Martyrs' Day 2026: Why Do We Remember Bapu On This Day?
January 30 is marked as Martyrs’ Day. It is observed in memory of Mahatma Gandhi, affectionately known as Bapu. This is the date of his death, as he was assassinated on this day.
The nation recalls this day as his moment of death. But if we delve into more historical records, we will find that there have been previous assassination attempts made on him before.
On January 30, Nathuram Godse fired three shots at Gandhi from close range, killing him at the scene.
The assassination took place during the prayer meeting at Birla House in New Delhi. Now, let’s know more about this incident in detail.
Martyrs’ Day 2026: Highlights of Assassination Attempts Made On Mahatma Gandhi
January 30, 1948, is the date when Bapu, our Father of the Nation, breathed his last.
Before this, he had survived previous assassination attempts. However, January 30, 1948, became the date of his final passing.
The first assassination attempt on Gandhi occurred in 1934 in Pune. An explosion went off near his car, but fortunately, he escaped unharmed as he was in a different vehicle at the time.
The second attempt came a decade later, in 1944, involving dagger attacks during his prayer meetings in Panchgani and Sevagram.
This plot also involved Nathuram Godse and his companions, but thanks to last-minute interventions, the attempt failed.
In 1946, a third attempt took place. It was suspected to be a train sabotage targeting Gandhi during his travels.
Next was the near-death experience for the political leader that happened on January 20, 1948.
On that day, Madanlal Pahwa placed a bomb at Gandhi’s prayer meeting at Birla House, Delhi. Gandhi was again fortunate to escape unharmed.
What appeared strange was that Gandhi never opted for security cover despite the prior life-threatening attacks on him.
He continued to conduct public prayer meetings with courage.
Who Killed Mahatma Gandhi and Why?
Nathuram Godse is the man who killed Mahatma Gandhi on January 30, 1948, during a prayer meeting at Birla House, now called Gandhi Smriti in New Delhi. Godse was a member of the Hindu Mahasabha.
He fired three shots at Gandhi at point-blank range. Based on multiple eyewitnesses, Gandhi chanted ‘Hey Ram’ before his death.
Now, it generates a question as to what prompted Godse to kill Gandhi. The answer to this was that he was against Gandhi’s ideology of non-violence and strongly opposed to his Hindu-Muslim unity post-partition.
After finding them guilty, Nathuram Godse and his associates were hanged on November 15, 1949. While the others linked with the conspiracy were sent to prison.
Why is Mahatma Gandhi Remembered on Shaheed Diwas?
Martyrs’ Day, also known as Shaheed Diwas, is not just a day to commemorate our Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, but also to learn his values on communal harmony, non-violence, truth, and moral fortitude.
Remembering Bapu on this day also underlines the increasing dangers of political extremism and intolerance. This, in turn, emphasises the need for peaceful dialogue and unity within our diverse society.
Some Motivational Quotes of Mahatma Gandhi
Below are some inspirational quotes from Mahatma Gandhi worth considering.
“The principle of majority does not work when differences on fundamentals are involved.”
“Be the change you want to see in the world.”
“If we are to teach real peace in this world…we shall have to begin with the children.”
“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”
"Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is a daily admission of one's weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart."
"In a gentle way, you can shake the world."
“The future depends on what we do in the present.”
"Power is of two kinds. One is obtained by the fear of punishment and the other by acts of love. Power based on love is a thousand times more effective and permanent than the one derived from fear of punishment."
To lose patience is to lose the battle.”
Ending Note
The life of Mahatma Gandhi is inspirational, as it teaches us many things we can bring into our lives.
His teachings motivate people to follow the right path. His autobiography, titled ‘My Experiments With Truth’, is a must-read.
Enjoy surprising and fun facts on Flypped, by Clicking below:
Click to read the full article
