Returning to India in 1915 he joined
the freedom movement and quickly rose
to be one of its leaders. He organized
mass civil disobedience events, marches
and protest movements. He founded an
ashram at Wardha near Ahmedabad to
train his co-workers in ahiƒsä (non-
violence) and satya (truthfulness),
believing that non-violence and truth
would prevail. To give emphasis to his
demands, both for concessions from the
British government and for peace
between warring groups of Muslims
and Hindus, he undertook lengthy fasts.
He was a deeply religious man and con-
vinced that in order to do God’s work
he had to discipline himself and earn
God’s grace. He was unable to prevent
the partition of the country which led to
widespread bloodshed. Accused by
some of having done more for Muslims
than for his fellow Hindus, he was shot
on 30 January, 1948 by Nathuram
GODSE, an extremist Hindu, during a
prayer meeting at Birla house in New
Delhi.
Gandhi not only helped to bring
about India’s independence from
Britain, he also did much for the uplift-
ment of the former untouchables
(whom he named HARIJAN, ‘God’s
people’) and for the equality of women.
He developed an economic programme
for India, based on his principles of
ahiƒsä and satya and emphasizing the
human element, the need to give mean-
ingful work to everyone and respect for
nature.
Gandhi considered himself first and
foremost a religious and moral reformer,
and hoped to further the Rämaräjya,
which he understood as the kingdom of
God, through his social and political
activities.Gaæeÿa, alsoGaæapati
(‘Lord of the gaæas [the hosts of minor
Vedic deities]’)
Son of Ÿiva and Pärvatï, with a humanbody and an elephant’s head. He is
worshipped as god of wisdom and
remover of obstacles (Vinäyaka), and
invoked before the beginning of any
major undertaking. He is VYÄSA’s secre-
tary and wrote, at his dictation, the
Mahäbhärata. His VÄHANAis a rat. He
is very popular with students, clerks,
writers and business people, and there
are numerous temples in his honour.
His festival, Gaæeÿa catürthi, is cele-
brated very lavishly especially in
Mahärä•flra, with displays of Gaæeÿa
images on public places and in homes
and processions through the streets.
There are many stories explaining how
he came to have an elephant’s head.Gaögä, alsoGanges
India’s most holy river. Mentioned only
twice in the Øgveda, it became a promi-
nent subject of praise in the Puräæas.
Originally a heavenly river, it was
brought down to earth by the prayers ofGaæeÿa 72Ganeÿa, the popular elephant-headed god,
patron of scholars and scribes.Encyclo - Letter G 10/2/03 9:42 am Page 72