South African trust hands over to India rare artefacts, documents linked with Mahatma Gandhi

New Delhi: A set of clothing items hand-spun by Mahatma Gandhi and other key artefacts linked with him and historic documents related to his stay at the Phoenix Settlement in South Africa have been handed over by a trust to India's National Gandhi Museum.

Gandhi, then a young barrister, had arrived in South Africa in 1893 and departed in 1915. In the intervening period, he stayed for a long duration in Durban and had established the Phoenix Settlement in 1904.

"Privileged to witness the handing over of artefacts and documents related to Mahatma Gandhi, by @PST_GDT, South Africa to National Gandhi Museum, New Delhi. Bapu's life and message continue to inspire generations to come," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar wrote in a post on X on Sunday.

These artefacts and documents have been handed over by Phoenix Settlement Trust-Gandhi Development Trust (PST-GDT).

The Phoenix Settlement and its programme is conducted through the Gandhi Development Trust and the Phoenix Settlement Trust, which are registered non-profit organisations in South Africa.

The family of Mahatma Gandhi, particularly his son Manilal Gandhi, resided in the settlement and continued to work in the printing press after his father's departure and produced the Indian Opinion newspaper and other publications for the Natal Indian Congress, officials said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook a landmark visit to South Africa in 2016 during which he retraced Gandhi's historic train journey from Pentrich to Pietermaritzburg.

Prime Minister Modi had also visited Mahatma Gandhi's home 'Sarvodaya' at Phoenix Settlement, accompanied by Ela Gandhi, and saw various artefacts associated with the formative years of Bapu's political life.

Ela Gandhi is the youngest child of Manilal Gandhi and Sushila Gandhi. Kidar Ramgobin is the son of Ela Gandhi and late Mawalal Ramgobin.

During the visit, Modi had stated that it was in South Africa that Mahatma Gandhi found his true calling.

In light of the historic and enduring legacy of Bapu's life and connect with both India and South Africa, the Gandhi Development Trust and the Phoenix Settlement Trust decided to donate some items, which belonged to Mahatma Gandhi's family back to India's National Gandhi Museum in New Delhi, the officials said.

On March 21, Kidar Ramgobin donated few artefacts associated with the life of Mahatma Gandhi to A Annamalai, Director, National Gandhi Museum, in New Delhi, they said.

External Affairs Minister Jaishankar had witnessed the handing over of the artefacts.

The list of items that were donated include clothing items, all hand-spun by Mahatma Gandhi such as Kasturba's saree with red border and her blouse and underskirt, a piece of cloth and Gandhi's lungi, according to officials.

Besides, another item is a portion of a garland made of cotton spun by Bapu and worn by Sushilaben during her marriage to Manilal Gandhi, together with a letter in which she explained the origin of the garland and that she asked for it to be given to Kidar, her grandson, at his marriage. Kidar would now like it to be kept at the Gandhi Museum, the officials said.

The documents, which were handed over include deed of transfer document of transfer of Phoenix Settlement, Phoenix Settlement balance sheet, passive resistance fund balance sheet, Indian Opinion trading account, profit and loss account, balance sheet, licence for publishers of Indian Opinion, licence for stationers at Phoenix, according to officials.

The other documents include telegrams received in 1913 from Charlestown, letters written to Devdas Gandhi by Manilal Gandhi and letters written to Sushila Gandhi.