Modern Indian History
Salt March
1930 Indian protest led by Mahatma Gandhi
Overview
The Salt March, also known as the Salt Satyagraha, Dandi March, and the Dandi Satyagraha, was an act of nonviolent civil disobedience in colonial India, led by Mahatma Gandhi. The 24-day march (padayatra) lasted from 12 March 1930 to 6 April 1930 as a direct action campaign of tax resistance and nonviolent protest against the British salt monopoly. Another reason for this march was that the Civil Disobedience Movement needed a strong inauguration that would inspire more people to follow Gandhi's example. Gandhi started this march with 78 of his trusted volunteers. The march spanned 387 kilometres (240 mi), from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi, which was called Navsari at that time. Growing numbers of Indians joined them along the way. When Gandhi broke the British Raj salt laws at 8:30 am on 6 April 1930, it sparked large-scale acts of civil disobedience against the salt laws by millions of Indians.
Source: Wikipedia — Salt March (CC BY-SA)
Key concepts
How Salt March connects to the ideas, people and events around it.
Mahatma Gandhi
led byMahatma Gandhi was the preeminent leader of Indian independence who championed nonviolent civil disobedience. He directed the Salt March to challenge British authority.
British Raj
opposedThe British Raj was the period of British colonial rule over the Indian subcontinent from 1858 to 1947. It enforced the salt tax that the Salt March protested.
Dandi
ended atDandi is a coastal town in Gujarat, India, where the Salt March culminated with the symbolic making of salt. The village became a focal point of the protest on 6 April 1930.
Civil disobedience
part ofThe Civil Disobedience Movement was a nationwide campaign of nonviolent resistance launched by the Indian National Congress in 1930. The Salt March was its most iconic act.
Indian National Congress
organized byThe Indian National Congress was the principal organization leading the struggle for Indian independence. It formally adopted the Salt March as a method of protest.
Salt tax
protestedThe Salt Tax was a levy imposed by the British colonial government on the production and sale of salt. Its removal was a central demand of the Salt March.
Nonviolent resistance is a strategy of protest that rejects the use of physical force. Gandhi employed it throughout the Salt March.
Quit India Movement
inspiredThe Quit India Movement was a mass protest launched in 1942 demanding an end to British rule. It was inspired by the success of earlier actions such as the Salt March.
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Questions about Salt March
What is Salt March?
The Salt March, also known as the Salt Satyagraha, Dandi March, and the Dandi Satyagraha, was an act of nonviolent civil disobedience in colonial India, led by Mahatma Gandhi. The 24-day march (padayatra) lasted from 12 March 1930 to 6 April 1930 as a direct action campaign of tax resistance and nonviolent protest against the British salt monopoly.
What are the key concepts related to Salt March?
The main concepts connected to Salt March include Mahatma Gandhi, British Raj, Dandi, Civil disobedience, Indian National Congress, Salt tax, Nonviolent resistance, Quit India Movement. Each is linked on the map above with its own summary.
Which exams cover Salt March?
Salt March is part of Modern Indian History, which appears in the syllabus of UPSC CSE, UPSC CAPF, NDA, CDS, AFCAT, SSC CGL and 48 more exams.