Declare places linked with Mahatma heritage sites: Grandson

Shimla, Oct 24 : Mahatma Gandhi's grandson Gopalkrishna Gandhi Saturday demanded that the places where the Father of the Nation had embarked his historic journeys and where he stayed should be developed as heritage sites.

'The places where Mahatma Gandhi had stayed and visited should be developed as heritage sites,' Gopalkrishna, who is the chairman of a sub-group of the Gandhi Heritage Committee constituted by the culture ministry to draft recommendations on the upkeep, maintenance, conservation and development of sites associated with Bapu, told IANS here.

'Most of the properties, especially private, that were once visited by Mahatma Gandhi across the country are in shambles. There is need to restore them in order to maintain their sanctity,' he said.

'The history which the Bapu had left behind has been tracked by us. We have submitted a detailed list about the public places, parks and committee halls where the Mahatma visited and stayed to the central government.

'The list has been compiled alphabetically. It starts from Aat in Gujarat and ends at Zulfipur in Bihar. As per our study, Mahatma Gandhi visited more than 2,000 places,' Gopalkrishna, who is also the West Bengal governor, said.

'Some of the buildings and properties that are under the control of the government are well kept like Shanti Kuti (in Shimla),' he said.

Accompanied by Madan Mohan Malaviya and Lala Lajpat Rai, Mahatma Gandhi visited Shimla May 12, 1921 to meet the then British viceroy, Lord Reading. He stayed at Shanti Kuti in Chakkar area. It is currently used as a residential complex.

Manorville, once the residence of Rajkumari Amrit Kaur at Summer Hill here, is well maintained. Mahatma Gandhi visited this house in 1939, 1940, 1945 and 1946. At present, it is registered in the name of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.

In August this year, Gopalkrishna visited Dandi in Gujarat, from where the Mahatma embarked on his historic Salt Satyagraha.

'The central and the state governments are planning to develop the Dandi Heritage Corridor from the Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi. The central government is also bringing out a book on the sites identified by the Gandhi Heritage Committee,' he said.

As per the list compiled by the committee, Mahatma Gandhi visited this summer capital of the British several times in the days leading up to India's independence.

Gopalkrishna said that his grandfather visited Shimla at least 11 times between 1921 and 1946.