|
Back
Chronology / Time Line
1869 - 1914
|
|
1869 |
Oct |
02 |
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi born of a
Bania (Vaishya or trading caste) family at Porbunder,
Kathiawar, the youngest of the three sons of Karamchand
alias Kaba Gandhi, Prime Minister successively in
Porbunder, Rajkot and Vankaner States, and his fourth
wife Putlibai |
|
1876 |
|
|
Goes to Rajkot with parents; attends
primary school there till twelfth year; is betrothed to
Kasturbai, daughter of Gokuldas Makanji, merchant. |
|
1881 |
|
|
Enters High School at Rajkot |
|
1883 |
|
|
Marries Kasturbai |
|
1884-85 |
|
|
Takes to meat-eating in secret, but
abandons habit after about a year to avoid deceiving his
parents.
Father dies, aged 63.
|
|
1887 |
|
|
Passes Matriculation examination; joins
Samaldas College at Bhavnagar (Kathiawar), but gives up
studies at close of first term. |
|
1888 |
Sept. |
04 |
Sails for England. |
|
|
Oct. |
28 |
Reaches London.
Lives on vegetarian
diet. Takes lessons in dancing and music for a short
time, thinking they are necessary parts of a
gentleman’s equipment.
|
|
1889 |
|
|
Reads books on simple living and decides
to reduce expenses by half; studies religious literature;
reads Gita for first time and is deeply impressed |
|
1890 |
|
|
Cultivates contacts with vegetarian
movement; for short while conducts vegetarian club. |
|
|
June |
|
Passes London Matric. |
|
|
Sept |
|
Joins Vegetarian Society. |
|
1891 |
June |
10 |
Called to the Bar. |
|
|
|
12 |
Sails for India. |
|
|
July |
|
Reaches Bombay. |
|
|
Nov |
|
Applies for admission to Bombay High
Court. |
|
1892 |
|
|
Struggles with legal practice at Rajkot
and Bombay; later settles down at former place as legal
draftsman. |
|
1893 |
April |
|
Leaves for South Africa, being engaged by
a Muslim firm for legal work. |
|
|
May June |
|
Experiences colour bar in various forms;
decides to remain and fight race prejudice. |
|
1894 |
Aug |
22 |
Founds Natal Indian Congress. |
|
|
Sept |
|
Enrolled as Advocate of Supreme Court of
Natal, being first Indian to be so enrolled.
Studies
religious literature including the Bible, he Koran and
Tolstoy’s The Kingdom of God is Within You.
|
|
1895 |
|
|
Gets more committed to South African
Indian cause. Issues The Indian Franchise: An Appeal to
Every Briton in South Africa. |
|
1896 |
July |
|
Returns to India and starts agitation on
behalf of South African Indians. |
|
|
Aug |
14 |
Publishes The Green Pamphlet at Rajkot.
Tours
Bombay, Madras, Poona and Calcutta educating Indians in
regard to grievances of South African Indians.
|
|
|
Nov |
30 |
Sails for South Africa with wife and
children. |
|
1897 |
Jan |
13 |
Mobbed on landing at Durban by crowd
excited by reports of his speeches in India on conditions
of indentured Indian labour in South Africa. |
|
|
|
20 |
Declines to prosecute assailants. |
|
|
April |
06 |
Submits long memorial to Chamberlain,
Secretary of State for Colonies, regarding landing
incidents, background.
Carries on programme of
petitioning local and Imperial authorities, as well as of
communicating with British and Indian public men
regarding discriminatory laws.
|
|
1898-99 |
|
|
Represents to Indian National Congress,
Colonial and Imperial authorities, against Locations and
restrictions on Indians’ trading rights. |
|
1899 |
|
|
Raises Indian Ambulance Corps in Boer
War, which goes into action and is mentioned in
dispatches; awarded war medal. |
|
1900 |
|
|
Sends Dadabhai Naroroji draft resolution
on South African Indian problem for Congress session. |
|
1901 |
Oct |
18 |
Sails for India. |
|
|
Dec |
14 |
Reaches Rajkot via Porbunder. |
|
|
|
27 |
Moves resolution on South Africa at
Congress. |
|
1902 |
Jan28-Feb |
01 |
Visits Rangoon.
Stays for a month with
Gokhale at Calcutta.
Returns to Rajkot, settees down to practise.
|
|
|
July |
|
Shifts to and sets up practice at Bombay. |
|
|
Nov |
|
Is called to South Africa to champion
Indians’ cause against anti-Asiatic legislation in
Transvaal. |
|
|
Dec |
|
Arrives in Durban: leads delegation to
Chamberlain. |
|
1903 |
|
|
Enrolled as Attorney of Supreme Court of
Transvaal; founds Transvaal British Indian Association.
