Page:Masani - Gandhi's story.pdf/42

38 years later when Gandhiji returned to India and joined the struggle for his country's freedom, he went on many fasts for much longer periods, and these fasts played an important part in the achievement of India's freedom.

Just about this time the people who ruled in South Africa decided to pass laws which would make the lot of the Indian people there even harder. Gandhiji and his followers were determined to resist these laws peacefully, for Gandhiji did not believe in violence and he did not want his followers to believe in it either. It was here in South Africa that Gandhiji first tried his method of resisting one's opponents peacefully. This new way was later called Satyagraha. Satya means truth and graha means firmness, and the whole word means conquering the heart of the enemy by truth and love.

During this struggle Gandhiji was arrested and had his first taste of jail life. He was released after two months. He decided to go to England to appeal to the government there to help the oppressed peoples of South Africa, but nothing came of this trip. So he returned to South Africa and started preparing for another peaceful struggle. This time he asked the women to join too, and Kasturbai along with the other women joined the campaign and went to prison.

Gandhiji was arrested several times. In spite of all this the fight went on, and finally the rulers of South