Gandhi Movie: a Reaction Paper

“An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind”. One of the famous quote by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, or more popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi was born in the second day of October year 1869 in Porbandar Kathiawar Agency, British Indian Empire. In May 1883, when Mahatma was 13 years old, his father, Karamchand, and mother, Putilbai, arranged his marriage to Kasturbai Makhanji (also known as “Ba” and was 14 years old that time)for the sake of their custom region. They had four sons named: Harilal, Manilal, Ramdas, and Devdas. Gandhi studied law at University College London because his parents wanted him to be a lawyer. Gandhi studied and passed the board exam, then proceeds to South Africa to fight against discrimination by developing the philosophy of non-violence or Satyagraha- a way of protesting against injustice. He wanted equality and respect from different religions, characterized in his line “I am Muslim, I am Hindu. I am Christian, I am Jew”.

Before Indian independence was given, Gandhi and his nation experienced a lot of difficulties and sacrifices. The process took so long; there was a time when Gandhi repeatedly arrested and put to prison, his followers were provoked to fight back to British authorities. By that time, Gandhi would fast until he pleased his followers to stop. In that way, he thought, British would react and free them as they wanted to be, but they didn’t, except to one General. Brigadier General Dyer ordered a massive fire to thousands of civilian: men, women and even children in an open field in Bagh where they held their meeting for protest of non-violence. This violent massacre was called Amritsar massacre killed 1526 from 1600 bullets, a very brutal massacre. Another part of Indian movement is the Salt March. Salt is one of the main sources of income and was controlled by British authorities. Gandhi protested against this, so he march and make salt against the law. This made massive disobedience from the law since there is a monopoly for the production of salt – millions started making and selling salt. After the march, Gandhi and his wife planned to proceed to the salt factory, but were arrested before they reach their destination, but his followers continued.

“We must have the courage to take their anger”, even with a slight trace of fear on their faces, they still continue to march through the factory, receives smashes but still, they didn’t respond with violence. It didn’t make much of the salt law but it opens the awareness of the British authorities to their wrong doings After years of protesting and liters of blood shed, India finally got its independence. India is composed of Muslims and Hindu. This made another problem: who will rule the government? A Muslim or a Hindu? Gandhi made a very hard choice for this because he was torn between two religions in one country, until Jinnah, Gandhi’s companion; recommend having Pakistan as a country for Muslims. Then on Gandhi manage to deal with it and let the two religion divided India into two different country. The movie made me (well, not that much) know Gandhi. At first I thought of an old man like him will just use a pen and paper to fight an alien government. But impressions were not that hundred percent accurate all the time. Anyway, seeing how he struggles that way, keeping his non-violent philosophy made me see how humane and grateful he is in his own ways. He truly deserves to be remembered.