JOIN USA Gandhi temple serving the needy and spreading Mahatma's thoughts
Mahatma Gandhi statues, roads and buildings named after the Father of the nation are a common sight across the country. Here in Telangana is a temple where the Mahatma is worshiped as an avatar of God, complete with aartis and hymns in praise of his character and the ideals he professed.
The temple's chant is “Om Namo Bhagavate Gandhi Devaya Namo Namaha”.
Located on the Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway, 70 km from the state capital, in a serene four-acre green space that also houses a gaushala, dhyana-mandiram and a shrine for Panchabhootas (the five elements), the Gandhi temple is frequented by inquisitive travelers apart from locals.
All aspects of a Hindu temple like dhwaja stambha and bali-peetham is present and soil collected from 30 holy places like Vaishno Devi, Rameshwaram, Haji Ali darga, Bodh Gaya and from Porbandar, Sabarmati, Wardha and Raj-Ghat are preserved here.
PV Krishna Rao, secretary of the Mahatma Gandhi Charitable Trust, which manages the temple and other activities, explains the idea behind the temple.
“There are lessons on Gandhi in school books and public seminars, workshops, campaigns conducted oftentimes praising his ideals. But are they yielding the desired results, inspiring people to adopt a moral path? The temple's idea was to connect Gandhi's commitments and the spiritual elements in order to draw in more people towards his thoughts,” Rao, a retired government school headmaster, tells DH.
The temple, whose foundation was laid on October 2, 2012 and inaugurated in September 2014, was built with donations from locals, small farmers, traders and corporate firms. The trust comprises businessmen, bureaucrats etc persons from various fields.
Temple serves Putli Bai Gandhi anna prasaadam (daily free meals) while asking visitors to drop a fistful of rice taken from a bag in the premises into a container kept in front of the “divinity” by donating anything, beginning from Rs 10.
The trust hands silk robes to new couples getting married in Chityal mandal at their wedding avenue as “Gandhi god's devena” (blessings). Their multipurpose hall is offered free for birthday etc functions and along with shamiana, kitchen utensils for inter-caste, inter-faith marriages. It has also donated benches for schools and cricket kits to youth in nearby villages.
“All our activities, while serving the specific purpose, are also to help us attract more people, especially the youth towards the Gandhian spirit,” says Bhupal Reddy, an IRS officer and chief advisor for the trust.
The MG charitable trust also conducts campaigns promoting ethical voting, medical camps, etc.
The temple organisers also attribute miracles – travelers surviving major crashes near the temple with minor injuries etc. The foliage of a “wish-fulfilling tree” at the entrance appears to be weighed down by thousands of orange bands offered inside the temple which visitors tie to it.