The Forgotten 'Smiriti' of Gandhi

New Delhi, Oct 2 (UNI) It is one of those quirks of fate that Rajghat, the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi, finds its place in the history books while Gandhi Smriti, the place of his martyrdom, has been left out.

'Smriti' means memory, but how can Gandhi Smriti be etched into our memory if one does not know of it? It's bewildering how people ignore the fact that there must be a place where the Father of the Nation had been shot, and if so, where is it? ''Gandhi Smriti? Is it some book on Gandhiji?'' replied Surender Singh, a post-graduate in History from Delhi Universiy when asked about the place where Mahatma Gandhi fell to bullets during a prayer meeting more than 58 years ago.

Gandhi Smriti is housed in the old Birla House on 5, Tees January Marg. Mahatma Gandhi lived in this house from September 9, 1947 to January 30, 1948, the day of his assassination. The building and its lawns treasure many associations with the last 144 days of his life.

''It is a long debate. The name Birla House was removed from the history books. I do not understand why should we feel shy of the history that Bapu stayed and lived his last days in this place,'' said Gandhi Smriti Director Dr Savita Singh.

Unlike the spot where Gandhiji slumped to his death, the Rajghat today is a national monument. The Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi, with its manicured lawns and picturesque backdrop, Rajghat is a perfect tourist attraction, a beacon of a memorial to the father of the nation. Hundreds of people arrive here everyday from the corners of the world.

However, not many know that 'Gandhi Smriti' in the heart of the national capital Delhi is the place where Mahatma Gandhi breathed his last.

According to Bollywood grapevine, actor Anupam Kher stood close to the spot of Mahatma Gandhi's assassination, considered by Gandhians as ''one of the holiest places in the world'', when he was at Gandhi Smriti last November to attend a panel discussion following the release of his film 'Maine Gandhi ko Nahi Mahara' (ironically a film about the relevance of Gandhi today), and asked where the place was.

Many people, however, come to Gandhi Smriti from the rural areas of the country. ''They come not because they know the intellectual Gandhi but because they know the Gandhi who was with the masses,'' said Dr Singh. For senior Haryana government official Chaudhary Lal Singh, visiting Gandhi Smriti was ''my astha (belief)''. Mr Lal Singh, a Special Secretary in the state's Agriculture Department, said he walked all the way from Hardwar to Delhi to come to the memorial on the eve of Gandhiji's birth anniversary.

At the same time, it is also ironical that the place where Gandhiji was shot dead should find itself in the shadow of guns. At the National Defence College across the road from Gandhi Smriti, showpiece artilleries kept in front of the building on the roadside point straight at the memorial.

''We don't mean to malign Gandhiji by placing these cannons towards 'Gandhi Smriti', said an official of the college run by the Defence Ministry. ''It is just like any other showpiece military equipment placed at almost every military establishment in the country.'' However, Gandhian N Vasudevan expressed disapproval of the manner in which the guns face the place where the Father of the Nation died, also from a gun. ''It is clear disrespect to the memory of Mahatma Gandhi,'' he said.

As the country honours Gandhiji in many ways on the 137th anniversary of his birth today, the followers of his ideals say as a nation we have killed Gandhiji many times. ''From an event of terrorism and violence to the way of bribing and greasing of palm, we have killed Gandhiji again and again,'' said Dr Singh.

According to Gandhians, the best way to remember Gandhiji would be to follow reverently in the path he has shown us. The Gandhian way of life though appears to be tough is actually quite simple. It is so simple that it becomes hard to follow.

Gandhiji once said, ''There is no way to peace, peace is the way''. May be there is no way to Gandhi, Gandhi is the way.

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