THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There is no better day than Wednesday, October 2, when the nation observes the 155th birthday anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, to revisit one of the significant landmarks of the state dedicated to his life and ideals — the Gandhi Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram.
The establishment, which serves as the headquarters of the Kerala Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi (KGSN), has contributed hugely to the legacy of Gandhiji since its inception in 1966. Its foundation stone was laid by former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on January 31, 1965. It began operations the next year after the facility was inaugurated by former president Dr S Radhakrishnan.
Built on an acre of land in the capital, the Gandhi Bhavan is a cultural and educational hub. An iconic aspect of the centre is the Gandhi Museum, which underwent a major renovation recently. Today, the museum stands as Kerala’s first comprehensive exhibition on Gandhi’s life.
“People always picture history museums in black and white, but here the experience is colourful, with Gandhiji’s life from birth to death represented cinematically,” says KGSN chairman N Radhakrishnan.
“Other than that, the gallery of global leaders presents over 30 world thinkers and Nobel laureates influenced by Gandhiji’s principles of non-violence and truth.”
The museum, which originally started in 1972, was completely transformed six months ago. The renovated museum features 56 panels spread across two floors. One of the highlights is a linocut of Gandhi walking, drawn by renowned artist Nandalal Bose.
The museum also showcases murals created by Santiniketan artist J M Datta, who spent three months at the Bhavan to craft artworks depicting key events in Gandhiji’s life, such as the ‘Salt satyagraha’, the ‘Vaikom satyagraha’, Gandhiji’s travels across India, and his efforts towards religious harmony, and, of course, the ‘Quit India’ movement.
Also on display are the replicas of the personal items used by Gandhiji during his final days at the Birla House in Delhi, such as his glasses, knife, walking stick, and pocket watch. Another highlight of the museum is the display of spinning wheels (charkhas) — from those used during Gandhi’s time to the modern versions.
“We also have a multimedia unit, which plays recordings of Gandhiji’s voice, bhajans, documentaries, and films about his life and legacy,” says Radhakrishnan.
In addition to its exhibits, the Gandhi Bhavan periodically hosts workshops designed for students. Beyond the museum, the Bhavan has a library, conference rooms, an open-air auditorium, and training centres for yoga, meditation, etc.
“People, especially students, should know that this space is open every day, and it’s free for everyone to visit,” adds Radhakrishnan.
The Gandhi Bhavan will host a series of events this month. Justice M R Hariharan Nair will inaugurate the celebrations at 3pm on Wednesday. Events will include seminars, khadi exhibition, book fairs, and an organic vegetable sales fair. There will be a Gandhi Darshan arts festival as well.