No one walked for a political purpose before Gandhi. Dandi Yatra was the first of it kind when Mahatma took a hundred mile walk to protest new "Salt Tax" imposed by then British Rule. In India, walking is very common, even today for religious rites, but walking for a political protest was totally unheard of. The innovation clicked with Indian masses as there were hardly any means of transportation in rural India. First time a leader reached the villages and involved them a greater mission. People used to walk for getting fire wood , for getting water and for daily chores. Now they were walking for freedom.
The idea has since been used in so many things. People walked for peace. They walked to fight Cancer and Aids. They walk to save the planet.
Same is true for principles of non -violence. Again the age old doctrine preached by Mahaveer and Gautam Buddha, was deployed for the first time in politics. Again the idea gelled with Indian masses who by default are non violent.
Innovation is about taking an established principle and deploying them in a totally new arena. The key , however, is the relevance , timing and execution. Walking and "non violence" worked for Indian masses but were totally alien concepts for British rule. British administration was left pondering. They had all the prep work done for someone willing to fight them. But how do you handle a protester who loves you ? How do you suppress a non violent protest ? What is there to suppress ?
Gandhi leveraged Indian culture to fight most powerful empire ever. Used non violence for fighting (look at the contrast) . One can argue if Gandhi brought freedom for India but we know for sure that Salt Tax was withdrawn after Dandi March :-)
