If anyone of you have read or listened to Gandhi ji’s autobiography, you will remember that Gandhi ji’s “non-co-operation movement” started in a place called Champaran, against the indigo planters. During these turbulent times, he stayed with Sri Gorakh Prasad. He continued to meet with Gandhi ji and participate in his programs, long after this initial association.
Gorakh Prasad was born in a middle-class family in a village called Aphar in North Bihar. His childhood was marked with a lot of upheaval in the country. The Sepoy Mutiny and the 1857 revolt had failed. The British were busy consolidating their position by suppressing the Indians- while Indians were in a disarray, but all the more determined to get freedom and autonomy. His initial schooling was in the nearby town of Chapra. His intelligence caught the eyes of his teachers and they influenced his father to continue his son’s education further. At that time, there were no high schools in the vicinity, so he was sent all the way to Patna for further schooling. He then went to Calcutta to continue further education and ultimately got a law degree from there. He became very conversant in English, Farsi and Sanskrit.
Those were the days when the public was awakening to political rights, demands for freedom and autonomy and the concept of Swadesh and Swadeshi. While he was in Calcutta, he had close contacts with students and young freedom fighters. Some of the young students were busy preparing for an armed conflict with the British, whereas others wanted to take a more patient route by engaging in diplomacy and through intellectual dialogue. Indian society was still caught in a quagmire of poverty, lack of education and out-dated and backward social and religious practices. Reform movements were in motion- to change the social and religious practices during that time. There was a group of people who wanted to work with the public and ignite the concept of Swadesh and patriotism within them. Gorakh Babu was heavily influenced by his surroundings. Some of his colleagues were preparing to work for the government while others were caught up in the social and religious movements. However, he had a lot of family responsibility and pressure to take up a stable job and become the bread-earner. So, he took up a job as a lawyer and started his work in Chapra. This allowed him to serve society and support his family at the same time.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/2424394/Mahatma-Gandhi-Autobiography [1]