Hyderabad (Telangana):On March 12, 1930, Mahatma Gandhi led the historic Salt March from Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat's Ahmedabad to the village of Dandi in the state's coastal area to protest against the steep tax the British levied on salt. The significant march came to be known as Dandi March or Salt March, also referred to as the Dandi Satyagraha. The 24-day Salt March which was non-violent in nature is historically significant as it led to the mass Civil Disobedience Movement. Led by Gandhi, 78 people started the 24-day march on March 12 and reached Dandi on April 5, 1930. After making salt at Dandi, Gandhi headed to Dharasana Salt Works, 40 km south, but was arrested on May 5.
Why did Mahatma Gandhi undertake the Dandi march?
British Raj had a monopoly over the production and sale of salt in India. The salt laws prohibited Indians from producing or selling salt without prior permission from the Government. Salt was an important ingredient in the everyday diet of the people. This ban on the sale and production of salt seemed unreasonable and repressive. The salt laws were something, which affected the entire population of the country. Gandhiji was able to understand the overall system of exploitation and repression under the British Raj of which salt law was an example. Gandhi conceived the plan of launching a salt Satyagraha that would make people aware of the repressive regime of the British at the same time would instil in the people confidence to defy British Raj. The non-violent means of protest by marching from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi would try to arouse the consciousness of people against the exploitation of the government. Salt Satyagraha provided the opportunity to unite the nation together for a cause that affected everyone. The purpose of the Salt March was not only to act in defiance of the salt laws enacted by the government but also to unite the people for the larger goal of ‘Swaraj’.
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Interesting facts about the Dandi March
Also known as the Salt March and the Salt Satyagraha, the march to freedom was in protest against the steep tax the British levied on salt.
The Satyagraha was an act of nonviolent civil disobedience in colonial India initiated by Gandhi to produce salt from seawater, as it had been practised by the Indian people until British officials deemed such production illegal and repeatedly used force to stop it.
Because of the British intrusion, the Indians could not independently produce salt and were forced to buy expensive salt.
The 24-day march that began with as many as 8 volunteers swelled to a few thousand as it reached its destination on April 5, 1930.
Growing numbers of Indians joined them along the way as Gandhi and the others continued on what would become a 24-day march to Dandi in order to produce salt without paying the tax.
Gandhi led the Dandi March from his base, Sabarmati Ashram, near the city of Ahmedabad to Dandi, a village near Surat, a distance of 385 kilometres.
The Dandi March had also kick-started Gandhi's famous Satyagraha Movement.
Leading a group of 80 other Satyagrahis, Gandhi started this movement from his base at Sabarmati Ashram and took 24-days to reach Dandi. Joining him were people from various walks of life and states of India.
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Unknown facts about the Dandi March
Before Gandhi could commence this march, he sent a letter dated March 2, 1930, to Lord Irwin, British Viceroy (1923-1931), giving him notice of his intent and urging him to reconsider the colonial stand. In the letter, Gandhi had mentioned, “If my letter makes no appeal to your heart, on the eleventh day of his month, I shall proceed with such co-workers of the ashram as I can take, to disregard the provision of the salt law.”
25-year-old Thevarthundiyil Titus, a diploma holder from the Indian Dairy Department and a worker in the Cow Service Association, also joined the movement. In a report published by Reader’s Digest, his son, Thomas Titus, recounts some of the experiences his father had shared about the march. With the Satyagrahis spending most of their waking hours walking through villages, the food that they ate was simple. The Lily Biscuit Company in Calcutta had offered a consignment of biscuits, but Gandhi had politely said no as it would be “a luxury”.
While the march continued through Gujarat, a group of housewives led by Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay marched to Chowpatty in Mumbai (then Bombay). Despite being hit by a police lathi, she refused to call off the protest and marched on. Eventually, as they started making salt, the first packet prepared by Kamaladevi was auctioned for the sum of Rs 501. The ‘Salt Satyagraha’ then went on for days in Bombay.
