Image: Inner Temple, London. Wikimedia Commons, CC0; photo by Daniel Vodenitcharov.
Before Mahatma Gandhi became a leader of India’s freedom movement, he was a young student preparing for a legal career. In 1888, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi travelled to England to study law and qualify as a barrister.
A difficult decision
Gandhi’s family and community had concerns about his proposed journey overseas. The Gandhi Heritage Portal records that Gandhi took a pledge in Rajkot to abstain from wine, women and meat before leaving for England.
He left Rajkot for Bombay on 10 August 1888 and sailed for London on 4 September 1888.
Joining the Inner Temple
Gandhi reached Southampton in September 1888 and enrolled at the Inner Temple in London in November. The Inner Temple was one of the historic Inns of Court through which aspiring barristers trained.
His years in London were not limited to legal studies. Gandhi also explored religious and ethical ideas and became increasingly interested in vegetarianism.
Learning to live in a new culture
Gandhi initially tried to adopt aspects of English social life, including Western clothing and lessons in subjects he thought might make him more socially confident. Over time, however, he became more comfortable with a simpler lifestyle.
His experience with the London Vegetarian Society introduced him to people and arguments that strengthened his commitment to vegetarianism.
Qualifying as a barrister
The Gandhi Heritage Portal chronology records that Gandhi was called to the Bar in 1891. He returned to India in July 1891 after completing his legal training.
Why London mattered
London did not turn Gandhi into the political leader he later became. But it broadened his education, exposed him to different religious and ethical traditions and gave him a formal legal qualification.
His next major transformation would come after he travelled to South Africa in 1893.
For the chronology, see the Gandhi Heritage Portal timeline. Also read NewsNationOnline’s feature on Gandhi’s childhood and Rajkot years.
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