The Gandhi & Kudla Connection! Two Religious Institutions all Geared Up for 150th Birth Anniversary of Bapuji

The Gandhi & Kudla Connection! Two Religious Institutions all Geared Up for 150th Birth Anniversary of Bapuji

The Gandhi & Kudla Connection! Two Religious Institutions all Geared Up for 150th Birth Anniversary of Bapuji (Mahatma Gandhi)

Mangaluru : It has been seventy years since Mahatma Gandhi departed from our midst. But his life and soul continue to animate humanity transcending national and international boundaries. His contribution to human development is far too great and varied to have been forgotten or to be overlooked. The world today recognizes him as a far more compelling social innovator than humanity ever realized.

The life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is a story of heroic effort to establish the values of Truth and Non-violence in human life. In pursuing this objective Gandhiji became a Mahatma from a mere ‘Monya’. He became a messenger, for the people of the world surrounded by fire of violence in the twentieth century. He also became ‘The Father of The Nation’. He saved India and Britain from mutual hate and revenge by resorting to the experiment of Truth and Non-violence in India’s struggle for freedom. This created an atmosphere which made it possible for other countries of Asia and Africa to free themselves without bloodshed from the hold of the European countries which had subdued them in the nineteenth century.

If in South Africa it was the Railway Ticket Collector who paved the way for the birth of a Satyagrahi, in India it was a poor peasant from Champaran, RajkumarShukla, who provided him a platform to test the power of Satyagraha on the Indian soil. His campaign in favour of the non-co-operation movement brought about another change which identified his outward appearance with that of the humblest and lowliest of the land and he stuck to the loin cloth till he departed with the name of God on his lips.
Mahatma Gandhi was imprisoned several times in his pursuit of non-cooperation and undertook many ‘fasts’ to protest against the oppression of the down trodden in India. He invented the techniques of mass –civil disobedience in South Africa which were later emulated in India and across the world. On January 30th, 1948, the assassin’s bullet ended the physical existence of Mahatma Gandhi and made him immortal who left an indelible legacy to the mankind –‘My life is my Message’.

Even though many educational and religious Institutions, Government and Administrative Offices and others will be celebrating the 150th Birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in fervour on 2 October, but among them two religious Institutions namely Sri Brahma Baidarkal Garodi Temple on Mangaluru-Bengaluru NH 75 and Sri Krishna Mandir, located behind Canara Lower Primary Kannada Medium School, Dongarikere, Mangaluru will play a significant role with special celebrations and pujas, in memory of the father of the Nation, who had close ties with these two institutions

Mahatma Gandhiji’s Statue installed inside Brahma Baidarkala Garodi-Kankanady, Mangaluru :

A statue of Gandhiji was installed on the premises of the shrine on December 15, 1948. Since then, puja is offered thrice every day. But on 2 October there is a special puja. Speaking to Team Mangalorean, K Chittaranjan, President of Sri Brahma Baidarkala Garodi Kshetra said, “It was the fascination for Gandhian principles that inspired the then members of the managing committee of the Garodi, Narasappa Salian and Soma Pandit, to install a clay statue of Gandhi. Beside the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, they also installed a clay statue of Sree Narayana Guru to show the mutual admiration the two had for each other”

Speaking of Sree Narayana Guru’s and Gandhiji’s zeal for social reform, He further said, “We cherish the bonding the two great men had. The initial clay statue was replaced with a granite one, six years ago, and was installed in a separate shrine. Puja is offered at 6 a.m.,11.30 a.m. and 7.30 p.m. every day. But Special puja is offered on October 2 every year. And we get a huge crowd on 2 October, especially children who come with flowers and garlands to adore the Father of the Nation”.

As per the details circulated by the Garodi committee, this year to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of our nation and the supreme leader of our great freedom struggle who single handedly united the entire Indian subcontinent against the British empire, many progressive organisations of Mangaluru, some of which have roots in the freedom struggle itself, have jointly planned Gandhi 150 Chintana Yatre from October 2nd 2019 to January 30, 2020, the dates of birth and martyrdom of the Mahatma, to spread the messages of life and ideals of Mahatma Gandhi amongst the public in general, and the students and youth in particular.