When Gandhi set out on this march, the destination, at first, was not going to be Dandi. The plan was to stop somewhere near Borsad in Gujarat. However, given how many people joined and the general fervour of the movement, Bapu decided to extend the march up to Dandi. While we all had some ideas about this mass civil-disobedience movement, there will always be snippets of history that we keep discovering. If you are aware of more such stories from the past, do let us know.
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Dandi March: Gandhiji’s Leadership
Gandhiji began his march on 12th March 1930 from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad with his staff and band of dedicated supporters, there was something peculiar and novel in the image of Gandhiji walking towards Dandi, it stirred the imagination of people across India and outside. The news of his progress, his speeches, huge crowds that greeted and followed the marchers, people spinning Charkas to show support, officials resigning from their posts to respond to Gandhiji’s appeal, was carried every day by the newspapers throughout the country. Congress workers also played an important role to spread the news of the Dandi march throughout the country. On 6th April 1930, when Gandhiji finally reached Dandi entire nation was expectant and restless about Gandhiji’s final action. Like a ritual beginning of the Civil Disobedience movement on 6th April 1930, Gandhiji by picking up a handful of salt inaugurated the movement. A movement that would change the course of freedom movement by the sheer weight of mass participation that it exhibited.
Dandi march in the Indian freedom struggle
As soon as Gandhiji started the march, the image of Mahatma leading the nation stirred the imagination of the entire nation. This March acquired huge public support and drew the attention of international media. By the time Gandhiji reached Dandi, he had a whole nation, aroused and anticipating, waiting restlessly for the final act. On 6th April 1930, by picking up a handful of salt, Gandhiji started the Civil Disobedience Movement, a movement that was to remain unprecedented in the history of the Indian national movement for the countrywide mass participation that it was able to weave together.
Dandi March led by Gandhi proved to be the major factor in the spread of the Civil Disobedience Movement all over the country. The popular support and media coverage that the march received was unprecedented in the Indian struggle for Independence. Dandi March allowed the women to become an important part of the nationalist movement.
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People from all caste, religion, and regions participated in March making it a symbol of the inclusive national movement.
Salt Satyagraha or Dandi March as it is popularly known provided the necessary pace to the freedom movement and broadened its support base. Gandhiji’s non-violent means of protest began to be adopted all over the country.
Apart from the spread of the Civil Disobedience Movement across the country, that Dandi March initiated. The Salt Satyagraha or Dandi March played an important role in instilling a sense of confidence among the people to stand against the British Raj. It expanded the social base of India’s struggle for independence, people from varied, caste, creed, religion, and region became part of the movement.
Dandi march also allowed Gandhi to experiment with his novel ways of political protest, a non-violent mode of protest seemed to be much effective than anyone else could have expected.
The aftermath of the Dandi march
Gandhiji’s salt satyagraha led to series of similar movement across the country, defiance of salt laws started everywhere. C. Rajagopalachari in Tamil Nadu led a movement in defiance of salt laws, similar movements took place in Bengal, Andhra, and other places.
The government’s initial decision to not arrest Gandhi for breaking the salt laws let to the formation of a popular opinion that the government was afraid of such movements. Jawaharlal Nehru’s arrest on 14th April 1930, for defiance of salt laws, led to massive protest and demonstration in all major cities at that time.
The arrest of Congress leaders in North-West Frontier Province led to a mass demonstration in Peshawar. Finally, Gandhi was arrested on the midnight of 4-5 May. News of his arrest stirred thousands of people to join the movement. Leaders like Sarojini Naidu continued the movement where they had to suffer police brutality.
The Satyagraha continued for a year until Gandhi was released from jail. Finally, Gandhi was released in January 1931 and began negotiations with Lord Irwin regarding the Satyagraha. Gandhi-Irwin pact was signed on 5th March 1931, this led Gandhi to attend the second round table conference in London.
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