The Inspiration of Gandhi's Salt March Lives On

On April 6th, 1930, Mahatma Gandhi stood on the beach of a small village called Dandi. He raised his fist into the air holding a lump of salty mud and declared, "With this, I am shaking the foundations of the British Empire!"

His statement, as seemingly crazy as it was accurate, would change the course of history. How was it then that a nation could ultimately establish its independence through such an innocuous act?

Gandhi's methods, as we all know, relied on non-violent protest and disobediance. But at times, his methods boggled the minds of even his most staunch advocates and allies. Such a method began on March 12th, 1930. On that day, Gandhi set out on a march to protest the 1882 Salt Act, which gave Britain the monopoly on the collection, manufacture and taxation of salt. (Thus making the manufacture of salt by the Indian people a criminal offense.)

Gandhi saw this as an affront to the poorest of a foreign-ruled nation and decided it would make the most effective campaign to galvanize his people, and by extension, the world.

Setting out from Ahmedabad, Gandhi and eighty of his followers marched approximately ten miles a day through villages and towns, gathering support and increasing worldwide attention as they walked to the Arabian Coast.

Twenty four days later, on April 5th Gandhi arrived in Dandi with over 100,000 supporters as well as the press from countries around the world.

The following day after morning prayer, Gandhi went to the shore with the world watching. He reached down and scooped up the rich, salty mud and made his famous statement, "With this, I am shaking the foundations of the British Empire!," adding, "?join me in this struggle of Right against Might." With that, Gandhi sat down and made salt.

Over the next month, the British government would beat, arrest, and jail tens of thousands of Indians for making salt, but they wouldn't stop.

In fact, defiance of the Salt law soon spread into all out boycott of all things British. Foreign clothing was burned in bonfires. Schools and colleges were emptied of their students. Month after month, year after year, Gandhi and the Indian people defied Imperialism at every turn.

In 1947, a weary Britain finally conceded that control of India rested on the consent of the Indian people and that they would never have that again. On August 15th of that year, the Republic of India was officially declared. A free and independent nation, heralded by the simple act of marching to the sea for a handful of mud.

When I think of this event and the incredible life of The Mahatma (Great Soul), I am reminded that what we do isn't nearly as important as what it inspires. We can never fully realize in this life how our small actions, imbued with truth, kindness and conviction will inspire others. Another great man, Marcus Aurelius once said, "Where life is possible at all, a right life is possible."

So be stubborn. Be resolute and brave. Life your own personal truth with every fiber of your being. Now that's inspiring.

Source: http://lifestyle.ezinemark.com/the-inspiration-of-gandhis-salt-march-lives-on-7d2f21ed0e4a.html

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