In the year 1948, on January 30th, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel visited Mahatma Gandhi at Birla House for a significant discussion. The conversation extended, leading to a delay in the evening prayer. Noticing the time, Maniben reminded them, prompting Gandhi to head towards the prayer meeting with Abha and Manu.
The Evening of January 30, 1948
The path to the meeting place was lined with people. Upon seeing them, Gandhi folded his hands in greeting. Amidst the crowd, Nathuram Godse emerged, bowing down, and Manu felt he was attempting to touch Gandhi's feet. Abha tried to stop him, but Godse pushed Manu, causing her to drop a book and a garland.
As she bent down to pick them up, Godse drew a pistol and fired three shots into Gandhi's chest and abdomen. Gandhi uttered, "Ram.....ra.....m," as his lifeless body began to fall.
This fateful evening came just six months after India's independence, marking the assassination of the country's greatest leader. This historic day, later commemorated as Martyrs' Day, led to the establishment of a site known as 'Rajghat', the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi.
Source: aajtak
The Making of the Rajghat Memorial
Journalist Vivek Shukla, author of 'Gandhi’s Delhi (12 April, 1915 - 30 January, 1948 and beyond)', describes how shocked the nation was on January 30, 1948. Amidst lingering partition pains, Gandhi's assassination was another blow. It was crucial to maintain calm within the nation and give a global farewell to a revered leader.
On that chilly evening of January 30, around 9 PM, PM Nehru, Home Minister Patel, and high-ranking officials reached Rajghat. While the central public works department officers hurriedly prepared the platform for Gandhi's cremation the next day, the Nehru cabinet discussed and decided Rajghat as the ideal place due to its proximity to the Yamuna River and central location.
The funeral arrangements fell to the concerned departments, while the Delhi police inspector-general W.V. Sanjevi was tasked with maintaining law and order during the cremation.
The funeral took place on January 31, 1948, covered extensively by both national and international media. The grounds, initially barren, evolved into a memorial for Mahatma Gandhi after plans for development were drawn up. Post-1950, PM Nehru focused intensely on cultivating Rajghat, a move that led to a parliamentary storm when he sought foreign architectural expertise.
The Rajghat Design Controversy
The plan to involve famous American architect Frank Lloyd Wright sparked outrage in parliament, demanding an Indian architect for the design. Subsequently, in 1956, Vanu G. Bhuta took the helm, conceptualizing a memorial embodying Gandhi's simplicity and modesty, capturing his iconic half-dhoti image.
Source: aajtak
Crafting the Rajghat Complex
Bhuta's design featured a square platform at the center, with Gandhi's last words 'Hey Ram' inscribed. Lush greenery encircled the site, thanks to landscaping by Anglo-Indian horticulturist Alish Percy Lancaster.
Under PM Nehru's watchful eye, CPWD's chief architect Habib Rahman and chief engineer T.S. Vedagiri considered various designs, ensuring costs remained in check. The South Indian temple-like and the spinning-wheel design ultimately gave way to Bhuta's understated yet elegant concept.
Vinoba Bhave's Stay at Rajghat
Prior to its official transformation, Rajghat hosted Vinoba Bhave and 75 companions in 1951. Despite Nehru's hospitality offer of a government lodging, Bhave, advocating for the Bhoodan Movement, preferred the simplicity of huts.
As a site known for Mahatma Gandhi's memorial, it was frequented even then, albeit appearing barren before its current serene state took shape.
The Naming of 30 January Road
Delhi's 30 January Road, named in memory of Gandhi's assassination date, houses the Gandhi Smriti, formerly Birla House, where he spent his last days. Originally called 'Albuquerque Road', this renaming was a tribute to the great leader who spent his final months residing there.
