At a time when sculpting statues came without politics or high expenditure, the grateful nation built many of the Mahatma. In fact, we seemed to remember the Mahatma at every other square, every other tiraha . Roads were named, stadiums were so christened, academic colleges, even private shorthand and typing institutes. Much before Mayawati’s narcissistic streak and Modi’s brinkmanship, we had had statues of Mahatma Gandhi across the country. The Capital too paid its tribute by naming the Ring Road after Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (not Mohanlal Karamchand Gandhi, as we heard from Madison Square recently). Then of course, we had Gandhiji’s statue at Parliament House. At Sardar Patel Marg we remember the Dandi March through Gyarah Murti where Gandhiji leads other protestors as part of the Salt Satyagraha. Devi Prasad Roy Choudhury’s work is easily the most impressive of Gandhiji’s statues in this part of the country.
Close by is Tees January Marg, the road named after the last day of Gandhiji’s life. It accommodates Gandhi Smriti, where the Mahatma spent the last 144 days of his life and appealed for peace when Hindu-Muslim riots were tearing at the social fabric of the country. A few kilometres away from the heart of the city are Gandhi Darshan and Gandhi Museum near Raj Ghat, which incidentally, is probably the nation’s biggest uniting factor. No visit of any foreign dignitary is ever complete without laying a wreath at Raj Ghat where the last rites of Gandhi were performed.
In the northern part of the city, we have the relatively lesser known Harijan Sevak Sangh at Kingsway Camp, a private initiative. Close to the centre is Valmiki Sadan on Mandir Marg. The Father of the Nation stayed here for some time.
Everywhere you go, there is something to help you to remember the Mahatma. But hey, do we really need any help to remember him? No. Just remember the words of Kavi Pradeep in the film Jagriti , “De di humein azaadi bina khadag bina dhal”. And act upon his principles, so posterity does not make the mistake of referring to the Mahatma as Mohanlal Karamchand Gandhi.