The Chintana Yatre will include competitions of essay writing, elocution, painting and stage plays on the life and ideals of the Mahatma as well as seminars, lectures and work shops at various schools, colleges and other institutions. The Gandhi 150 Chintana Yatre will be launched on Wednesday, October 2nd, 2019 at 9.30 am, in a very apt, meaningful and unique programme. The inaugural ceremony will be held at Sri Brahma Baidarkala Garodi Kshetra, Kankanady, Mangaluru, by offering special Archane at the Mahatma Gandhiji Gudi, established at the Sri Kshetra in 1948. The logo of the Gandhi 150 Chintana Yatre will also be unveiled on this occasion. Sri K Chittaranjan, President of Sri Brahma Baidarkala Garodi Kshetra and Prof. BM Ichlangod, eminent scholar and writer, will be the guiding dignitaries on this occasion.

Prior to the inauguration, a press meet will also be held at 9.00 am to explain the objectives and planned programmes of the Gandhi 150 Chintana Yatre. After the inaugural function, a seminar will be held from 10 am at Sarvamangala Auditorium, adjacent to the Sri Brahma Baidarkala Garodi. Sri Sasikant Senthil, erstwhile Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada, will speak on ‘Bapu and Nationalism’, and thereafter, Dr. Jagadish Koppa, senior journalist and award winning author, will speak on ‘Bapu Emba Manukulada Belaku’.

All these programmes are being organised under the auspices of Samadarshi Vedike, Mangaluru and Gandhi 150 Janmadinacharane Samiti, Mangaluru. The programmes planned for later, such as the competitions and seminars and workshops, will be held with the cooperation and guidance of Nehru Chintana Kendra, Mangalore University. Many organisations such as Deshapremi Sanghatanegala Okkoota, Team India Mangalore, Apna Desh Swayamsevakara Balaga, Dalita Sangharsha Samiti, Prajna Counselling Centre, Mahila Dourjanya Virodhi Vedike, Indian People’s Theater Association, Karavali Mitra Vrinda will be actively participating in these programmes.

Mahatma Gandhi had laid foundation stone for the Sri Krishna Mandir attached to Canara Lower Primary Kannada Medium School, Dongarkere, Mangaluru

The Foundation stone for the Sri Krishna Mandir attached to the Canara Lower Primary Kannada Medium School, Dongarkere, Mangaluru was laid by Mahatma Gandhi on 2 February 1934, during his second visit to Mangaluru. The plaque unveiled by Gandhi is still seen on the walls of the Century-old school hall, which is part of the Canara Group of Institutions founded by Late Ammembai Subba Rao Pai. A statue of Sri Krishna and other figures created out of one single black stone by Renjal Gopal Shenoy from Karkala is a masterpiece to be seen inside the Mandir.

Gandhiji seen with Karnad Sadhashiv Rao, Attavar Yellapa, and Rama Rao, all Congress freedom fighters

Speaking to Team Mangalorean, Mohini, who have been the Headmistress for over 26 years after the school started in 1947 said, “On 2 October we will have great celebrations here at the Mandir, where the children will sing patriotic songs, and the favorite bhajan of Mahatma Gandhi “Raghupathi Ragava Raja Ram”. We celebrate Gandhi Jayanthi every year with great reverence. Our teachers and children keep the Mandir clean involving them in Swachh Abhiyan campaign. The Children also pray regularly in the Mandir to commemorate Gandhi;s visit to this place three times when he had come down to Mangaluru-he never visited any other institutions other than Sri Krishna Mandir”.
“The black and white photo taken during the foundation stone laying ceremony is still in good condition, and we have preserved it very carefully, where in the picture you can see Karnad Sadhashiv Rao, Attavar Yellapa, and Rama Rao, all Congress freedom fighters. Last year during Gandhi Jayanthi celebration a student of the First batch of this school, Muktha Rao donated Rs one lakh for the development of the school, which was indeed a kind gesture from his side to his Alma mater. At present we have 118 students in 1-5 standard class, and 37 in lower KG class, and we have six teachers to teach them. We feel proud of the association that Mahatma Gandhi had with our institution and Mandir” added Mohini

To commemorate the 150th Birth Anniversary of the Mahatma, Canara High School Association, Mangaluru will pay a salute to Mahatma Gandhi and other national leaders on 2 October, with a Swachhta Campaign near main gate of T V Raman Pai Convention Centre, followed by a formal function to mark the occasion at the Convention Centre, with MLA Vedavyas Kamath as the chief guest, along with other dignitaries. S S Kamath-Hon President of Canara High School Association, M Ranganath Bhat- Hon Secretary of CHSA, Annappa Pai-Hon VP-CHSA and P G Shenoy-Hon Treasurer-CHSA will also grace the occasion.