Thami afrika biography of mahatma gandhi

Influenced by the Hindu religious book, the Bhagavad Gita, Gandhi wanted to purify his life by following the concepts of aparigraha (non-possession) and samabhava (equability).

A friend gave him the book, Unto This Last, by John Ruskin; Gandhi became excited about the ideals proffered by Ruskin. The book inspired Gandhi to establish a communal living community called Phoenix Settlement just outside of Durban in June 1904.

The Settlement was an experiment in communal living, a way to eliminate one's needless possessions and to live in a society with full equality.

Thami afrika biography of mahatma gandhi

Gandhi moved his newspaper, the Indian Opinion, established in June 1903, and its workers to the Phoenix Settlement as well as his own family a bit later. Besides a building for the press, each community member was allotted three acres of land on which to build a dwelling made of corrugated iron.

In addition to farming, all members of the community were to