GANDHI MUSEUM
AT
MADURAI
Gandhi Memorial Museum at Madurai has been built and organised by Gandhi Smarak Nidhi. There are ample places in South India which are important in relation to Gandhiji. Since, he has visited Tamil Nadu 14 times, among all of them Madurai city got its distinct place of its own. It was in Madurai in the year 1921, Gandhiji adopted for the first time the line cloth as his mode of dress, which made him known throughout the world as "The Half Naked Fakir".
It was in Madurai again that the doors of great Meenakshi Amman Temple were thrown open to Harijans, thus winning a historic battle against "Untouchability". Gandhiji visited the Temple in the year 1946 along with Harijans as a triumph for the cause of Harijan Temple entry. The Gandhi Memorial Trust has allocated Ten Millions Rupees for the purpose of setting up Gandhi Memorial Museum in selected seven places in India associated with the life of Gandhi.
The Gandhi Memorial Museum is meant to be a living Institutions and not merely a building preserving and showing exhibits, however precious. It seeks to help an ever increasing number of people particularly the youth of the country to understand and to value the life, work and teachings of Gandhiji.The Picture Gallery presents a visual biography of Gandhiji. It contains photos, paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, quotations, and some original articles used by Gandhiji (Relics and replicas). Special Exhibition on "India Fights for Freedom" with 265 illustrations, depicting the history of the Freedom Movement, greets you first.
The Gandhi Memorial Museum at Madurai was the first of its kind to be completed and it was inaugurated by Shri Jawaharlal Nehru on 15th April, 1959. The Museum serves to propagate the ideals of Gandhiji. Exhibitions, Seminors, Study Circle meetings, Group discussions, Summer Camps for students, Fine Arts training courses for children and classes on Yogasana and Naturopathy are organised periodically. A Science Park has been put up for the benefit of school children. Examinations for students on 'Gandhiji's life and Thought' are regularly conducted.
Gandhi Memorial Museum conducts an Educational Programme for the students of the Colleges and High Schools of Madurai City. They undergo a methodical one day study course of 7 hours duration, on the history of "Indian Freedom Movement" and on a brief study of "Gandhiji's life". The courses are Class room study, Film and Slide shows and Museum Gallery tour. A Class room is set up with Film Projection annexe for this purpose in the second floor of the Museum section. The Educational programme is a regular activity of the Museum.
The Gandhi Memorial Museum, Madurai is an autonomous Registered Society and is administered by a committee which includes Gandhian leaders, Educationalists, Social Workers and representatives form the State and the Central Governments.
Gandhiji, during his visit to Madurai stayed in the residence of Sri Ramji Kalyanji, 175-A, West Masi Street, Maduraiwho respectfully invited him to his house, on 21.09.1921. During his stay there at night he was mentally agitated and worried to think of the various farmers and poor people on his way dressed in scarce cloths that is only a small towel like dhothi around the waist and were shivering with cold, while he was wearing long turbans khurtha and dhoties.
So overnight he took a decision that he should be a model to everyone and to dress in a simple manner like the peasants and poor people he witnessed in his journey to Madurai and he carried out this from the very next day itself. On 22-09-1921 (the next day) morning all were shocked to see him in his new pattern of dress and Gandhiji explained them about his decision and he followed this throughout his life. Then he attended the meetings in Madurai (The place now called as Gandhi Pottal) at 0700 hrs, explaining the reason for his new mode of dress therein. Then he attended the meeting at Karaikudi and returned to his destination.
By Air
There are daily flights to Madurai from Chennai, Bangalore,Tiruchi & Coimbatore. Madurai Airport is 10 Kms away from Madurai City.
By Train
Madurai is an important railway junction of the Southern Railway and is directly connected to Chennai and Tirunelveli. Madurai is on the Madurai-Tiruchirappalli-Dindigul-Quilon line. The Vaigai Express, which is a super-fast day train between Chennai Egmore and Madurai takes 7 hours for the 495kms.
By Bus
There are excellent roads connecting Madurai to all parts of South India. Madurai City has 5 Major Bus Stand.
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