KENDRAPARA: The spot where Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi took bath in 1934 during his historic Padayatra in Kendrapara district will be converted into a museum.
Former Minister and Kendrapara MLA Sashibhusan Behera said, "We have decided to convert the spot on the banks of Brahmani river in Dhumat village into a museum to remind people of the significance of Mahatma Gandhi's padayatra in 1934. Eighty seven years back, Gandhiji had visited Kendrapara to unite people against untouchability. His role in the freedom struggle will also be highlighted at the museum."
A khadi centre, photo gallery, library and conference hall will be set up at the museum. Tables, chairs and other furniture used by Gandhi during his visit to Dhumat too will be preserved. Gandhi had taken bath while sitting on a stone at Dhumat during his padayatra on May 30, 1934. The stone has been preserved by the locals.
Kulamani Das (80) of Dhumat said that a pedestal and half-bust statues of Gandhi and Gopabandhu Das were built around the bathing stone. People worship the spot as they consider it sacred. A thatched hut was built in Dhumat in 1938 in memory of Gandhi.
However, it was damaged in the 1999 Super Cyclone. The padayatra was one of the most important events in the country’s freedom struggle. Gandhi had allowed dalits to enter temples in some villages during the padayatra.
He had also addressed a public meeting at Dhumat on May 30, 1934. A large number of people in Dhumat, Indupur and other villages took a plunge into the freedom struggle in response to the call given by Gandhi.
During his padayatra, Gandhi had spent five days in Kendrapara district and toured different places. Among others who had accompanied him in the march were Meera Ben, Gopabandhu Choudhury, Raj Krishna Bose, Rama Devi, Uma Bajaj, Binod Kanungo, Surendranath Pattnayak, Manmohan Choudhury and Jadumani Mangaraj.