Recalling Bapu’s UP connect
Several places in Uttar Pradesh have the pride of hosting the iconic leader to whose calls the nation responded as one. Mahatma Gandhi visited Lucknow 10 times. Agra hosted him for 11 days in 1929. On his 152nd birth anniversary, UP recalls the greatest Indian leader ever
LUCKNOW: Mahatma Gandhi, a diminutive man, yet the tallest hero of the freedom struggle, had a special connection with Lucknow.
Gandhi came to Lucknow about 10 times between 1916 to 1936, according to Gandhian Atul Tewari , the man who played an important role in establishing the Gandhi Museum in Ahmedabad. This is largest museum based on an individual in the world.
Atul Tewari said , “Gandhiji had a special bond with Lucknow because here he met Jawahar Lal Nehru, Dr Rajendra Prasad and Raj Kumar Shukla, a leader of farmers in Champaran, for the first time and his meeting with these three changed the course of the Indian freedom struggle. “
He added, “In December 1916, Mahatma Gandhi came to Lucknow to attend the 31st annual meeting of the Indian National Congress. He was the only one in Indian attire along with Ram Kumar Shukla, while the others were in western outfits. “
Raj Kumar Shukla hesitantly met Gandhiji and requested him to come and see for himself the miseries of the indigo ryots (tenant farmers) in Champaran.
Atul Tewari said, “Raj Kumar Shukla persuaded Gandhiji to visit Champaran and lead the movement of farmers against the British. Gandhiji was detained by police and presented in front of a magistrate who asked him to furnish a bond but he refused. As Gandhi
had not committed any crime, he was set free and the British had to roll back the order of forced indigo farming. The first satyagrah was successful in Champaran because of his Lucknow visit.”
Noted historian Ravi Bhat said, “Lucknow was always close to him during his lifetime. No wonder our Gandhi Museum has more than 18,000 books on Gandhi and his philosophy. Gandhi met Nehru here for the first time. Chutki Bhandar School was established with his inspiration and a tree on Gokhale Marg was planted by him.”