My Message”

1869, October 2

Birth at Porbandar in Gujarat Province

1883

Married to Kasturba

1887

Passed Matriculation Examination from Ahmedabad Centre

1888, September, 4

Left fr Lndon to Study Law

1891, January, 12

Passed the Law Examination

1891, June, 6

In India, introduced to Rajchandrabhai (whom Gandhiji regarded as one of his Gurus).

1891, November, 16

Applied for enrolment in the Bombay High Court.

1892, May 24

Came to Bombay to start practice in the High Court as a Barrister

1893, April 19

Representing a Porbandar firm set sail for South Africa

1893, May 31

At Pietermaritzburg railway station Gandhiji was ordered to go into the van compartment of the train although he held a valid first class ticket. On his refusal, a constable forcibly ejected Gandhiji alongwith his baggage. He was left to shiver all night.

1894, May 22

Proposed an organization to watch the interest of Indians and to oppose colour bar against them in South Africa

1894, August 22

Founded Natal Indian Congress to fight against colour prejudice

1894, September 3

Admitted to Natal Supreme Court despite opposition by Natal Law Society

1899, October 17

Outbreak of Boer War. Gandhiji joined Ambulance Corps

1901, October 18

Departure for India with the assurance to return to South Africa if his service were needed

1901, December 27

Moved resolution on South Africa at Calcutta Congress session

1902, November 20

At the growing pressure from Indians in South Africa, returned to South Africa

1903

Founded Transvaal British Indian Association

904, October 1

Took over entire management responsibility of ‘Indian Opinion’ a weekly news letter

1904, Nov-Dec

Founded Phoenix Settlement

1906, September 11

Started Passive Resistance Movement

1909, November 13-22

Wrote ‘Hind Swaraj’ in Gujarati on board ‘S.S. Kildonan Castle’ on the way to South Africa from London

1915, January 9

Returned to India via England

1915, May 20

Founded Satyagraha Ashram at Kochrab, Ahmedabad

1917, April

Started Champaran Satyagraha for the peasants

1918

Ahmedabad Mill Workers and Kheda Peasants Satyagraha

1919, April 13

Massacre at mass meeting at Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, Gandhiji implored people to be calm

1919, September 7

‘Navajivan’ (Gujarati) started under Gandhiji’s editorship

1919, October 8

First issue of ‘ Young India’ under Gandhiji’s editorship was published

1920-21

Khilafat and Non-Co-Operation Movements

1922, February 5

Chauri- Caura incident and withdrawal of Non-Co-operation Movement

1922, March 10

Arrested. On 21 March sent to Yeravda Jail. Remained there till March 1924

1924, September 17

Started 21 days fast for Hindu-Muslim unity

1924, December 23

Presided over the Belgaum Congress

1928, December 26

Attended Calcutta Congress where a draft Constitution of India was adopted on 31st December 1928

1929, December 31

Gandhiji’s resolution on ‘Complete Independence’ was adopted at an open session of the Lahore Congress alongwith immediate boycott of Legislatures

1930, January, 26

Pledge of Independence taken all over India.

1930, February 19

All India Congress Committee adopted Civil Disobedience programme

1930, March 12

At 6.30 A.M. with 78 Ashramites and others, Gandhiji started his famous ‘Dandi March’ from Ahmedabad (241 miles) to break the Salt Law

1930, April 6

At 8.30 a.m. broke the Salt Law at Dandi

1930, May 5

Arrested at Karadi Camp, taken to Yeravda Jail

1931, January 26

Released from the Jail

1931, March 5

Gandhi-Irwin Pact was announced.

1931, August 29

Left for London to attend Second Round Table Conference

1931, December 28

Returned to India

1931, December 31

Decided to restart Satyagraha

1932, September 20

Started fast against separate electorates for the Harijans allowed in Communal Award.

1933, May 8

Started 21 days fast for the improvement of conditions of Harijans, and was released at 9 p.m. from the jail

1933, July 31

Started Individual Civil Disobedience movement

1933, August 1

Arrested and remained in jail till 23 August, 1933.

Started Harijan upliftment tour

1933, November 7

Stated “I am going to resign from the Congress”

1934, September 17

Declared his intention to retire from the Congress

1934, October 28

Resigned from the Congress

1934, October 29

Founded Sevagram Ashram at Wardha

1936

Wardha Scheme of Education

1937

North-West Frontier Province tours

1938, May & Oct- Nov.

1939, March 3

Started fast unto death at Rajkot, and on settlement of the issue broke his fast on 7 March 1939

1940, October 17

Started Anti-War Individual Satyagraha with Vinoba Bhave as the first Satyagrahi

1942, January 15

‘Jawaharlal will be my successor’, Gandhiji said

1942, March 22

Stafford Cripps arrived in India

1942, March 30

The idea of ‘Quit India’ burst upon Gandhiji

1942, August 8

Addressed All India Congress Committee at Bombay where ‘Quit India’ resolution was passed.

‘Quit India’ movement started

1942, August 9

Arrested and taken to Aga Khan Palace jail, Pune

1942, August 15

Lighted the pyre of Mahadev Desai, his Secretary who died in the jail

1943, February 10

Started fast in Aga Khan Palace jail

1943, March 3

Ended fast in the jail

1944, February 22

At 7:30 p.m. Kasturba died. The saree woven from yarn spun by Gandhiji was wrapped around her body and the pyre was lit

1944, May 6

Released from the jail

1945, June- July

Simla Conference

1946, March

Cabinet Mission arrived

1946, October 10

Inhuman atrocities started in Noakhali and other districts in East Bengal

1946, November 6

Left Calcutta for Noakhali by a special train

1947, Jan – Dec

Toured troubled areas of Bengal, Bihar and Delhi

1947, August 15

At Calcutta, fasted as country was cut into two pieces

1948, January 13

Started fast in Delhi at Birla House against communal riots

1948, January 16

Stated, ‘I have no wish to live if I cannot see peace established all round me, in India as well as in Pakistan’

1948, January 18

Broke fast by taking sweet lime juice from Maulana Azad at Birla House

1948, January 20

A bomb exploded during prayer at Birla House

1948, January 27

Wrote that Congress should cease as a political body and should devote to people’s service

1948, January 30

At 5:17 p.m. shot dead on his way to evening prayer ground at Birla House, Delhi.

Statement of Fasts In South Africa

1913	(Phoenix) Penitential fast for a week for moral lapse of two inmates at the settlement
1914	(phoenix) Fourteen day’s fast for a similar reason

In India

1915, June 1	Fasted for a day on detecting untruth among Ashram boys
1915, September 11	Gave up evening meal due to some Ashramites’ objection to the admission of a Harijan in the Ashram
1918, March 15-17	For a raise in the wages of mill workers of Ahmedabad
1919, April 6	First day of the Satyagraha movement
1919, April 13-15	Began fast for 72 hours owing to Jallianwala Bagh massacre at Amritsar, and disturbances at Bombay and Ahmedabad
1921, November 19-21	Fasted owing to disturbances at Bombay
1921, November 28	Took vow to fast for 24 hours on every Monday till Swaraj was won and started it from that day
1922, February 12-16	Owing to the massacre at Chauri-Chaura
1924, September 17-30 1924, October 1-7	For Hindu Muslim unity
1925, November 24-30	For having detected sexual aberrations in some boys and girls of the Ashram
1928, June 22-24	Owing to moral lapse of an Ashram inmate
1932, September 20-25	In protest against the decision to set up separate electorate for the Harijans
1932, December 22	In protest against Government no allowing fellow prisoners to do scavenging work
1933, May 8-28	For self purification and of his colleagues’
1933, August 16-22	In protest against Government’s decision not to grant all the facilities for Harijan work which he was having previously in jail
1934, August 7-13	An irate reformer attacked an opponent Pt. Lal Nath of the Harijan up-liftment group with a lathi. Started fast to atone
1939, March 3-6	For the breach of promise by the Rajkot ruler
1940, November 12-13	Because he doubted his fellow inmate of committing theft
1941, May 5-7	Because of communal riots in Ahmedabad
1941, June 29	For communal unity
1943, February 10-28	In protest against Government’s propaganda that the responsibility of disturbances after ‘Quit India’ resolution lies on the Congress
1944, November 30	Fasted or thought of fasting for one or more days. Details and reason could not be traced
1946, October 20-23 (?)	Probably on account of an error by the person who prepared the fair copy of letter written during negotiations with the Muslim League
1947, August 15	Against partition of the country
1947, September 1-3	Because of communal riots
1947, October 11	Birthday according to Vikram calendar, fsted instead of celebrating it
1948, January 13-17	For communal unity

Arrests and Imprisonments of Mahatma Gandhi In South Africa

1908, January 10	Arrested for failing to register or to leave Transvaal. Was sentenced to two months simple imprisonment, on 30th Jan. Following a compromise, released
1908, October 7-12	While returning from Natal as he was unable to show his registration which he had burnt, imprisoned with hard labour
1909, February 25	Arrested, sentenced for 3 months imprisonment at Transvaal for not producing registration certificate.
1913, November 6	After the ‘great march’ be was arrested at Palmford, released on 7th on bail furnished by Kallenbach
1913, November 8	Again arrested and released on bail
1913, November 9	Arrested and sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment. At Volksrust sentenced for further three months, but unexpectedly released on 18 December, 1913

In India

1917, April 16	While touring Champaran served with a notice to leave the district but was not arrested
1919, April 10	Arrested at Palwal on his way to Amritsar and was taken back to Bombay where he was released on 11 April
1922, March 10	Arrested near Sabarmati Ashram for writing three articles in ‘Young India’ Sentenced to six years’ imprisonment. Released from Yeravada prison on 5 February, 1924 unconditionally after an operation on 12 January, 1924
1929, March 4	Arrested and released for burning foreign clothes at Calcutta
1930, May 5	At 00:45 arrested at Karadi near Dandi for violating the Salt law, without trial was imprisoned and released unconditionally on 26 January, 1931
1932, January 4	Arrested in Bombay at 3 a.m. and taken to Yeravada Jail. On 8 May 1933 as he started fast was released at 6 p.m.
1933, August 1	Arrested early in the morning at Ahmedabad following his march toward Rass and released on 4 August at 9 a.m. Was asked to leave Yeravada limits by 9:30 a.m. Did not comply, so arrested on the same day at 9:50 a.m. and sentenced to one year imprisonment. Started fast on 16 August. He was shifted to Sasoon hospital on 20 August and was released on 23 August at 3:45 p.m. from the hospital
1942, August 9	Arrested in the early hours of the morning under the Defence of India Rules following ‘Quit India’ resolution and was lodged in Aga Khan Palace jail. Released unconditionally at 8 p.m. on 6 May, 1944

Last Modified Date :- 08/02/2024