'Akhand Jyot' at Sardar's Karamsad home extinguished

Anand, June 5 (UNI) Admirers and fans of 'Iron Man' Sardar Patel in the State are crying foul as the 'Akhand Jyot' that was burning since 1987 at Sardar's Karamsad home, 5km from here, has been replaced by an electric bulb by the Sardar Patel Memorial Trust.

In 1987 an 'Akhand Jyot' yatra started from Nadiad birth place of Sardar for Karamsad, where he later grew up. Since then the 'jyot' has been burning till it was extinguished a few days back.

Trust officials say this was done as the Karamsad house is an old wooden structure and there was serious threat of an outbreak of fire. ''This precaution had to be taken and was unavoidable,'' they said.

However, local admirers of Sardar Patel say that if fire outbreak was the main reason then the jyot could have been enclosed in a glass case. They also point out to a jyot that is still burning at Santram mandir in Nadiad and which is said to be 117-years-old.

UNI