MYSURU: Listening to Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite bhajans and interacting with women weavers at the Khadi Gramodyog Centre and spending quality time with children was how Congress senior leader Rahul Gandhi observed the third day of his Bharat Jodo Yatra in the state and Gandhi Jayanti on Sunday.
Rahul, who ended Day 2 of the yatra near Thandavapura in Mysuru district, on Day 3 steered his vehicle towards Badanavalu village, which hosted Mahatma Gandhi twice -- in 1927 and 1932. It was here that the Father of the Nation set up the Khadi and Gramodyog Centre with four Dalit women to uplift the condition of Dalits in the village.
Aptly, Rahul observed Gandhi Jayanti here and spent half the day. He visited the Khadi Centre and listened to the experiences and travails of 20 women weavers working there. When he asked why the new machines at the centre were not being used, the women said they were trained well in handling the old wooden machines and not the new ones.
Earlier, Rahul paid floral tributes to the bust of Gandhi and spent nearly 30 minutes listening to bhajans.
Rahul turns ‘Nehru’
Rahul emulated his great grandfather and first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru by interacting with children like Nehru, on whose birthday Children’s Day is celebrated. Children at Badanavalu were excited when Rahul asked them to join him on the walk and held their hands as they passed through the narrow streets of the village.
Rahul went to a government school, painted the walls with the Tricolour, and also asked children to do it. He later dipped his palm in the paint and imprinted it on the wall. The children were elated when he asked them to put their palm prints on the wall. Rahul also helped them wash their hands.
Rahul had a special guest, Vishwaroop from Nanjangud, during the tea break and spoke to him about his likes and dislikes. The young kid told the Congress leader that he had school assignments to complete and that he will not be able to join the yatra. Rahul later took a photograph with Vishwaroop’s family and handed him over a pack of chocolates.