CHIKKAMAGALURU: In a land of a thousand gods, did anyone ever think of a temple for the Mahatma, where people could revere and adore the man who single-handedly freed India and its millions from the yoke of foreign rule?
They did, the people of Nidaghatta village in Kadur taluk of Chikkamagaluru district, who built a gudi (small temple) for Gandhi, who though not deified, remains a towering God for millions of Indians.
The villagers or their forefathers had their reason to build the shrine-they wanted it to remain a symbol of truth and keep his ideal of non-violence alive. The temple was inaugurated in February, 1948, a month after the Father of the Nation was assassinated. The man who pioneered the construction was Gandhian Siddaramayya, popularly known as 'Congress Siddaramayya.'
The Mahatma's statue measures about 2 feet with a walking stick in his right hand and the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred text of the Hindus, in the left. Such is the admiration for Bapuji that most passers-by stop to pray while some light camphor, break coconuts and garland the statue, just like they conduct pujas for a deity.
A few metres away from the temple is a platform which locals call 'Nyayada Katte' (seat for justice). Litterateur Chatnalli Mahesh says people come to the Katte to take a vow to speak the truth swearing in the name of the Mahatma. "Such was the respect Gandhiji commanded in those days. Sadly, today, Gandhian values are on the decline," he lamented. The shrine however remains the favourite spot for people of Nidaghatta when they want to stage a protest.
There have been pleas to get Gandhi Gudi renovated and develop the surroundings into a garden but elected representatives have turned a deaf ear to them. Gandhi and his thoughts are the last priority for a political class, who know only money and muscle power can win them the day - not noble thoughts.
