Martyrs’ Day 2023 is celebrated on January 30 to commemorate the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi on the same date in 1948. Born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, he is commonly referred to in India as “Bapu” or “Father of the Nation.” Gandhi, widely regarded as one of the most iconic figures of the 20th century, courageously led his nation to freedom before being gunned down by violent extremists. Indians observe this day by commemorating his ultimate sacrifice for the nation and by promoting his values of nonviolence, unity, and morality.
HISTORY OF MARTYRS’ DAY
Martyrs’ Day is observed on the anniversary of the death of Mahatma Gandhi, who led his nation to independence from the British Empire. Gandhi, who was born in a small town in Gujarat, studied to become a lawyer and led a fairly austere lifestyle until he made his first trip to South Africa, at which point everything changed.
In South Africa, he was exposed to society’s profound class divisions and the ills of inequality. Gandhi’s experiences in life shaped his worldviews. The discrimination he endured in South Africa inspired him to fight for equality, while the loss of his first child at the age of 16 turned him into a ferocious opponent of child marriage, etc.
Gandhi advocated for peaceful demonstrations and inspired everyone to lead by example during India’s struggle for independence. He negotiated numerous peace treaties with the British before issuing the ultimatum to leave. As the Indian constitution was ratified, Gandhi assumed the impossible task of constructing a nation out of numerous provinces and territories.
Gandhi was vehemently opposed to the concept of India’s partition. Even after independence was declared, he continued to hold regular demonstrations to establish his resistance. Hindu nationalists responded negatively to Gandhi’s opposition to the partition, accusing him of appeasing the Muslims. Nathuram Vinayak Godse, a notorious Hindu nationalist, shot Gandhi three times at point-blank range on the eve of January 30.
Gandhi’s lifelong pursuit of nonviolence was terminated by a bullet to the chest. On Martyrs’ Day, Indians from all over the world gather to honour the legacy of a great hero and recognise the pointlessness of the destruction caused by violent extremism.
Martyrs Day: Quotes and images to share on Shaheed Diwas
Five unknown facts about Mahatma Gandhi.
- Gandhi’s inspiration for the Civil Disobedience movement came from Henry David Thoreau’s essay.
- The British feared Gandhi’s influence on the public and forbade the distribution of photographs of him.
- Gandhi developed an inexplicable command over his body through years of experimenting with various foods and diets.
- Gandhi did not reciprocate the hostility of the British Prime Minister, who referred to him as a “half-naked Fakir.”
- Gandhi had an unrivalled passion for writing, with over 50,000 pages of his works available online.
Martyrs’ Day 2023: MARTYRS’ DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | January 30 | Monday |
| 2024 | January 30 | Tuesday |
| 2025 | January 30 | Thursday |
| 2026 | January 30 | Friday |
| 2027 | January 30 | Saturday |
