Mohandas (commonly referred to as "Mahatma") Gandhi is one of history's most inspirational men and greatest leaders. Gandhi led India in its struggle for independence from British colonial rule. His primary message was one of non-violent protest (a tradition of civil disobedience inspired by Thoreau and continued by Martin Luther King Jr. and others) and religious tolerance. Gandhi's life ended in 1948 when he was assassinated by a Hindu radical.
The memory of Mahatma Gandhi continues to live on through books, audio and video about his life. Here at LearnOutLoud we've assembled a list of all of the audio and video resources on Gandhi's life that we could find. We hope you enjoy learning more about this tremendous man and the history of India's fight for independence.
Start with Gandhi's autobiography My Experiments with Truth. It was written immediately after his release from prison and offers an intimate glimpse into both Gandhi's spiritual and political beliefs. Another excellent audio book to check out is Eknath Easwaran's Following the Inspiration of Mahatma Gandhi. Eswaran, a native Indian, has studied Gandhi's life in great detail and offers great insight into the man who has influenced so many. To listen to a book that influenced Gandhi, spend some time with Henry David Thoreau's Civil Disobedience. This essay has helped to shape the philosophy of many great political leaders.
A couple of videos about Gandhi's life are well worth watching. The first is the Oscar-winning movie Gandhi. Released in 1982, this epic covers Gandhi's life from when he arrived back in India through his untimely death. Ben Kingsley gives an outstanding performance as Gandhi and others such as Martin Sheen and Candice Bergen are excellent in their supporting roles. Another video to check out is the A & E Biography Mahatma Gandhi: Pilgrim of Peace. This hour-long documentary includes discussions with biographers and historians and a rare interview with Arun Gandhi, Mahatma's grandson.
Finally, be sure to take a listen to some of Gandhi's speeches. The BCC recorded a speech by Gandhi in 1931 where he gives an amazing spiritual message to the world. The Gandhi Museum also has a selection of audio and video material upon request.
Gandhi was a remarkable man in so many ways and his message comes to life in a special way through audio and video. We hope you enjoy learning more about Gandhi from the resources we have compiled here in our Gandhi Out Loud article.