Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi or The Father of the Nation in India, undertook 18 fasts during India’s freedom movement. His longest fasts lasted 21 days. Fasting was a weapon used by Gandhi as part of his philosophy of Ahinsa (non-violence) as well as satyagraha.
| English | ||||
| South Africa | ||||
| No. | Year | Dates | Fast (Place) | Fast (Reason) |
| 1 | 1912 | June 16- November 20 | Johannesburg/Durban | One meal a day |
| 2 | 1913 | June 27-29 | Durban/ | One meal a day (To atone for the misbehaviour of a female teacher and school children of Phoenix Ashram) |
| On the way | ||||
| 3 | July 12 – November 11 | Johannesburg,Durban, | One meal a day (Due to immoral relationship between a male and a female living in the Phoenix Ashram) | |
| Phoenix Ashram | ||||
| 4 | November 12 -December 31 | In Jail | Decided to take one meal a day until the £ 3 tax was abolished | |
| 1914 | January to May 1 | One meal a day for the above said reason | ||
| 5 | May 2 – June 26 | Durban, Capetown | To atone for the breach of vow of a Phoenix Ashramite | |
| India | ||||
| 1 | 1915 | June 1 | Ahmedabad | Detection of untruth among Ashram boys. |
| 2 | September 11 | Ahmedabad | Because some of the Ashramites observed a fast because a Harijan family was admitted to the Ashram. | |
| 3 | Sep-12 | Ahmedabad | To atone for smoking of a bidi by an ashramite | |
| 4 | 1916 | May or June 12 | Ahmedabad | Fasted for 3 days in protest against Manilal’s financial help to Harilal, without his knowledge. |
| 5 | 1918 | March 15-17 | Ahmedabad | To keep the resolve of the Mill-hands of Ahmedabad. |
| 6 | 1919 | April 6* | Mumbai | To mark the first day of the Satyagraha struggle |
| *and thereafter every year on this date | ||||
| 7 | April 13 to 15 | Ahmedabad | Against disturbances at Bombay, Ahmedabad and other places | |
| and thereafter on each April 13 of every year | ||||
| 8 | 1921 | November 19 to 21 | Mumbai | Against disturbances at Bombay. |
| 9 | November 28* ………. | Ahmedabad | Agitated with Bombay riots, took a vow to fast on every Monday for 24 hours until independence was achieved; the vow implemented from this day | |
| *and thereafter on every Monday | ||||
| 10 | 1922 | February 12 to 16 | Bardoli | Due to the killing of policemen in Chauri Chaura |
| 11 | 1924 | September 17 to 30 | Delhi | For Hindu-Muslim unity. |
| October 1 to 7 | ||||
| 12 | 1925 | November 24 to 30 | Ahmedabad | Detection of sexual aberrations in some boys and girls of the Ashram. |
| 13 | 1928 | June 22 to 24 | Ahmedabad | Moral lapse of an Ashram inmate. |
| 14 | 1932 | September 20 to 25 | Yeravda Jail | Against the Communal Award |
| 15 | 03-Dec | Yeravda Jail | In protest against Government not allowing a fellow-prisoner to do scavenging work. | |
| 16 | 1933 | May 8 to 28 | Parna Kuti, Pune | For self-purification. |
| 17 | August 16 to 22 | Yeravda Jail | In protest against Government decision not to grant all the facilities for Harijan work which he was granted previousely. | |
| 18 | 1934 | August 7 to 13 | Wardha | To atone for the injury caused to Pundit Lalnath in collision between him and |
| the Sanatanists on one side and the public on the other. | ||||
| 19 | 1939 | March 3 to 6 | Rajkot | Against breach of promise by the Rajkot ruler. |
| 20 | 1940 | November 12 to 13 | Sevagram | Suspicion of theft by an Ashram inmate. |
| 21 | 1941 | April 25 to 27 | Sevagram | 72 hours’ fast. Probably because of communal riots in Bombay and Ahmedabad. |
| 22 | Jun-29 | Sevagram | For communal unity. | |
| 23 | 1943 | February 10 to 28 | Aga Khan | In protest against Government propaganda that the responsibility for disturbances after arrest of leaders (after the ‘Quit India’ resolution was passed) was that of the Congress. |
| March 1 to 2 | Palace, Jail | |||
| 24 | 1944 | November 30 ? | Sevagram | Fasted or thought of fasting for one or more days. Details and reasons could not be traced. |
| 25 | 1946 | October 20 …….. | Delhi | About four days. Probably on account of an error by the person who prepared the fair |
| copy of a letter written during negotiations with the Muslim League. | ||||
| 26 | 1947 | 15-Aug | Calcutta | Against partition of the country. |
| 27 | September 1 to 3 | Calcutta | Against communal riots | |
| 28 | Oct-11 | Delhi | Fasted on Birth date according to Vikram Calendar. | |
| 29 | 1948 | January 13 to 17 | Delhi | Against Communal disturbances. |
Add Comment