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why did GANDHIJI got the name mahatma.

The real name of Mahatma Gandhi is Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. But he is commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi.

Rabindranath Tagore was the first notable contemporary to call Gandhiji as "Mahatma". The word "Mahatma" means "great soul". He said at “Gandhiji’s call India blossomed forth to new greatness, just as once before, in earlier times,when Buddha proclaimed the truth, of fellow feeling and compassion among all living creatures”. To the outside world Tagore never hesitated to project Mahatma Gandhi as the spiritual soul of India.

Gandhiji fondly called Tagore "the Great Sentinel or Gurudev”.

Gandhi is fondly called as "Bapu" (meaning 'father') as well, especially in India.


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