Freedom Struggle & Gandhi
Gujarat GK · स्वतंत्रता संग्राम और गांधी
📋Quick Overview
Gujarat gave independent India two of its most towering figures — Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Iron Man of India. The state was the launchpad for some of the most iconic moments of the freedom movement: the Dandi March (Salt Satyagraha) of 1930 and the Bardoli Satyagraha of 1928. Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad served as the moral and organisational headquarters of the freedom struggle for over a decade.
Mahatma Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869 at Porbandar, Gujarat — October 2 is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti and International Day of Non-Violence
Dandi March (March 12 – April 6, 1930): 241 miles from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi coast — broke salt law, sparked Civil Disobedience Movement
📖Key Freedom Movement Events in Gujarat
| Event | Year | Location | Leader | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dandi March / Salt Satyagraha | March 12 – April 6, 1930 | Sabarmati → Dandi (Navsari) | Gandhi | Civil Disobedience Movement launched; 241-mile march; broke salt law |
| Bardoli Satyagraha | 1928 | Bardoli, Surat | Sardar Patel | Anti-tax agitation; Patel earned title 'Sardar' from women farmers |
| Kheda Satyagraha | 1918 | Kheda district | Gandhi + Patel | First major satyagraha by Gandhi in Gujarat; peasant rights against British |
| Ahmedabad Mill Strike | 1918 | Ahmedabad | Gandhi | Gandhi's first hunger strike (fast unto death) in India; mill workers' rights |
📝Gandhi, Patel & Morarji — Key Facts
- •Mahatma Gandhi (1869–1948): Born Porbandar; Sabarmati Ashram (est. 1917) was his base; left ashram for Dandi March and vowed not to return until India gained independence
- •Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (1875–1950): Born Nadiad, Anand district; 'Iron Man of India'; first Deputy PM and Home Minister; unified 562 princely states — Operation Polo (Hyderabad), Operation Vijay (Goa prep)
- •Morarji Desai (1896–1995): Born Bhadeli, Gujarat; Prime Minister 1977–79 (Janata Party); Bharat Ratna 1991; Pakistan's Nishan-e-Pakistan — only person to receive both highest civilian honours
- •Sabarmati Ashram: Located on banks of Sabarmati river, Ahmedabad; founded 1917; now a national monument; Gandhi's room and spinning wheel preserved
- •Dandi March route: Ahmedabad → Surat → Dandi (coastal village in Navsari district); 78 selected followers initially; took 24 days