Gandhiji's Visit to Odisha

Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 Gandhiji's Visit to Odisha Dr. Janmejay Choudhury andhiji was not a philosopher or in which Gandhiji attempted to master and Gacademic thinker in the ordinary sense remake himself there. It was during the stay of the term; he did not spin out his philosophy in London that he became interested in the of life in the seclusion of the study room and study of the ‘Bhagabat Gita’ and also read apart from the hubbub of daily life. He was, Arnold’s ‘The Light of Asia’. first and foremost a man of action, a Karma Gandhiji returned from London in the Yogi to whom service of the poor was the summer of 1891, and set himself up as an service of God; for him God is manifested in advocate. After a short legal practice in his the poorest of the poor. All his social and political ideas took shape and were developed in the course of the civil resistance campaigns conducted by him in South Africa and India. The life of Gandhiji was divided into three phases. The first phase of Gandhiji was passed in South Africa. After passing Matriculation examination he was sent to England in 1888 to qualify for the bar. His account of the stay in London is instructive because it reveals the way OCTOBER - 2019 69 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 native town and Bombay, he went to South struggle is important both in itself and as a Africa to prepare and conduct the case of a preparation for the bigger struggle Mahatma rich Gujarati Muslim Merchant. He reached Gandhi was to wage in India. It not only there in May, 1893. Though he had gone prepared Gandhiji for the role he was to play there for only one year’s stay, the hard as the leader of the Indian people, but also conditions under which his countrymen lived helped Gandhiji to develop the technique of induced him to remain there for twenty long non-violence resistance. Gandhiji returned to years, fighting against the injustice meted out India as a leader who had mastered an art to them as a result of the race and colour as well as adopted an ideal and knew no prejudice which was rampant in that country. fear or distrust. Of course, during the period he paid short The second phase of Gandhiji’s life visits to India and also went to England in began with his return to India in 1914, and connection with the work he had undertaken. to last till the 15th of August, 1947, when The stay in South Africa from 1893 to 1914 Britain transferred power to the Indian is a very important episode in the life of Gandhiji; it was during this period that he people and India became a Dominion. This found himself and his work in the world. It is the period of achievement, the period in was the initial period of preparation in which which he triumphantly led the stupendous he discovered and developed the strange struggle for national Independence. During and potent weapon of Satyagraha which he this time Gandhiji visited Odisha for the eighth in India during the later period. Though he time to spread the message of national had taken up the case of his poor and illiterate movement and national ideas. His first visit rd countrymen settled in South Africa, he was was on 23 March 1921. He arrived at also practicing at the bar in the earlier stage. Cuttack on 23 March 1921and addressed In short, this period is significant because public meetings at Cuttack, Bhadrak, during this time Gandhiji was engaged in inner Satyabadi, Puri and Berhampur within six purification and self-discipline, and days. Addressing a huge gathering in the developing the method of Satyagraha. He Kathjuri River bed at Cuttack in the evening did not fight for securing the Indians a status of 23 March, he observed that at least one of equality with the Europeans in South lakh people should be enrolled as Congress Africa; he did not even fight to abolish the members in Odisha before June 1921 and social segregation of Indians which he thought the people of Odisha should subscribe three as a problem to be solved. His immediate lakhs of rupees towards Tilak Swaraj Fund objective was the legal equality of Indians. to be spent for the management of national For twenty years South Africa remained the schools, Panchayat system, Khadi and such place of his activities. The South Africa other constructive works. He addressed the OCTOBER - 2019 70 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 Muslim women, students and intellectuals in request of Madhusudan Das on 19 August three separate and special gatherings on the 1925. This was his second visit