On March 12th 1930, the Mahatma and eight disciples from his ashram
began a long march to the sea which ended twenty-four days later. As they
passed through the villages, the Mahatma preached to the villagers who
lay leaves on the dusty roads for him to walk on. During this walk many
local officials left the jobs under the British rule and joined the Mahatma
on his walk. Men, women and students came to support the Mahatma who said,
"We are marching in the name of God." If this sounds like a passage
from the New Testament, where Jesus and his disciples went to the many
towns to preach the gospel, it is. Gandhi was very much like the character
of Jesus and the people responded to him in the same way. On the night
of April 5th thousands of people arrived at the sea where they prayed.
The next day they began to collect the sea water to evaporate it for salt.
The Mahathma did this to go against the British monopoly that made it an
offense to have salt which had not been brought from official shops. All
along the coast line people began to make salt. The police arrested them
and the Mahatma, Nehru, and sixty thousand followers were imprisoned. It
was a peaceful demonstration and this march was the first real glimpse
of hope that the India would soon see its Independence.
On March 12th 1930, the Mahatma and eight disciples from his ashram
began a long march to the sea which ended twenty-four days later. As they
passed through the villages, the Mahatma preached to the villagers who
lay leaves on the dusty roads for him to walk on. During this walk many
local officials left the jobs under the British rule and joined the Mahatma
on his walk. Men, women and students came to support the Mahatma who said,
"We are marching in the name of God." If this sounds like a passage
from the New Testament, where Jesus and his disciples went to the many
towns to preach the gospel, it is. Gandhi was very much like the character
of Jesus and the people responded to him in the same way. On the night
of April 5th thousands of people arrived at the sea where they prayed.
The next day they began to collect the sea water to evaporate it for salt.
The Mahathma did this to go against the British monopoly that made it an
offense to have salt which had not been brought from official shops. All
along the coast line people began to make salt. The police arrested them
and the Mahatma, Nehru, and sixty thousand followers were imprisoned. It
was a peaceful demonstration and this march was the first real glimpse
of hope that the India would soon see its Independence.