MADURAI: Recalling the special bonding that Madurai had with Mahatma Gandhi during his freedom struggle movement and his visits to Madurai more than a century ago, a large number of people from various walks of life had paid their tributes and respects to the Father of the Nation at Gandhi Memorial Museum in Madurai today on the occasion of 157th Gandhi Jayanti (October 2nd 2026).
At the place where sacred ashes of Gandhiji are kept in the museum premises here, people paid homage by showering flower petals at ‘Gandhi Asthi Peedam’ and singing the famous lines of ‘Raghupati Raghava Rajaram’ which was close to the Bapu’s heart when he led the freedom movement.
Gandhi Memorial Museum secretary Mr.K.R.Nanda Rao and museum treasurer Mr.M.Senthilkumar along with museum EC member Mr.Ramalingam (architect) and staff led the Gandhi Jayanti celebrations in Madurai today while representatives of various political parties, organizations, associations and general public had garlanded the statue of Mahatma Gandhi.
GANDHIJI’S DHOTI DECISION FROM MADURAI:
“Our great Madurai has a special place in Gandhiji’s life because he took that historic decision to change his original attire by shifting to dhoti-loin cloth from Madurai on September 22nd 1921 and his first public appearance from West Masi Street on that day in his simple attire. So, Madurai is an important place when we speak about Gandhiji since that simple dress code of Gandhiji began from Madurai and we always feel thrilled on every Gandhi Jayanti day every year,” Mr.K.R.Nanda Rao has said after offering floral tributes at ‘Gandhi Asthi Peedam’ today and he added that this year’s Gandhi Jayanti is more special because Madurai is now having a renovated Gandhi Memorial Museum which is open to the public after it was inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Mr.C.Joseph Vijay during his visit to Madurai a few days ago.