to Odisha. next day. Then he proceeded to Bhadrak He looked into the problems of the Utkal where he spent a day in propagating the Tannery and discussed the matter with some Congress views. After Bhadrak, he visited businessmen of Calcutta. Gandhi’s third visit Satyabadi to see the ideal school of to Odisha was on 4 December 1927, Gopabandhu, and addressed the students, primarily for Khadi work. In this third tour teachers and local people. From Satyabadi he visited Berhampur, Rambha, Huma, he went to Puri where he was given a very Banpur, Benta near Chandapur, Bolagarh, grand reception in the railway station. He Basudevpur, Bhadrak and Cuttack. During discussed the problems of famine with the this time he stayed from 4 December to 21 leaders and also visited some famine- December. In this time he was ill and for affected areas. He addressed a public this he took rest at Cuttack in the residence meeting and the women’s gathering in the of Madhu Sudan Das. town of Puri on 27 March. During his visit to Odisha, he saw the use of foreign cloth in After visiting Ganjam and Banpur, the temple of Lord Jagannath and objected Gandhi came to Bolagarh by invitation of to it very much. He raised the issue in the Niranjan Pattanaik, Aska, Ganjam. Gandhi public meeting in Puri and subsequently the halted three days at Bolagarh i.e. 9,10 and people requested the management of the 11 Dec 1927 to observe the crisis of Khadi temple to change the practice. In fact, about Sangathan and problems of ryots of Bolagarh a year later, the chief priest of the temple areas. Gandhi accompanied by Mahadev appealed our countrymen not to offer any Desai, pyare Lal, Prof. Kalekar, Dr. Kailash foreign cloth to Lord Jagannath as they were Nath Kotak and Raj Krishna Bose arrived pledged to use only Swadeshi articles for at Bolagarh Dak Bungalow at 5 pm on worship. It was a significant lesson for our 9.12.1927. About 60 men were waiting on orthodox people to imbibe the spirit of the road to receive him. Miss Slad or Mira Swadeshi. He observed the day of silence Ben who has been accompanying him on 28th and on the next day left Puri with throughout his tour in Odisha arrived in a Gopabandhu and other Congress workers separate car at 10 pm. Hadu Barik, the to visit Berhampur. Gandhiji’s speeches in barbar of Bandha Sahi at Bolagarh usually the public meetings were translated into Odia shaved Gandhiji during his stay at Bolagarh. by Pandit Gopabandhu Das. Gandhi’s visit Gandhiji in affection offered him a pair of had created an unprecedented enthusiasm Khadi dhoti and napkin which he had kept among the masses in Odisha.Mahatma safely for a long time. Gandhi was suffered Gandhi paid a short visit to Odisha on the from Fever at Bolagarh. So he stayed at Dak OCTOBER - 2019 71 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 Bungalow. Gandhi visited village Chura on humiliated that whereas I cannot put up with the morning of 10th December 1927. He oppression for foreigners, my own country’s visited about 6 to 7 houses and talked with Zamindars or officials have been frightened the householders about their condition of life. are given to me I propose visiting them and He advised them to use Khadar and stick to if the names of the Zamindars are also given spinning. Gandhi praised this village due to I shall go and discuss the subject with them. Hindu-Muslim unity. He was astonished to Fear is more deadly than diseases, and I ask see the Women Charakha Centres in the them to give up fear, so that the work of those house of Ghana Swain. who frighten might automatically cease. Give Gandhi’s speech at public meeting, up drink, gambling and prostitution. So that Bolagarh was ‘Fear is more deadly than you can be pure enough to attain God. disease, such as Cholera, Smallpox or Though I have not come to raise purses in Malaria. Disease wastes only the body, while Odisha I don’t hesitate to beg even from the fear destroys the soul; and men of fear cannot poor for the sake of Khadi. May God bless understand God. He who is god fearing takes you.’ Gandhi also had some conversation the name of God, cannot fear men. I cannot with untouchables present at the meeting. He dismiss as untrue reports of friends who have advised them to give up drinking and the informed me that you have been frightened habit of taking flesh of dead cattle which he by the Police and others who have told that had never heard in any part in India except Government would arrest all those who came Odisha. Those who were prominent to me.

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