Kolkata house that hosted Gandhi in 1947 to open as museum on Oct 2

Rare photographs capturing Mahatma Gandhi's 1947 stay at Beliaghata in Kolkata and articles used by him during over three-week period when he tried to douse flames of communal violence will be on display from October 2 at house that hosted him, and has w been developed as a full-fledged museum.

In August and September of 1947, away from celebration of Independence, Gandhi chose to be in Kolkata with some of his followers to calm rioters down. He stayed in building during his stay.  

" city was in flames. Gandhi and his followers stayed in building and sat on an indefinite fast on August 31. Gandhi called off fast on September 4 after leaders of two communities visited him and laid down arms at his feet and cried for forgiveness," said an office-bearer of Purba Kolkata Gandhi Smarak Samiti, that has been managing building since late 1950s.

She said Gandhi and his followers moved to building, earlier kwn as 'Hyderi Manjil', on August 13, 1947. y lived in two of its seven rooms as only se two were inhabitable.

But once Gandhi left on September 4, building again went into decay. 

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On October 2, 1985, state government's Public Works Department carried out some maintenance works re in consultation with samiti and it was named 'Gandhi Bhavan'.

But it didn't draw wider public attention. In 2009, when n state goverr Gopal Krishna Gandhi visited place, he asked samiti to put on display some of objects used by Mahatma. 

Since n, it has been run as a small 'museum' by samiti and objects like spinning wheel, cap, 'kharam', pillow and mattress used by Mahatma during his stay are on display in one of rooms, an official of samiti said.

However, with limited resources of samiti, re was t much public kwledge about building and some of its exhibits and hence number of visitors was few.

In 2018, state government fully took over building and it has been massively upgraded. This revated building will open as a full-fledged state-run museum on Wednesday, when nation celebrates 150th birth anniversary of Far of Nation.

After restoration of entire building, se items will be displayed in a better and more organised way, official said, expressing satisfaction state government has taken organisation on board in turning building into a full-fledged museum.

re will be some new additions in museum too.

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"Items used by Gandhiji in ashram he set up at Sodpur, 10 km from Beliaghata, to help inmates weave clos by Charka and his correspondence (letter) with people in akhali, in present day Bangladesh, during period of turmoil in Kolkata and akhali will also be added," she said.

Also, newspaper clippings recording that turbulent phase in Bengal history will also be displayed in all seven rooms of museum, she added.

"re are photographs too. For example, one is of a pensive Gandhiji looking at a dimly-lit lantern. Ar, taken on September 4, shows teary-eyed community leaders asking him to call off fast on. A photo shows Gandhi in 'moubrato' (silence)," office-bearer said.

A glass case with three swords surrendered to Mahatma by rioters will also be on display, she said.

"Hyderi Manjil is t just a building, it's associated with many memories. It was epicentre of fight against communalism," said samiti officer-bearer.

" museum, in its full glory and as a state-run facility, will be unveiled on October 2 to let present generation kw more about Gandhiji and his association with city," she said.

After restoration, building is w safeguarded by a high wall and steps are paved with marbles. Its large central hall houses several wall paintings, crafted by students of Rabindranath Tagore's Viswa Bharati, on 1947 communal violence.

Biswanath Dey, who passed away in 2017, was one of associates of Gandhi during his stay. His daughter-in-law recalls with pride how Gandhiji asked him to accompany him during his morning walks to a nearby canal every day.

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"My far-in-law, who was a teenr in 1947, used to say he was a part of six youths who would be always on Gandhiji's side," she recalls.

Ar nnarian, who frequented place in those days and liked by Bapu, says she recently visited place and was very happy with ongoing maintenance work. She is w settled in South Africa. 

An official of Information and Cultural Affairs department said museum will have three divisions.

"re will be one section depicting Gandhiji's birth, death and political life, this will be new addition to previous museum, run by voluntary organisation.

re will be ar section on his relations with Hyderi Manjil. And third will show how he prevented riots in Kolkata and akhali form escalating furr. Newspaper clippings and or books and archival materials will be kept re," official said.

re will be audio-visual presentation, ar new addition, with voice-over in one section of museum, top official said.

Besides a big gate, frescoes depicting n-violent movements of Gandhiji have been put up on walls of museum for grand opening. 

A government official said an entry fee will be charged after all objects are completely restored put on display.

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