The Hindu : New Delhi News : Tracing the Mahatma’s visit to Shimla

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 10, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

New Delhi

New Delhi

Tracing the Mahatma’s visit to Shimla

Staff Correspondent

He had visited the summer capital for
a series of interviews with Lord Reading

SHIMLA: The Language, Art and Culture Department of the Himachal Pradesh Government has sent out all possible details about the historic visits of Mahatma Gandhi to the erstwhile capital of the British Raj, Shimla, and the hill State of Himachal to West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishan Gandhi, who is heading a committee working on the Mahatma’s visits to various places in the country.

The Governor, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, had asked for specific information from the Himachal Government about the Mahatma’s stopovers in Solan and Shimla areas.

In May 1921, Mahatma Gandhi had come to Shimla, then known as Simla, with his wife Kasturba for a series of interviews with the then Viceroy, Lord Reading. Subsequently he visited the summer capital a number of times. He also visited the picturesque hill station on some less publicised missions like seeking clemency for Bhagat Singh and his associates. During his stopover in Solan in 1939 he had also addressed a gathering of local people.

The Mahatma used to stay in Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur’s bungalow on Summer Hill during his meetings with the Viceroy in the Viceregal Lodge which was later called Rashtrapati Bhavan and now stands converted into the Indian Institute of Advance Study.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi