HistoryModern India: Mahatma Gandhi and the Nationalist movement

The left-out lines also give the names by which Gandhiji was variousl…

Gandhiji's appeal among the poor, and peasants in particular, was enhanced by his ascetic lifestyle, and by his shrewd use of symbols such as the dhoti and the charkha. Mahatma Gandhi was by caste a merchant, and by profession a lawyer; but his simple lifestyle and love of working with his hands allowed him to empathise more fully with the labouring poor and for them, in turn, to empathise with him.

The left-out lines also give the names by which Gandhiji was variously known, besides Mahatma. Which names do they give?

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 2

The correct answer is Option (2) → Gandhi baba and Gandhi Maharaj

Peasants called him <strong>Gandhi baba</strong>, <strong>Gandhi Maharaj</strong> or Mahatma, names of respect that show how they saw him as a saviour.

NCERT (2026-27): “2.2 A people’s leader …
Known variously as “Gandhi baba”, “Gandhi Maharaj”, or simply as “Mahatma”, Gandhiji appeared to the Indian peasant as a saviour, who would rescue them from high taxes and oppressive officials and restore dignity and autonomy to their lives. Gandhiji’s appeal among the poor, and peasants in particular, was enhanced by his ascetic lifestyle, and by his shrewd use of symbols such as the dhoti and the charkha. Mahatma Gandhi was by caste a merchant, and by profession a lawyer; but his simple lifestyle and love of working with his hands allowed him to empathise more fully with the labouring poor and for them, in turn, to empathise with him. …”