JOIN USFrom the diary of a Gandhian
A plaque at Bellary’s railway station mentions the visit of Gandhi to the town. Bellary’s Gandhian and freedom fighter Tekur Subramanyam’s diary throws more light on Gandhi’s visit, writes P Satyanarayana Rao
Tekur Subramanyam, Gandhian and freedom fighter from Bellary was associated with senior Congress leaders Gandhiji, Rajaji and Nehru. He was in charge of the Gandhi Smarak Samithi in this region and helped set up Gandhi Bhavan in Bellary. He has left behind his memoirs in which he describes the two historic visits of Mahatma Gandhi to Bellary, one in 1921 and the second time in 1934. The diary preserved by his son Tekur Ramanath throws light on the visits.
‘God be praised’
When Tekur Subramanyam visited Wardha in 1935, Gandhiji referred to his first visit to Bellary in 1921 and at the end of the conversation said, “God be praised...” This remark has a lot of significance attached to it.
Tekur writes, “There were two Congress committees functioning in Bellary in 1921, before the Kelkar award. After addressing a huge public meeting in Bellary, in the evening, he (Gandhi) went to the railway station with his small party, spread his khadi shawl and slept on the platform, leaving early morning by train to reach the next place. There was no representative from either district Congress groups to purchase tickets for him and his party, and to see him off. He purchased his own ticket and travelled by train. In 1935 when I visited Wardha, Gandhiji referred to his 1921 episode in Bellary and he referred to the incident and asked me what the position was at the time (1935). When I mentioned to him that there was only one district committee functioning and I happened to be the humble secretary thereof, he said “God be praised…”
This episode is hardly remembered. It is certainly to the credit of former deputy commissioner of Bellary V N Manjula (now Commissioner for Urban Land Transport) that she sent a copy of this extract from Tekur’s diary and sought the Railways to put up a plaque at the spot in the Bellary railway station where Gandhi is said to have slept. She also organised a ceremony on the platform with a bhajan meeting to mark the occasion.
More from the diary
Tekur writes in his diary, “In March 1934, Mahatma Gandhi under took a tour of ‘Karnatak Province’ to serve the Harijan cause. After visiting Harapanahalli and Kudligi in Bellary district, he reached Sandur by the evening...the cool climate of Sandur was a welcome relief. That night he stayed in the residence of Dr S B Shroff...I met him to discuss the day’s programme which included an extension of a visit to a village which was not previously included in the programme. He asked me why that was not included. I took upon myself the responsibility in this regard and said “to better serve the Harijan cause to raise more funds...” Gandhiji urged me to drop the item as its inclusion may upset the rest of the programme.
Then he gave me a longish talk on the place of money in our affairs and activities. He told me that to raise money for a cause was subject to some limitations – that serving the ideals and principles was of prime importance, and money had a subordinate place and there should not be any compromise on principles. He incidentally mentioned to me that a merchant in Bombay had sent him a cheque for a large amount with a condition that it should not be utilised for Harijan cause as a result of which he returned the cheque.” That was Gandhiji.