COLOMBO: Some influential residents of Jaffna are trying hard to get Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the house where Mahatma Gandhi stayed when he toured the Tamil-speaking North Sri Lankan Province in late November 1927.
“Even a three-minute visit by Modi to sign the Visitors’ Book, will be of great political significance to us,” said M Sooriasegaram, an engineer who has been trying to get the Indian PM to come to the historic house located at 199, Temple Road, Nallur, near the ancient Kandaswamy Temple.
“The visit will underline India’s historical ties with Jaffna and the Tamils of Sri Lanka, at a time when sections of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) are decrying the TNA leadership’s penchant for close links with India,” Sooriasegaram told TNIE. One of the oldest “courtyard houses” in Jaffna, the vast house belonged to the family of of the maverick Jaffna politician C.Suntharaligam.
Unable to watch it go to seed because of the 30-year war, a famous Tamil architect Anjalendran took up the onerous task of restoring it to its past glory. “He undertook the restoration work meticulously, standing at the site for hours together each day. Today, it is home to an association of architects, artists and lovers of art and literature. Its vast, naturally lit and airy courtyard, is to used to host meetings,” Sooriasegaram said.
Gandhi arrived in Jaffna on November 27, 1927 along with wife Kasturba, his secretaries Mahadev Desai and Pyarelal, Rajaji and the latter's daughter, Lakshmi. He had been invited by Handy Perinbanayagam, founder-leader of the Jaffna Youth Congress and an advocate of Poorna Swaraj for both Sri Lanka and India.
In his speeches in Jaffna, Valvettithurai, Thondaimannar, Point Pedro, Manipay and Chavakacheri,, Gandhi avoided politics and stressed the need for social reform.