Mahatma Gandhi, his Salem visit and philately

Hasthampatti successful Salem territory carries humanities significance. It was astatine a single-storeyed location present that Mahatma Gandhi, arsenic portion of his countrywide circuit for the abolition of untouchability, stayed during his eight-hour-long sojourn to Salem successful February 1934. Since July 1962, the gathering has been accommodating the section station office, the spot of which was past called Komarasamipatti. Nearly 35 years later, the postal authorities established a philatelic depository connected Gandhiji astatine a country of astir 170 sq.ft connected the archetypal level of the building, which was owned by Natesa Pandaram astir 90 years ago. Built successful an architectural manner that illustrated what was prevalent successful the British era, the practice operation has a bust of the Father of the Nation adjacent the portico.

Salem held a peculiar value for him arsenic it was the location municipality of 2 Congress stalwarts, C. Vijiaraghavachariar and P. Varadarajulu Naidu, who was lauded by C. Rajagopalachari ( Rajaji oregon CR) arsenic “one of the astir intelligent and imaginative brains we had successful the aboriginal Congress successful southbound India with a inheritance of enactment among the masses.”

In August 1920, it was astatine the residence of Naidu that Gandhiji, Rajaji and their workfellow successful the Khilafat movement, Shaukat Ali, stayed earlier leaving for Bengaluru. Vijiaraghavachariar had encouraged Gandhi to transportation chap Congress members to instrumentality to the way of non-cooperation from the accepted law path. At a peculiar league of the All India Congress Committee successful Kolkata during September 1920, Vijiaraghavachariar and Motilal Nehru advised him to see the request successful his projected solution for “swaraj.”

Of his twelve visits to the Madras State betwixt 1896 and 1946, the Mahatma near his footprint successful each portion helium visited. He went to Salem, presently 1 of the thriving tier-II cities, successful 1920, 1923 and 1934. Of this, 1934 was of greater value arsenic it was past Gandhiji had gone astir the state arsenic portion of his run for the abolition of untouchability. T.S.S. Rajan, who represented Tiruchi successful the erstwhile Central Assembly; a premier subordinate of the Rajaji campy successful the Congress and Minister successful complaint of Health, Food and Public Works successful the regimes of 1937-39 and 1947-51, successful his first-hand relationship of Gandhiji’s 1934 tour, captured the Salem sojourn vividly and successful his ain diagnostic way.

In a 1944 publication Tamizh Naattil Gandhi [Gandhi successful Tamil Nadu], Rajan, who praised Natesa Pandaram and his household for the mode they received Gandhiji astatine their bungalow, wrote that the municipality had a restaurant, known arsenic ‘Gandhi Aiyar,’ and the proprietor of the eatery excessively was called by that name.

After getting progressive successful the Harijan movement, ‘Gandhi Aiyar’ had decided to propulsion unfastened his edifice to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and fto them dine on with members of different communities. Within a week, helium experienced an adverse fallout arsenic the edifice had started getting little and little customers and successful nary time, the proprietor virtually went broke. Yet, ‘Gandhi Aiyar’ had remained steadfast successful the Gandhian path. Gradually, the radical began backing him again. The Salem municipal assembly had adopted a resolution, calling upon each the restaurants, located successful its territorial limits, to let the SCs and cautioning them that it would cancel licenses successful the lawsuit of erring eateries. This was approved by the British authorities too.

When Gandhiji heard this account, helium had agreed to sojourn the edifice but, according to Rajan, the assemblage was truthful overmuch astatine the spot connected the time that the visitant could not adjacent get retired of his car. It was with large trouble that ‘Gandhi Aiyar’ had approached the car to garland Gandhiji and contiguous him a purse for the Harijan Fund. A study of The Hindu on February 16, 1934, identified the proprietor arsenic Subba Aiyar and the restaurant, ‘Gandhi Motel,’ too stating that Aiyar gave Gandhiji a purse of ₹151.

According to this newspaper, Gandhiji’s itinerary included an enactment with women astatine a assemblage and visits to Vijiaraghavachariar’s location and the Harijan Labour League. He besides addressed a nationalist gathering connected the college’s grounds. The Hindu reported: “Over 50 1000 radical had assembled determination to perceive him. As galore much had to enactment connected the roads for privation of much [sic] accommodation successful that maidan, which is the biggest unfastened spot this municipality tin command, large speakers had been installed.”

More than thing else, what made his sojourn memorable was his stirring code astatine the nationalist meeting. “In 1 sentence, I volition say, that each castes indispensable person adjacent rights. When we consciousness that we are each God’s creatures, determination tin beryllium nary untouchability successful our mind. We are each Harijans. I deliberation that caste-Hindus are not acceptable to God due to the fact that we person not done our work to the Harijans. If we are to get God’s blessings, we indispensable elevate the Harijans. They indispensable beryllium fixed the aforesaid privileges arsenic are enjoyed by caste Hindus,” stated this newspaper’s report, adding that Gandhiji had appealed to residents of Salem to lend for the alleviation money established for those affected by a monolithic earthquake successful Bihar which occurred successful January that year.

The philatelic museum, which was acceptable up successful January 1997 connected the inaugural of the past Chief Postmaster General (CPMG) of Tamil Nadu Circle, S. Theodore Baskaran, besides a perceptive bilingual writer connected a big of subjects including art, history, conservation and films, exhibits commemorative stamps and archetypal time postal covers issued by India and a big of countries including those successful African and Caribbean regions connected Gandhiji.

It besides showcases a reclining teakwood seat utilized by Gandhiji during his enactment successful Salem. A charka (spinning wheel), which helium utilised astatine the Gandhi Ashram, Tiruchengode, not precise acold from Salem, is besides connected display, successful summation to his photographs taken astatine the Sabarmati Ashram, Gujarat, with assorted leaders. In March 2003, the past Post Master General of Western Region, Shanthi Nair, (who aboriginal became CPMG) unveiled the bust.

Though the postal section successful Salem has been utilizing the depository to beforehand philately among students, determination is scope for the betterment of upkeep and attraction of the place. The authorities tin utilise modern exertion to pull the younker installing interactive devices.