Sends
weekly statements regarding situation to Dadabhai
Naoroji.
|
|
|
June |
|
Indian Opinion commences publication. |
|
1904 |
|
|
Reads Ruskin’s Unto This Last :
founds Phoenix Settlement near Durban (Natal); organizes
hospita during outbreak of plague in Johannesburg; writes
series of articles in Gujarati on dietetics which are
later translated into English and published under the
title Guide to Health. |
|
1905 |
|
|
Opposes Bengal Partition, supports
boycott of British goods. During Gokhale Lajpat Rai
deputation to Britain, appeals to Colonial statesmen to
treat India, ‘an integral part of the Empire’,
with consideration. |
|
1906 |
May |
12 |
Support ‘home rule’ for India
‘I the name of justice and for good of
humanity’. |
|
|
|
27 |
Writes to brother, Lakshimidas, declaring
disinterestedness in worldly possessions. |
|
|
June-July |
|
Raises Indian Stretcher-bearer Corps in
Zulu Rebellion; takes vow of brahmacharya for life. |
|
|
Sept |
11 |
Addresses mass meeting of Indians at
Johannesburg, which takes oath of passive resistance
against newly promulgated Transvaal Asiatic Law Amendment
Ordinance. |
|
|
Oct21-Nov |
30 |
In England on deputation to present
Indians’ case to Colonial Secretary. |
|
|
Dec |
18 |
Returns to South Africa |
|
1907 |
Jan-Feb |
|
Writes series of 8 articles in Gujarati
on "Ethical Religion", published weekly in
Indian Opinion and later, as a book. |
|
|
March |
|
Asiatic Registration Act passed in
Transvaal Parliament. Indians hold protest meetings. |
|
|
April |
|
Sees Smuts at Pretoria, acquaints him
with resolutions adopted at mass meetings. Pledges, in
Indain Opinion, opposition to ‘Black Act’. |
|
|
Aug |
|
Writes to Smuts criticsing Registration
Act, suggesting amendments.
Passive resistance,
picketing of Permit Offices; defends passive resisters in
court.
|
|
|
Dec |
|
Smuts decides to prosecute Gandhiji. |
|
1908 |
Jan |
08 |
Asks Government for suspension of
Registration Act, offers voluntary registration. |
|
|
|
10 |
Adopts word : ‘Satyagraha’ in
place of ‘Passive Resistance’.
Sentenced to 2
months’ imprisonment for failure to leave Transvaal.
|
|
|
|
21 |
Agrees to settlement on basis of
voluntary registration, if Registration Act is repealed. |
|
|
|
30 |
Summoned to see General Smuts at Pretoria
and released, on reaching a compromise. |
|
|
Feb |
10 |
Nearly killed by Pathans who regard the
compromise, under which Indians are expected to give
their finger-prints voluntarily, as a betrayal of Indian
interest; refuses to prosecute his assailants. |
|
|
March-June |
|
Negotiates with Smuts for fulfilment of
promise of repeal of Act which Smuts denies. |
|
|
July |
|
Correspondence with Smuts released;
Indians in mass meeting decide to refuse thumb
impressions and burn registration certificates. |
|
|
Aug |
|
Declares use of violence ‘harmful,
even unseless to uproot British rule’ in India.
Appeals
to Smuts to repeal ‘Black Act’.
Registation certificates burnt at meetings; passive
resistance resumed.
|
|
|
Sept |
|
Royal assent is given to amended
Registration Act.
Smuts refuses Indian terms for
settlement.
|
|
|
Oct |
15 |
Arrested and sentenced to 2 months’
rigorous imprisonment. |
|
|
Dec |
12 |
Released from Volksrust Gaol
Indian
National Congress adopts resolution on South Africa,
criticizing the harsh, humiliating and cruel treatment of
British Indians in South Africa as injurious to British
Empire.
|
|
1909 |
Jan |
16 |
Arrested at Volksrust for failing to
produce registration certificate; on deportation,
returned and is re-arrested, but released on bail. |
|
|
|
20 |
Writes to Press calling on Indians to
prepare for final phase of struggle. |
|
|
Feb |
25 |
Arrested at Volksrust; sentenced to 3
months. |
|
|
May |
02 |
Transferred to Pretoria Central Gaol. |
|
|
|
24 |
Released. |
|
|
June |
21 |
Leaves with Haji Habib, on deputation to
England to represent Indian case. |
|
|
July |
10 |
Arrives in London.
With the assistance
of Lord Ampthill, works ceaselessly to educate
influential British leaders, the public, and to move
Imperial authorities.
|
|
|
Oct |
01 |
Writes to Tolstoy regarding Passive
Resistance movement. |
|
|
Nov |
09 |
The Times reports failure of Gandhi
Government negotiations on Transvaal laws. |
|
|
|
10 |
Replies to Tolstoy, sends his biography
by Doke. |
|
|
|
13 |
Leaves England for South Africa.
Writes
Hind Swaraj on board "s. s. Kildonan Castle".
|
|
|
|
30 |
Reaches South Africa. |
|
|
Dec |
29 |
Congress at Lahore adopts resolution
praising Indians’ struggle in South Africa, urging
ban on indenture. |
|
1910 |
April |
04 |
Sends Tolstoy copy of Indian Home Rule,
seeks comment. |
|
|
May |
08 |
Tolstoy replies: question of Passive
Resistance of greatest importance not only for India but
for humanity. |
|
|
|
30 |
Founds Tolstoy Farm. |
|
|
Dec |
04 |
Pays memorial tribute to Tolstoy. |
|
1911 |
Jan |
|
Communicates with Smuts regarding
amendments to Immigrants’ Restriction Bill; latter
assures; no colour bar taint in laws. |
|
|
March |
27 |
Interviews Smuts at Capetown. |
|
|
April |
22 |
Smuts agrees to assurances demanded by
Indians in reciprocation of suspension of Passive
Resistance movement. |
|
|
May |
03 |
Meets Smuts: ‘Provisional
Settlement’ arrived on Smuts’ promise of repeal
of Asiastic Registration and Immigrants’ Restriction
Acts. |
|
|
June |
24 |
Pledges loyalty to King-Emperor on
coronation. |
|
|
Dec |
08 |
Invites Gokhale to South Africa. |
|
1912 |
March |
16 |
Commends Gokhale’s attempts for
abolition of indenture system. |
|
|
Sept |
12 |
Phoenix Trust is set up. |
|
|
Oct |
22 |
Accompanies Gokhale, on tour of South
Africa, Laurence Marques, Mozambique and Zanzibar.
Gives
up European dress and milk and restricts himself to diet
of fresh and dried fruit.
|
|
1913 |
Jan |
18 |
Refers in Indian Opinion to the
possibility of return home to India by mid-year. |
|
|
March |
14 |
Indian marriages in South Africa
invalidated by Searle’s Supreme Court judgment. |
|
|
|
30 |
Indians in mass meeting protest against
Searle judgment. |
|
|
April |
12 |
In Indian Opinion draws attention to new
Immigration Bill’s failure to fulfill terms of
Provisional Settlement of 1911. Kasturba decides to join
Passive Resistance struggle. |
|
|
May |
19 |
Warns Government of certainty of revival
of movement if it fails to grant promised relief. |
|
|
June |
07 |
Idea of return to India deferred in view
of stringent application of discriminatory laws and
likely resumption of satyagraha. |
|
|
|
28 |
Expresses readiness for negotiations. |
|
|
Sept |
13 |
Announces negotiations "proved
abortive" . |
|
|
|
15 |
Passive Resistance is revived. |
|
|
|
16 |
Kasturba is arrested. |
|
|
Oct |
17 |
Visits Newcastle; urges indentured
Indians to cease work till repeal of £3 tax.
3000
miners strike.
|
|
|
|
24 |
Proposes ‘March’ into
Transvaal. |
|
|
|
28 |
‘March’ from Newcastle begins. |
|
|
|
30 |
Reaches Charlestown. |
|
|
Nov |
03 |
Announces ‘March’ into
Transvaal to court arrest. |
|
|
|
05 |
Telephones Smuts seeking assurance of
repeal of £3 tax. |
|
|
|
06 |
Leads ‘ Great March’. |
|
|
|
07 |
At Volksrust, released on bail; rejoin
Marchers. |
|
|
|
08 |
Arrested at Standerton; released on
recognizance; ‘March’ continues. |
|
|
|
09 |
Arrested at Teakworth, taken to Balfour. |
|
|
|
10 |
Takes ‘one meal a day’ pledge
till repeal of tax. |
|
|
|
11 |
Sentence, at Dundee, to 9 months’
rigorous imprisonment. |
|
|
|
13 |
Removed to Volksrust gaol. |
|
|
|
14 |
Sentenced to 3 months on fresh count at
Volksrust. |
|
|
Dec |
18 |
Released unconditionally; from time of
release till settlement take only one meal a day and puts
on indentured labourer’s dress. |
|
1914 |
Jan |
13,16 |
Interviews Smuts, submits proposals. |
|
|
|
22 |
Suspends satyagraha following agreement
with Smuts.
Fourteen days’ penitential fast for
moral lapse of inmates of Farm.
|
|
|
June. |
|
Indian Relief Act is passed. |
|
|
July |
18 |
Sails for England, en route to India. |
|
|
Aug |
4 |
Reaches London.
Raises Indian Volunteer
Corps
|
|
|
Oct. |
|
Volunteer Corps on duty.
Offers
satyagraha over administrative interference in corps.
|
|
|
Dec |
19 |
Sails for India. |
