Remembering the Mahatma
Every year, on January 30, India observes Mart yrs’ Day as it is the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The world reveres Gandhi as an everlasting symbol of courageous non-violence.
MEMORIALS around the world stand testimony to the impact that Gandhiji’s life and beliefs have had on so many people.
Last Days
Gandhiji spent his last days in Birla House, a mansion built by Ghanshyamdas Birla, a prominent businessman. On January 30, 1948, Gandhiji was on his way to address a prayer meeting in the garden when he was shot to death.
The Indian government acquired the house from the Birla family in 1971 and converted it to a memorial. Renamed as Gandhi Smriti, the memorial was opened to the public on August 15, 1973.
At the entrance, a statue of Gandhiji flanked on either side by a girl and a boy holding a dove greets you. It bears his inspiring words: ‘ My life is my message.’ The place where he was assassinated is marked by a Martyr’s Column. A line of footsteps leads to it, recreating the leader’s last walk.
A museum displays various memorabilia like photographs, sculptures, paintings, personal belongings, etc. Visitors can see the room where he lived. In 2005, the Eternal Gandhi Multimedia Museum was inaugurated. One of the world’s first digital multimedia museums, it uses technology creatively to impart Gandhiji’s vision. Other Memorials
A 2.7m tall bronze statue of Gandhiji stands at the centre of the Pacifist Memorial, at Peace Abbey in Sherborn, Massachusetts. The six brick walls that radiate out from the statue has quotations of sixty peacemakers. More recently, in March 2015, a statue of Gandhiji was unveiled in Parliament Square, London, to mark 100 years since he returned to India from South Africa.
4324 /© 2020 Amrita Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan