Scribd
Upload
20 views

4

Uploaded by

Harsh Anchalia
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
20 views

4

Uploaded by

Harsh Anchalia
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

As a child, Gandhi was described by his sister Raliat as "restless as mercury, either playing or roaming

about. One of his favourite pastimes was twisting dogs' ears."[15] The Indian classics, especially the
stories of Shravana and king Harishchandra, had a great impact on Gandhi in his childhood. In his
autobiography, Gandhi states that they left an indelible impression on his mind. Gandhi writes: "It
haunted me and I must have acted Harishchandra to myself times without number." Gandhi's early
self-identification with truth and love as supreme values is traceable to these epic characters.[16][17]

The family's religious background was eclectic. Mohandas was born into
a Gujarati Hindu Modh Bania family.[18][19] Gandhi's father, Karamchand, was Hindu and his mother
Putlibai was from a Pranami Vaishnava Hindu family.[20][21] Gandhi's father was of Modh Baniya caste
in the varna of Vaishya.[22] His mother came from the medieval Krishna bhakti-
based Pranami tradition, whose religious texts include the Bhagavad Gita, the Bhagavata Purana,
and a collection of 14 texts with teachings that the tradition believes to include the essence of
the Vedas, the Quran and the Bible.[21][23] Gandhi was deeply influenced by his mother, an extremely
pious lady who "would not think of taking her meals without her daily prayers... she would take the
hardest vows and keep them without flinching. To keep two or three consecutive fasts was nothing
to her."[24]

At the age of nine, Gandhi entered the local school in Rajkot, near his home. There, he studied the
rudiments of arithmetic, history, the Gujarati language and geography.[13] At the age of 11, Gandhi
joined the High School in Rajkot, Alfred High School.[26] He was an average student, won some prizes,
but was a shy and tongue-tied student, with no interest in games; Gandhi's only companions were
books and school lessons.[27]

You might also like