12 March 1930 – Gandhi’s Dandi March Began

On 12th March 1930, Mahatma Gandhi started a march from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad to the sea shore at Dandi. Why did he start this Dandi march?

In those days, the government controlled the making and selling of salt and everyone had to pay a Salt Tax. We all need salt and Gandhiji felt that such a tax was unfair and commented that the government would next put a tax on water. What was more important was that even the poorest, illiterate peasant understood the unfairness of the Salt Tax.

The laws were so strict that if people living by the sea picked up a handful of sea salt lying on the sand, they could be fined. So that is exactly what Gandhiji decided to do; pick up salt from the seashore at Dandi and start the Civil Disobedience Satyagraha.

The march began on 12th March and ended on 5th April,1930. They walked up to 24 kilometres every day and walked for 25 days to cover 400 kilometres. Gandhiji was 60 years old and the oldest among the marchers, who came from every region of the country.

(*Excerpts from “A Man Called Bapu”, written by Subhadra Sen Gupta, illustrated by Neeta Gangopadhya, published by Pratham Books)

Also, a copy of the instructions sent by Gandhiji to each village on the simple Gujarayi food to be served to the marchers walking with him to Dandi (click on the image below to read the instructions):

Your child can learn more about Gandhiji and his life in “A Man Called Bapu”. The book is available in English, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati and Urdu. You can place an order for this book here.